Agenda item

Notices of Motion

To consider the following motions submitted by members in accordance with Standing Order 5:

 

(1)      Eco Schools

 

This Council is committed to tackling Climate Change and has declared it as a priority. Council also committed itself to work in line with the UN Sustainable Development goals of which Education is one part.

 

Council recognises that schools and education are a critical part of tackling climate change. It also recognises that the Eco Schools programme needs reinvigoration across Warwickshire with the ambition that all schools can achieve green flag status.

 

Council requests:

 

1.That a survey takes place of all schools across Warwickshire about their progress in achieving Eco School status, to include a question about what support they need.

 

and

 

 2.That the findings are reported to the Climate Change group and     Portfolio Holder with recommendations on what actions need to be taken.

 

          Proposer: Councillor Jerry Roodhouse

 

          Seconder: Councillor Jenny Fradgley

 

(2)      Student Finance

 

During the pandemic government financial support has been extended to businesses and workers. A number of Councillors have been contacted by Warwickshire students and their parents with concerns that students have received no financial help as such and have, in the vast majority of cases, received a service which is far from that which is normally provided by our university system. As a consequence, and taking into account the financial wellbeing of students living and/or being educated in Warwickshire this Council urges our national government, by means of a letter to the relevant government Minister, to remove all interest payments on loans provided for the 2020 / 21 academic year and that no interest should be charged at any point in the future for loans covering the current academic year.

 

          Proposer: Councillor Dave Parsons

 

          Seconder: Councillor Corinne Davies

 

(3)      Support for Care leavers

 

Warwickshire County Council has responded extremely well to the increased pressures thrown up by the pandemic, not least in the Children and Families Service area where we have seen how two of our care-experienced young people, now employed by the Council, have been awarded national prizes for their outstanding work with other young people.

 

As the principal corporate parent, this Council wishes to record its thanks to everyone involved with our young people in care and requests the Chief Executive to write a thank you letter to the Children in Care Council acknowledging their efforts at this difficult time.

         

          Proposer: Councillor Jeff Morgan

 

          Seconder: Councillor Pam Williams

 

(4)      Universal Credit

 

          This council notes: 

 

The £20 increase to the basic rate of Universal Credit (and the tax credit equivalent) announced by the Chancellor on 20th March as part of his pandemic response package reflected the reality that the level of benefits were not adequate to protect the swiftly increasing number of households relying on them as the crisis hit. They have had a positive effect on the lives of thousands of local claimants who are better able to pay for life’s essentials such as food, clothing and utilities.

 

The local economy has also benefited from the increase in benefit levels as claimants spend their money locally thereby supporting local businesses and jobs.

 

Next April the Government plans to cut the benefit level for millions of claimants by ending this time limited increase

 

          This council resolves to:

 

1. Write to the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak and to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson demanding that the £20 increase to Universal Credit is made permanent and extended to claimants on legacy benefits.

 

2. Work with other local government organisations to collectively pressure the government to make the £20 increase to Universal Credit permanent.

 

          Proposer: Councillor Neil Dirveiks

 

          Seconder: Councillor Helen Adkins

Minutes:

1) Eco Schools

 

Councillor Jerry Roodhouse moved the following motion.

 

“This Council is committed to tackling Climate Change and has declared it as a priority. Council also committed itself to work in line with the UN Sustainable Development goals of which Education is one part.  

 

Council recognises that schools and education are a critical part of tackling climate change. It also recognises that the Eco Schools programme needs reinvigoration across Warwickshire with the ambition that all schools can achieve green flag status.

 

Council requests:

 

1.That a survey takes place of all schools across Warwickshire about their progress in achieving Eco School status, to include a question about what support they need.

 

and 

 

 2.That the findings are reported to the Climate Change group and Portfolio Holder with recommendations on what actions need to be taken”.

 

In support of the motion Councillor Jerry Roodhouse stated that he was keen to reinvigorate the eco schools initiative across Warwickshire. A survey was required in order to make informed decisions regarding progress and support.

 

This was seconded by Councillor Jenny Fradgley who reserved the right to speak.

 

Amendment

 

Councillor Heather Timms (Portfolio Holder for Environment and Heritage & Culture) proposed an amendment which stated,

 

“This Council is committed to tackling Climate Change and has declared it as a priority. Council also committed itself to work in line with the UN Sustainable Development goals of which Education is one part.

 

Council recognises that schools and education are a critical part of tackling climate change and would like to work with schools to encourage them to achieve the Eco Schools green flag status or equivalent. It also recognises that the Eco Schools programme needs reinvigoration across Warwickshire with the ambition that all schools can achieve green flag status.

