Agenda item - The following Notices of Motion have been submitted by Members for consideration:

(1)          Post Adoption Support and Interagency Adoption Fees.  Joint motion on behalf of the Conservative, Labour & Co-operative & Green Groups.  Proposed by Councillor Wealls (copy attached).

 

(2)          Unpaid Trial Shifts.  Proposed by Councillor Platts on behalf of the Labour & Co-operative Group (copy attached).

 

(3)          Charter Against Modern Slavery.  Proposed by Councillor Cattell on behalf of the Labour & Co-operative Group (copy attached).

 

(4)          City Clean.  Proposed by Councillor Wares on behalf of the Conservative Group (copy attached).

 

(5)          Preston Park Station.  Proposed by Councillor G. Theobald on behalf of the Conservative Group (copy attached).

 

(6)          Truly Affordable Housing at the Brighton General Site. Proposed by Councillor Druitt on behalf of the Green Group (copy attached).

 

(7)          Sussex IFCA: Inshore Trawling and Fishing.  Proposed by Councillor Sykes on behalf of the Green Group (copy attached).

 

(1)  Post Adoption Support and Interagency Adoption Fees

 

23.1      The Notice of Motion as listed in the agenda was proposed by Councillor Wealls on behalf of the Conservative, Labour & Co-operative and Green Groups; along with a slight amendment to the wording to take into account recent announcements in relation to the matter.  Councillors Chapman and Knight seconded the motion as amended.

 

23.2      The Mayor then put the following motion as amended to the vote:

 

This council resolves that the Chief Executive writes to the Secretary of State for Education, requesting that the government:

 

·           Recognises the value of the Adoption Support Fund, and confirms the long-term future and arrangements for this vital post-adoption support for children and their adoptive families, so that effective planning can take place and maximum benefit can be achieved;

 

·           Intervenes with the Consortium of Voluntary Adoption Agencies to reversethe recent implementation of a15% increase in inter-agency fees, or offsets the impact of this increase on local authority budgets.

 

23.3      The Mayor confirmed that the motion as amended had been carried unanimously.

 

(2)  Unpaid Trial Shifts

 

23.4      The Notice of Motion as listed in the agenda was proposed by Councillor Platts on behalf of the Labour & Co-operative and seconded by Councillor Horan.

 

23.5      Councillor Druitt moved an amendment on behalf of the Green Group which was seconded by Councillor Mac Cafferty.

 

23.6      Councillor Bell moved an amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group which was seconded by Councillor Peltzer Dunn.

 

23.7      The Mayor noted that both amendments had been accepted by Councillor Platts and put the following motion to the vote:

 

This Council resolves: 

(1)    To request that the Chief Executive asks officers to work in collaboration with the Brighton & Hove Economic Partnership, Brighton & Hove Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Alliance, localtraders associations, trade unions and organisations representing young people, to gain information and understanding of the scale and nature ofunpaid trial shifts in the City of Brighton and Hove and bring a report to an appropriate meeting of the Policy, Resources & Growth Committee outlining options to end the practice in the city.  The report should include a proposal for a wide consultation across all private, public and voluntary sector organisations.

(2)    To ask the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, requesting that the Government seek to end the practice of unpaid trial shifts.

 

23.8      The Mayor confirmed that the motion as amended had been carried unanimously.

 

(3)  Charter Against Modern Slavery

 

23.9      The Notice of Motion as listed in the agenda was proposed by Councillor Cattel on behalf of the Labour & Co-operative Group and seconded by Councillor Daniel.

 

23.10   The Mayor then put the following motion to the vote:

 

This council resolves to ask for a report to the Policy, Resources & Growth Committee detailing:

(1)    The implications of signing up to the Charter Against Modern Slavery, which will commit the council to 10 action points, including to:

·      Train its corporate procurement team to understand modern slavery through the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply’s (CIPS) online course on Ethical Procurement and Supply.

·      Challenge any abnormally low-cost tenders to ensure they do not rely upon the potential contractor practising modern slavery

·      Publicise its whistle-blowing system for staff to blow the whistle on any suspected examples of modern slavery.

(2)    How to ensure staff are made aware and trained as appropriate in identifying possible instances of modern slavery.

