To consider the following motions submitted by members in accordance with Standing Order 5:
Motion 1.
This Council requests a report to go to Cabinet by April 2020 that:
1. Clarifies and prioritises the Authority’s powers and key objectives in relation to bus provision to enable more consistent and effective negotiations with bus operators. This should include investigating multi-operator ticketing, bus priority measures and improved bus information.
2. Analyses the success of s.106 contributions which have been used to pump prime new bus routes over the last 10 years in Warwickshire and investigates alternative frameworks to incentivise long term successful routes around new developments if necessary.
3. Fully scopes the use of Advanced Quality and Enhanced Partnership schemes as set out in the Transport Act 2000 and Bus Services Act 2017, including engagement with operators and sets a date no later than December 2020 to assess whether implementation of the AQ or EP schemes are necessary to achieve the Authority’s key objectives.
4. Considers and assesses the resources required to successfully deliver the Council’s key objectives recognising that any strategy or objectives that emerge from this process must be fully costed before they can be presented to Cabinet and all sources of funding identified.
Proposer: Councillor Keith Kondakor
Seconder: Councillor Jonathan Chilvers
Motion 2.
This Council encourages all Warwickshire residents to leave excess packaging at supermarket checkouts.
Proposer - Councillor Jonathan Chilvers
Seconder - Councillor Keith Kondakor
Minutes:
1) Bus Services in Warwickshire
Councillor Keith Kondakor moved the first motion stating: “This Council requests a report to go to Cabinet by April 2020 that:
1. Clarifies and prioritises the Authority’s powers and key objectives in relation to bus provision to enable more consistent and effective negotiations with bus operators. This should include investigating multi-operator ticketing, bus priority measures and improved bus information.
2. Analyses the success of s.106 contributions which have been used to pump prime new bus routes over the last 10 years in Warwickshire and investigates alternative frameworks to incentivise long term successful routes around new developments if necessary.
3. Fully scopes the use of Advanced Quality and Enhanced Partnership schemes as set out in the Transport Act 2000 and Bus Services Act 2017, including engagement with operators and sets a date no later than December 2020 to assess whether implementation of the AQ or EP schemes are necessary to achieve the Authority’s key objectives.
4. Considers and assesses the resources required to successfully deliver the Council’s key objectives recognising that any strategy or objectives that emerge from this process must be fully costed before they can be presented to Cabinet and all sources of funding identified”.
Councillor Jonathan Chilvers (Leader of the Green Group) seconded the motion reserving the right to speak. In support of the motion Councillor Keith Kondakor informed Council that although 14 million trips have been made on buses in Warwickshire in the last year, this was down on previous figures. Improvements to bus services can bring about rapid enhancements in terms of accessibility and reductions in congestion and pollution. The key is to kickstart greater bus use so that it becomes the preferred mode of transport for more people.
Amendment 1
Councillor Jerry Roodhouse (Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group) moved an amendment. This changed the first paragraph of the motion and stated, “This Council supports the call by the “Campaign for Better Transport” report called “The Future of the Bus” and requests that a report to go to Cabinet by April 2020 that………” In proposing the amendment Councillor Roodhouse observed that the report cited should be brought to the fore. He added that more should be done to work with the bus operators, Stagecoach. Councillor Clive Rickhards seconded the amendment adding that the issue of bus service provision should be considered by Cabinet. With fewer than 50% of small rural settlements in the UK being served by buses a national and a Warwickshire bus strategy are required. The amendment tabled by the Liberal Democrat Group was accepted by the Green Group as a friendly amendment.
This then became the substantive motion.
Amendment 2
Councillor Jeff Clarke (Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning) tabled the following amendment. “This Council requests supports the call by the “Campaign for Better Transport” report called “The Future of the Bus” (that the Strategic Director Communities takes a report to Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee in June 2020) by 30 April 2020 that:
1. Clarifies and prioritises the Authority’s powers and key objectives in relation to bus provision to enable more consistent and effective negotiations with bus operators. This should include investigating multi-operator ticketing, bus priority measures and improved bus information.