 

Therefore Council requests

 

·         Recognises that schools are currently focused on getting through the Covid crisis and on delivering the core curriculum

 

·         Asks that a survey takes place of all schools across Warwickshire from September 2021 on activities currently undertaken relating to climate change and about their progress in achieving Eco School status or equivalent to include a question about what support they need.

 

·         That the findings are reported to the Climate Change group and Portfolio Holder Cabinet with recommendations on what actions need to be taken.

 

(Strike through = deletion, Italics = addition)

 

This amendment was seconded by Councillor Mark Cargill who reserved the right to speak.

 

Debate

 

Councillor Keith Kondakor highlighted the role that schools have to play in setting the environment agenda. Warwickshire schools have demonstrated their commitment to the environment through tree planting and green travel initiatives. The impetus should not be allowed to slide because of the pandemic. Eco schools, he added are not simply about reducing plastic bag usage and recycling. Consideration should be given to building projects with insulation and energy use at the fore.

 

Councillor Helen Adkins agreed that eco school considerations should embrace energy use and insulation. She did not agree with the amendment but would support the original motion.

 

Councillor Jonathan Chilvers agreed that school buildings should be part of the eco school initiative.

 

Councillor John Holland agreed with the original motion. Council was reminded of the length of time it took to get a cycle route from the Woodloes estate in Warwick to Aylesford School. 20 years at a time when the local authority had mor influence over schools. He added that development and new builds provide an opportunity to insist on green travel plans for schools.

 

Councillor Clare Golby expressed her support for the amendment stating that the present focus should be on continuing education during the Pandemic. Now is the wrong time to be distracting schools with eco schemes.

 

Councillor Mark Cargill (seconder of the amendment) suggested that everyone supports the principle of eco schools. They are important for ecology and sustainability. Some schools plant wild flowers but there is then no follow up and the project folds. A clear business case for each project is required. Councillor Cargill concluded by stating that in his view original motion lacked the detail that the amendment offered.

 

Councillor Jenny Fradgley (seconder of the original motion) explained that considerations around the Pandemic should not override environmental matters. Young people, she said, see the previous generation as wasteful and irresponsible. The motion as proposed by the Liberal Democrat Group is considered to be a reasonable means of getting schools thinking. The eco school initiative provides the framework to look at all environmental issues. Since funding was withdrawn in 2011 the energy behind the scheme had been lost.

 

Councillor Heather Timms (proposer of the amendment) reminded the Council that as it is not an Education Authority it can only encourage schools to act in a certain way. At the moment schools are focused on managing the Pandemic. For now, it is important to develop an evidence base so that an understanding of each school’s needs can be established.

 

Councillor Jerry Roodhouse (proposer of the motion) stated that before tabling the motion, advice was sought from officers. It was clear, he said, that members support eco schools. However, the amendment only served to build delay into the process. He agreed that the withdrawal of funding had led to a loss of impetus. However, there is a desire to see all schools having green flag status and the proposal before Council would require little funding.

 

Vote on Amendment

 

Councillor Keith Kondakor (supported by Councillors Chilvers and Holland) requested a recorded vote.

 

Those who voted for the amendment.

 

Councillors Barker, Bell, Singh Birdi, Brain, Butlin, Caborn, Cargill, Clarke, Cockburn, Cooke Crump, Dahmash, Gilbert, Gissane, Golby, Gran, Hayfield, Horner, Jenns, Kaur, Morgan, Pandher, Parry, Redford, Reilly, Roberts, Sargeant, Seccombe, Shilton, Simpson-Vince, Timms, Warwick, C. Williams, P. Williams, Wright (35)

 

Those who voted against the amendment

 

Councillors Adkins, Boad, Chilvers, C. Davies, N. Davies, Dirveiks, Falp, Fradgley, Gifford, Holland, Kondakor, O’Rourke, Parsons, Phillips, Rickhards, Rolfe, Roodhouse, Skinner, Webb (19)

 

There were no abstentions.

 

Vote on New Substantive Motion

 

The amended motion became the new substantive motion on which a vote was held. This was passed (48 votes for, 2 against and 2 abstentions)

 

Resolved:

This Council is committed to tackling Climate Change and has declared it as a priority. Council also committed itself to work in line with the UN Sustainable Development goals of which Education is one part.

 

Council recognises that schools and education are a critical part of tackling climate change and would like to work with schools to encourage them to achieve the Eco Schools green flag status or equivalent.

 

Therefore Council

 

·         Recognises that schools are currently focused on getting through the Covid crisis and on delivering the core curriculum

 

·         Asks that a survey takes place of all schools across Warwickshire from September 2021 on activities currently undertaken relating to climate change and about their progress in achieving Eco School status or equivalent to include a question about what support they need.

