Motion One
This Council:
1)
Notes that the safeguarding of children and other
vulnerable individuals within the community is of paramount
importance to all who hold public office.
2)
Is aware of recent criticisms of other surrounding
authorities for a failure to exercise due diligence in carrying out
their safeguarding functions in respect of children within their
care.
3) Notes that, whilst Officers may primarily exercise the day to day functions of safeguarding on behalf of local authorities, that Elected Members equally have a responsibility to ensure that:
a)
Those functions are indeed carried out diligently
and effectively;
b)
That vulnerable children and others potentially at
risk in the community are protected by appropriate policies and
procedures;
c) That Elected Members themselves set an appropriate leadership example in exercising their duties and responsibilities.
4)
Recognises the importance of ensuring that everyone
representing Gedling Borough Council, who may come into contact
with such vulnerable children and other individuals in the course
of their duties, are themselves above
reproach.
5) Should seek to provide reassurance to our Gedling community by ensuring that all Elected Members are themselves made subject to a DBS check upon taking office.
6) Instructs the Monitoring Officer to consider and put in place a mechanism to ensure that appropriate DBS checks are carried out and recorded in a register against the name of all Elected Members.
Proposer: Councillor Adams
Seconder: Councillor Smith
Motion Two
This Council notes:
i) the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government’s August announcement to allocate a £1 billion Future High Streets fund to 100 high streets across England
ii) the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government’s decision on 6 September 2019 to invite 100 towns across England to benefit from the £3.6 billion new ‘Towns Fund’ and the announcement by Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government that each of those towns will receive up to £25 million
iii) the lack of transparent application process for the Government’s new ‘Towns Fund’, the absence of any published criteria for the Government’s decision to choose the 100 towns over others and the Conservative Government’s inclusion of eleven places in the new ‘Towns Fund’ that are in the top seventeen Conservative Party general election target constituencies in England
iv) the inclusion of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government’s own town of Newark-on-Trent in the Government’s new ‘Towns Fund’ announced on 6 September 2019
This Council regrets:
i) the Government’s disappointing decision to reject Gedling Borough Council’s bid for a share of the £1 billion Future High Street Fund for Arnold town centre and choosing 100 other places instead
ii) the decision of the Conservative Government to turn its back on Gedling Borough by not including any of Gedling Borough’s towns as beneficiaries of the multi-million pound new ‘Towns Fund’ announced on 6 September 2019
This Council agrees:
i) that all members of the Council will be invited to sign the letter being sent by the Leader of the Council to the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government demanding they:
a) reconsider their decision to exclude Gedling Borough’s towns from the 100 announced beneficiaries of the new ‘Towns Fund’ and calling on them to ensure towns in our borough receive a fair share of the funding available
b) immediately publish the criteria used for determining the 100 towns to benefit from the new ‘Towns Fund’ and which Government Minister made the decision to approve the list of the 100 towns announced on 6 September 2019
Proposer: Councillor Payne
Seconder: Councillor Clarke
Minutes:
Motion One
Upon a notice of motion received in the name of Councillor Adams, a proposition was moved by Councillor Adams, seconded by Councillor Sam Smith, in the following terms:
This Council:
1)
Notes that the safeguarding of children and other
vulnerable individuals within the community is of paramount
importance to all who hold public office.
2)
Is aware of recent criticisms of other surrounding
authorities for a failure to exercise due diligence in carrying out
their safeguarding functions in respect of children within their
care.
3) Notes that, whilst Officers may primarily exercise the day to day functions of safeguarding on behalf of local authorities, that Elected Members equally have a responsibility to ensure that:
a)
Those functions are indeed carried out diligently
and effectively;
b)
That vulnerable children and others potentially at
risk in the community are protected by appropriate policies and
procedures;
c) That Elected Members themselves set an appropriate leadership example in exercising their duties and responsibilities.
4)
Recognises the importance of ensuring that everyone
representing Gedling Borough Council, who may come into contact
with such vulnerable children and other individuals in the course
of their duties, are themselves above reproach.
5) Should seek to provide reassurance to our Gedling community by ensuring that all Elected Members are themselves made subject to a DBS check upon taking office.
6) Instructs the Monitoring Officer to consider and put in place a mechanism to ensure that appropriate DBS checks are carried out and recorded in a register against the name of all Elected Members.
An amendment was moved by Councillor Payne, seconded by Councillor Barnfather, in the following terms:
That in accordance with section 14.08 a) of the Gedling Borough Council Constitution, to refer the subject of debate to the Cabinet.