2. Analyses the success of s.106 contributions which have been used to pump prime new bus routes over the last 10 years in Warwickshire and investigates alternative frameworks to incentivise long term successful routes around new developments if necessary.
3. Fully scopes the use of Advanced Quality and Enhanced Partnership schemes as set out in the Transport Act 2000 and Bus Services Act 2017, including engagement with operators and sets a date no later than December 2020 to assess whether 3 of 4 implementation of the AQ or EP schemes are necessary to achieve the Authority’s key objectives.
4. Considers and assesses the resources required to successfully deliver the Council’s key objectives recognising that any strategy or objectives that emerge from this process must be fully costed before they can be presented to Cabinet and all sources of funding identified.
5. Considers the call by the “Campaign for Better Transport” report called “The Future of the Bus” (Communities OSC to discuss the findings of the report and to bring forward recommendations to Cabinet). In proposing this second amendment Councillor Clarke stated that there was a clear role for Overview and Scrutiny in reviewing the situation ahead of consideration by Cabinet. Amendment 2 was seconded by Councillor Dave Shilton.
Amendment 2 was accepted by the Green Group as a friendly amendment. This then became the substantive motion.
Debate
Council discussed the new substantive motion. The following points were made by members. • Heavily used bus routes become part of a bus-use culture. For this culture to become established it is important that services are frequent as in London. A challenge for bus users travelling from Leamington to Warwick is that it takes around an hour to make the journey. • The cost of operating a bus decreases if they are carrying many passengers. To increase patronage people should see buses as useful and affordable.
• Bus shelters should display real-time travel information. • People living in rural areas can be very isolated. Buses provide them with a lifeline giving them access to services, shops and leisure activities.
• Two newly created bus services in North Warwickshire are serving to improve health and social mobility.
• Some bus operators are prepared to run services whilst Section 106 money is available. However as soon as that funding ceases the operators withdraw the service.
• Some bus operators regard the County Council as a “cash cow”. The Council should apply pressure on those operators to achieve a reversal in the falling number of passengers.
• Account should be taken of the needs of rural commuters.
• Ideally everyone would have a bus waiting for them whenever they wished to travel. This is unreasonable. Therefore, it is necessary to consider that which is realistic and affordable. The Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee will have the time and resources to explore this issue in detail. It will be required to be rational in identifying what can be done.
Councillor Jonathan Chilvers (Leader of the Green Group), the seconder of the original motion, acknowledged that the Council cannot control the bus operators. However, he did suggest that the Council recognise that it does have control over matters that the bus operators would find appealing. For example, the Council controls bus subsidies. In addition, it engages in negotiations for S106 payments from developers.
It is important also to consider the legal levers (e.g. Bus Services Act 2017) that can be applied. Council recognised that some elements of any review may need to be considered in private.
Councillor Keith Kondakor who proposed the original motion noted that around 30% of households in Warwickshire do not have access to a car. Some developer funding is wasted when bus operators fail to run services at night. In addition, fare zones can mean that short journeys can be more expensive than long journeys. He concluded by calling for more bus shelters to be provided and for closer working with Coventry. Vote A vote was held on the Conservative amendment (accepted as a friendly amendment). This was agreed unanimously.
Resolved
This Council requests that the Strategic Director Communities takes a report to Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee in June 2020:
1. Clarifies and prioritises the Authority’s powers and key objectives in relation to bus provision to enable more consistent and effective negotiations with bus operators. This should include investigating multi-operator ticketing, bus priority measures and improved bus information.
2. Analyses the success of s.106 contributions which have been used to pump prime new bus routes over the last 10 years in Warwickshire and investigates alternative frameworks to incentivise long term successful routes around new developments if necessary.
3. Fully scopes the use of Advanced Quality and Enhanced Partnership schemes as set out in the Transport Act 2000 and Bus Services Act 2017, including engagement with operators and sets a date no later than December 2020 to assess whether 3 of 4 implementation of the AQ or EP schemes are necessary to achieve the Authority’s key objectives.