 

·         That the findings are reported to Cabinet with recommendations on what actions need to be taken.

 

 

2) Student Finance

 

Councillor Dave Parsons proposed the following motion.

 

During the pandemic government financial support has been extended to businesses and workers. A number of Councillors have been contacted by Warwickshire students and their parents with concerns that students have received no financial help as such and have, in the vast majority of cases, received a service which is far from that which is normally provided by our university system. As a consequence, and taking into account the financial wellbeing of students living and/or being educated in Warwickshire this Council urges our national government, by means of a letter to the relevant Government Minister, to remove all interest payments on loans provided for the 2020 / 21 academic year and that no interest should be charged at any point in the future for loans covering the current academic year.

 

Councillor Corinne Davies seconded the motion and chose to speak. Councillor Davies informed Council that her youngest daughter had started university in 2020. It was not the experience she was expecting. She had been obliged to live in halls of residence and most of the tuition she had received had been on-line. She started her term late and was expected to leave early.

 

Councillor Davies added that there has been a rise in mental health problems amongst students. These have included suicides. Finally, Councillor Davies observed that some courses such as dentistry cannot be taught on line. In these instances students may be required to take the whole of their final year again.

 

No amendments were proposed.

 

Debate.

 

Councillor Keith Kondakor expressed his support for the motion stating that students should have been tested for the virus when they arrived at university.

 

Councillor Peter Butlin observed that the County Council would have very little influence over the matter covered by the motion. Council was reminded that students are not required to pay back their loans until they are earning a good income. The Council’s concern should be to stimulate the local economy.

 

Councillor Izzi Seccombe stated that Warwick University has put extensive measures in place to support face to face teaching. It also runs a welfare fund to support students in need.

 

Councillor Clare Golby informed Council of the low interest rate that student loans have. This means that repayments start low at around £38 a year. The payments should be regarded as a graduate contribution. Councillor Golby added that university is not the only option for young people. Finally, she suggested that if students consider that they are receiving a sub-standard service they should take this up with their university. If they fail to do this, then the service will not improve.

 

Councillor Helen Adkins (who has a son at university and who is herself a university lecturer) explained that the purpose of the motion was not to criticise universities but to support students by lobbying government for support.

 

Councillor John Horner stated that 80% of student loans do not get paid. He questioned why the Council would write to government regarding an issue over which it has little influence. To do so repeatedly reduces the political capital of the Council.

 

Councillor Dave Parsons (proposer of the motion) challenged members who considered that the Council should not be writing to government on the matter. He was surprised that no one had suggested speaking to students or parents. There was, he felt, a clear reason to lobby government on the matter. It was wrong for students to be required to repay loans that are higher than mortgage rates and inflation.

 

Vote

 

A vote was held.

 

Votes for the motion 20

Votes against the motion 34

Abstentions 0

 

The motion was defeated.

 

3) Support for Care Leavers

 

Councillor Pam Williams moved the following motion.

 

“Warwickshire County Council has responded extremely well tothe increased pressures thrown up by the pandemic, not least in the Children and Families Service area where we have seen how two of our care-experienced young people, now employed by the Council, have been awarded national prizes for their outstanding work with other young people.

 

As the principal corporate parent, this Council wishes to record its thanks to everyone involved with our young people in care and requests the Chief Executive to write a thank you letter to the Children in Care Council acknowledging their efforts at this difficult time”.

 

Councillor Margaret Bell seconded the motion and elected to speak. She explained how when she had first become a County Councillor the first briefing she had attended was concerned with corporate parenting. She had sat of the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee and had listened to young people from the Children in care Council. Councillor bell cited the House Project in Nuneaton which provides young people with a front door.

 

Debate

 

Councillor Clive Rickhards expressed his support for the motion and welcomed the reference to Shinderpaul Bhangal earlier in the meeting.

 

Councillor Jeff Morgan agreed with comments about the House Project adding that young people have made the transition to their own accommodation over time.

 

In closing the debate Councillor Pam Williams reminded members that the Children in Care Council is not just concerned with care leavers. It covers children of all ages.

 

Vote

 

A vote was held.

 

Votes for the motion 52

Votes against the motion 2

Abstentions 0

 

Resolved:

 

“Warwickshire County Council has responded extremely well tothe increased pressures thrown up by the pandemic, not least in the Children and Families Service area where we have seen how two of our care-experienced young people, now employed by the Council, have been awarded national prizes for their outstanding work with other young people.

 

As the principal corporate parent, this Council wishes to record its thanks to everyone involved with our young people in care and requests the Chief Executive to write a thank you letter to the Children in Care Council acknowledging their efforts at this difficult time”.