 

23.11   The Mayor confirmed that the motion had been carried unanimously.

 

(4)  City Clean

 

Note:

 

23.12   The item was taken in conjunction with Item 22(a) and the resolution is detailed above.

 

(5)  Preston Park Station

 

23.13   The Notice of Motion as listed in the agenda was proposed by Councillor G. Theobald on behalf of the Conservative Group and seconded by Councillor Taylor.

23.14   Councillor Littman moved an amendment on behalf of the Green Group which was seconded by Councillor West.

 

23.15   The Mayor noted that the amendment had been accepted by Councillor Theobald and put the following motion to the vote:

 

            This Council resolves to:

 

(1)    Request the Chief Executive write to Patrick Verwer (COO Govia Thameslink Railway), Jo Johnson MP (Minister of State for Transport)and John Halsall (Route Managing Director Network Rail South East) calling for immediate action to provide the following:

 

·           Detail the process by which they assess passenger numbers using Preston Park Station. The decision making process that has led to a reduction in services and clarification about the changes to the levels of service / number of trains that stop at Preston Park Station compared to the timetable prior to 20^th May 2018.

 

·           Implement a timetable that enables commuters to travel frequently, and without extraordinarily long journey / waiting times between Preston Park Station and London; including consideration of reinstating the previous levels of Preston Park services as a minimum – and further, no gaps of more than 15 minutes in peak time services; 4 Gatwick Express trains per hour to Victoria; off peak/weekend service minimum half hourly, and other measures to improve the service as set out by Preston Park Train Campaign.

 

·           Increased investment at Preston Park Station to provide first class facilities to ensure passenger safety, comfort and convenience.

 

·           A further analysis of usage at all the city’s railway stations, with the view to ensuring sufficient services are provided.

 

·           A further assurance that Govia Thameslink will ensure swift compensation for passengers affected by recent disruption.

 

(2)    Request the Chief Executive write to Chris Grayling, Secretary of State for Transport to urge the Government to strip GTR of its Thameslink and Southern franchises, bring these into transparent and accountable public hands, and take immediate steps to restore services, reduce overcrowding and improve reliability.

 

23.16   The Mayor confirmed that the motion as amended had been carried unanimously.

 

(6)  Truly Affordable Housing at the Brighton General Site

 

23.17   The Notice of Motion as listed in the agenda was proposed by Councillor Druitt on behalf of the Green Group and seconded by Councillor Gibson.

 

23.18   The Mayor then put the following motion to the vote:

 

This Council notes that the Brighton General Hospital site is a public asset, and as such should be used for public good; prioritising NHS use first and foremost with any spare land used for truly affordable housing.

This Council therefore requests:

 

1.    A report to be provided to Housing & New Homes Committee, detailing the availability of land at the site and the most appropriate ways in which to develop it for truly affordable housing, including options for development by the Joint Venture, B&H Community Land Trust, directly by the Council, or a combination.

 

2.    That the Chief Executive writes to partners at Sussex Community NHS Trust, to communicate the will of the Council expressed in this Notice of Motion, so that all parties can conduct negotiations with this in mind.

 

23.19   The Mayor confirmed that the motion had been carried unanimously.

 

(7)  Sussex IFCA: Inshore Trawling and Fishing

 

23.20   The Notice of Motion as listed in the agenda was proposed by Councillor Sykes on behalf of the Green Group and seconded by Councillor Littman.

 

23.21   Councillor Nemeth moved an amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group which was seconded by Councillor Bell.

 

23.22   The Mayor noted that the amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group had not been accepted by Councillor Sykes and put it to the vote which was lost by 19 votes to 30.

 

23.23   The Mayor then put the following motion to the vote:

 

This Council notes the importance of the marine environment to the city and to the city’s tourism economy, and is very concerned at the damage that the fishing method of ‘netting’ and trawling causes to our marine environment, contributing to a decline in fish and the ecosystem present in Sussex waters.

 

As part of our commitment to maintain a ‘Living Coast’ and UNESCO Biosphere, this Council resolves to request the Chief Executive to write to the SIFCA Chief Fisheries and Conservation Officer, asking for:

 (a)    changes to trawling management that respond positively to suggestions in the SIFCA consultation paper, including creating trawling exclusion areas in nearshore waters of Sussex;

 (b)    changes to how ‘netting’ is managed, in line with the suggestions of SIFCA, including netting controls all year round and the of fisheries ‘zones’

 

23.24   The Mayor confirmed that the motion had been carried unanimously.