4. Considers and assesses the resources required to successfully deliver the Council’s key objectives recognising that any strategy or objectives that emerge from this process must be fully costed before they can be presented to Cabinet and all sources of funding identified. 5. Considers the call by the “Campaign for Better Transport” report called “The Future of the Bus” Communities OSC to discuss the findings of the report and to bring forward recommendations to Cabinet.
2) Reducing the use of Excess Packaging
Councillor Jonathan Chilvers moved the motion stating, “This Council encourages all Warwickshire residents to leave excess packaging at supermarket checkouts”. In proposing the motion Councillor Chilvers observed that with the emphasis on excess packaging the need is to reduce the amount used in the first place.
Members were informed that £20m a year is expended by the County Council on disposing on packaging. A 5% reduction in this would realise a saving of £1m. The key is to ensure that the supermarkets receive the message that they need to do more to reduce packaging. Councillor Keith Kondakor seconded the motion and reserved the right to speak. Councillor Heather Timms (Portfolio Holder for Environment and Heritage & Culture) expressed her concern over the motion as proposed by the Green Group stating that if implemented it could initiate conflict in stores. The government, she added, is keen to reduce waste generation.
Amendment
Councillor Heather Timms proposed the following amendment. “The new National Waste Strategy for England will allow the Council to work with the District and Borough Councils to develop a renewed Joint Municipal Waste Strategy for Warwickshire and to deliver real improvements including reducing our carbon emissions. This Council therefore will write to the Prime Minister to urge him to continue to drive forward progress on the Strategy and to minimise the use of excess packaging at supermarkets to radically reduce waste and increased reuse and recycling across Warwickshire”. The amendment was seconded by Councillor Adrian Warwick who reserved the right to speak. Debate Members made a series of observations regarding the matter of waste reduction.
• Where excess packaging is removed at supermarket tills it only ever attracts positive remarks. In some instances, other customers follow the example being set.
• Leaving waste at a till can make people feel uncomfortable. Any conflict at a shop till can have a negative and unreasonable impact on the staff. However, it is down to the individual to choose their actions.
• Not enough recycling is being undertaken. Any waste strategy should be used to encourage people to recycle.
• Some packaging is necessary to protect goods in transit. • Supermarkets should be encouraged to reduce the production of excess packaging. • Recycling facilities in the UK are inadequate. Materials for recycling are sent overseas and there is uncertainty regarding where it ends up.
• People should be encouraged to buy goods from local shops (e.g. greengrocers) and markets where excess packaging is reduced. In addition, fruit and vegetables that are considered misshapen or not up to standard should be bought rather than wasted.
Councillor Keith Kondakor, the seconder of the motion, observed that the reduction of waste generation sits at the top of the waste hierarchy. He suggested that greater consideration be given to ways in which excess packaging can be designed out. He observed legislation can be slow to have an impact and litter is a major threat to the environment. Councillor Heather Timms advocated closer working with supermarkets to reduce excess waste generation. In closing, Councillor Jonathan Chilvers, the proposer of the original motion suggested that there is a place for direct action and legislation.
The focus, he stated is around excess packaging not on the removal of all packaging. He agreed that local shops should be supported but also stated that there is value in unwrapping excess packaging at supermarkets too. Vote The motion as proposed by the Green Group was put to the vote.
The motion was lost 41 against and 6 for.
The amended motion as proposed by the Conservative Group became the substantive motion at this point. A vote was held.
This has passed 40 for, 1 against and 7 abstentions.
Resolved
“The new National Waste Strategy for England will allow the Council to work with the District and Borough Councils to develop a renewed Joint Municipal Waste Strategy for Warwickshire and to deliver real improvements including reducing our carbon emissions. This Council therefore will write to the Prime Minister to urge him to continue to drive forward progress on the Strategy and to minimise the use of excess packaging at supermarkets to radically reduce waste and increased reuse and recycling across Warwickshire”.