 

4) Universal Credit

 

Councillor Caroline Phillips moved the following motion.

 

“This council notes:

 

The £20 increase to the basic rate of Universal Credit (and the tax credit equivalent) announced by the Chancellor on 20th March as part of his pandemic response package reflected the reality that the level of benefits were not adequate to protect the swiftly increasing number of households relying on them as the crisis hit. They have had a positive effect on the lives of thousands of local claimants who are better able to pay for life’s essentials such as food, clothing and utilities.

 

The local economy has also benefited from the increase in benefit levels as claimants spend their money locally thereby supporting local businesses and jobs.

 

Next April the Government plans to cut the benefit level for millions of claimants by ending this time limited increase.

 

This council resolves to:

 

1. Write to the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak and to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson demanding that the £20 increase to Universal Credit is made permanent and extended to claimants on legacy benefits.

 

2. Work with other local government organisations to collectively pressure the government to make the £20 increase to Universal Credit permanent”

 

In supporting the motion Councillor Phillips explained that in 2017 -19 the Joseph Rowntree Foundation undertook research into destitution. It was found that 81% of people who are deemed destitute do not have complex needs. There are 16 million claimants of Universal Credit but many of those are in work poverty. The higher rate of Universal Credit has helped many people from falling further into destitution.

 

Councillor Adkins seconded the motion and reserved the right to speak.

 

Debate

 

Councillor Alan Webb explained that Universal Credit was introduced to act as a safety net to people. Jobs have been lost and people have less money. It is not possible to survive on state handouts. Food banks are getting busier and school children are missing out on meals. In addition, connectivity is very important to families. If a child does not have access to broadband and a computer, their learning will be impeded. This all costs money.

 

Councillor Keith Kondakor suggested that increases to Universal Credit were only introduced once people in London and the south east began to lose their jobs. Food prices are increasing which aggravates problems for people. Councillor Kondakor observed that the country has many entrepreneurs who are working hard on solutions for Brexit and the Pandemic. These people can be supported though Universal Credit. It will not make them lazy.

 

Councillor John Horner observed that Universal Credit is not a matter for the Council. He suggested that if members have concerns then they should write to their local MPs to raise them.

 

Councillor Dave Parsons expressed his support for the motion adding that people were now living in “Foodbank Britain”. The County Council, he said, has a responsibility to represent the interests of its residents.

 

Councillor Dan Gissane expressed his support for the motion. Many people have lost their jobs and landlords are finding that people do not have the money to pay the rent. Borough Councils have an opportunity to help businesses in town centres he concluded.

 

Councillor Maggie O’Rourke observed that the economic impact of the Pandemic will last for a long time. The County Council should do all it can to protect people. Mainstream benefits serve to take the pressure off local authorities so efforts should be made to retain them.

 

Councillor Clive Rickhards observed that the people who receive Universal Credit payments put this money back into the local economy.

 

Councillor John Holland said that he sensed a degree of sympathy from the Conservative members. He suggested that the Conservative Group submit an amendment calling for a letter to be sent to the Warwickshire MPs.

 

Councillor Helen Adkins (seconder of the motion) agreed with Councillor Holland’s suggestion regarding a letter to the MPs. She expressed her disappointment that only one Conservative member had engaged in the debate. Universal Credit, she added is brutal in that it punishes the poor. The uplift of £20 per week had helped to keep many people from destitution, enabling them to cope. How will a single parent manage once the additional support is withdrawn?

 

Councillor Caroline Phillips (Proposer of the motion) thanked all of the speakers. She reminded all councillors that they have a responsibility as corporate parents and that child poverty was a continuing problem.

Vote

 

Councillor Adkins (supported by Councillors Phillips and Parsons) requested a recorded vote.

 

Those who voted in support of the motion.

 

Councillors Adkins, Boad, Chilvers, C. Davies, N. Davies, Dirveiks, Falp, Fradgley, Gifford, Gissane, Holland, Kondakor, O’Rourke, Parsons, Phillips, Rickhards, Rolfe, Roodhouse, Sargeant, Skinner, Webb (21)

 

Those who voted against the motion.

 

Councillors Barker, Singh Birdi, Brain, Butlin, Caborn, Cargill, Clarke, Cockburn, Cooke Crump, Dahmash, Gilbert, Golby, Gran, Hayfield, Horner, Jenns, Kaur, Morgan, Pandher, Parry, Redford, Reilly, Roberts, Seccombe, Shilton, Simpson-Vince, Timms, Warwick, C. Williams, P. Williams, Wright (32)

 

There were no abstentions.

 

The motion was defeated.