The amendment was carried and it was
RESOLVED:
That in accordance with section 14.08 a) of the Gedling Borough Council Constitution, to refer the subject of debate to Cabinet:
Vote: 35 For, 0 Against, 0 Abstentions
Motion 2
Upon a notice of motion received in the name of Councillor Payne, a proposition was moved by Councillor Payne, seconded by Councillor Clarke, in the following terms:
This Council notes:
i) the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government’s August announcement to allocate a £1 billion Future High Streets fund to 100 high streets across England
ii) the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government’s decision on 6 September 2019 to invite 100 towns across England to benefit from the £3.6 billion new ‘Towns Fund’ and the announcement by Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government that each of those towns will receive up to £25 million
iii) the lack of transparent application process for the Government’s new ‘Towns Fund’, the absence of any published criteria for the Government’s decision to choose the 100 towns over others and the Conservative Government’s inclusion of eleven places in the new ‘Towns Fund’ that are in the top seventeen Conservative Party general election target constituencies in England
iv) the inclusion of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government’s own town of Newark-on-Trent in the Government’s new ‘Towns Fund’ announced on 6 September 2019
This Council regrets:
i) the Government’s disappointing decision to reject Gedling Borough Council’s bid for a share of the £1 billion Future High Street Fund for Arnold town centre and choosing 100 other places instead
ii) the decision of the Conservative Government to turn its back on Gedling Borough by not including any of Gedling Borough’s towns as beneficiaries of the multi-million pound new ‘Towns Fund’ announced on 6 September 2019
This Council agrees:
that all members of the Council will be invited to sign the letter being sent by the Leader of the Council to the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government demanding they:
a) reconsider their decision to exclude Gedling Borough’s towns from the 100 announced beneficiaries of the new ‘Towns Fund’ and calling on them to ensure towns in our borough receive a fair share of the funding available
b) immediately publish the criteria used for determining the 100 towns to benefit from the new ‘Towns Fund’ and which Government Minister made the decision to approve the list of the 100 towns announced on 6 September 2019
An amendment was moved by Councillor Sam Smith, seconded by Councillor Barnfather, so that the motion would read as follows:
This Council notes:
i) the Government’s August announcement of an extra £325 million to allocate a total of £1 billion to the existing Future High Streets Fund which will now benefit up to 100 high streets across England;
ii) this forms part of the Government’s £3.6 billion ‘Towns Fund’, with the announcement by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government that each of those towns will receive up to £25 million.
This Council regrets that its
expression of interest in a share of the £1 billion Future
High Street Fund for Arnold Town Centre did not score highly enough
in the assessment process, which led to the Government choosing 100
other places instead:
This Council agrees:
a) that all members of the Council will be invited to sign the letter being sent by the Leader of the Council to the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government asking them, to reconsider Gedling Borough’s bid compared with the 100 announced beneficiaries of the new ‘Towns Fund’ and calling on them to ensure towns in our borough receive a fair share of the funding available.
b) Review the guidance and criteria used for determining the 100 towns to benefit from the ‘Towns Fund’, upon which the Government Minister made the decision announced on 6 September 2019, in order to learn how it can prepare more successful bids for such funding in future.
Cllr Collis, seconded by Councillor Ron McCrossen, proposed a 10 minute adjournment, therefore it was
RESOLVED:
To adjourn the meeting for a period of ten minutes.
Meeting adjourned 7:05 pm – 7:15 pm
Councillor Bosworth left the meeting.
There then followed a debate on the amendment and in accordance with Standing Order 17.03, the amended proposition was put to a named vote as follows:
For the amendment to the Motion: |
|
Councillor Adams |
Councillor Barnfather |
Councillor Elliott |
Councillor Murray |
Councillor Parr |
Councillor Martin Smith |
Councillor Sam Smith |
Against the amendment to the Motion: |
|
Councillor Peter Barnes |
Councillor Sandra Barnes |
Councillor Brooks |
Councillor Clarke |
Councillor Clunie |
Councillor Collis |
Councillor David Ellis |
Councillor Rachael Ellis |
Councillor Ellwood |
Councillor Feeney |
Councillor Fox |
Councillor Gibbons |
Councillor Gregory |
Councillor Hope |
Councillor Keneally |
Councillor Lawrence |
Councillor Ron McCrossen |
Councillor Viv McCrossen |
Councillor Miller |
Councillor Najuk |
Councillor Paling |
Councillor Payne |
Councillor Thomas |
Councillor Towsey-Hinton |
Councillor Truscott |
Councillor Wheeler |
Councillor Wilkinson |
|
Abstentions: |
|
None |
|
Vote: 7 For, 27 Against, 0 Abstentions
The amendment was therefore lost.
In accordance with Standing Order 17.03, the original proposition was put to a named vote as follows:
For the Motion: |
|
Councillor Peter Barnes |
Councillor Sandra Barnes |
Councillor Brooks |
Councillor Clarke |
Councillor Clunie |
Councillor Collis |
Councillor David Ellis |
Councillor Rachael Ellis |
Councillor Ellwood |
Councillor Feeney |
Councillor Fox |
Councillor Gibbons |
Councillor Gregory |
Councillor Hope |
Councillor Keneally |
Councillor Lawrence |
Councillor Ron McCrossen |
Councillor Viv McCrossen |
Councillor Miller |
Councillor Najuk |
Councillor Paling |
Councillor Payne |
Councillor Thomas |
Councillor Towsey-Hinton |
Councillor Truscott |
Councillor Wheeler |
Councillor Wilkinson |
|
Against the Motion: |
|
None |
|
Abstentions: |
|
Councillor Adams |
Councillor Barnfather |
Councillor Elliott |
Councillor Murray |
Councillor Parr |
Councillor Martin Smith |
Councillor Sam Smith |
|
Vote: 27 For, 0 Against, 7 Abstentions
RESOLVED that:
This Council notes:
i) the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government’s August announcement to allocate a £1 billion Future High Streets fund to 100 high streets across England
ii) the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government’s decision on 6 September 2019 to invite 100 towns across England to benefit from the £3.6 billion new ‘Towns Fund’ and the announcement by Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government that each of those towns will receive up to £25 million
iii) the lack of transparent application process for the Government’s new ‘Towns Fund’, the absence of any published criteria for the Government’s decision to choose the 100 towns over others and the Conservative Government’s inclusion of eleven places in the new ‘Towns Fund’ that are in the top seventeen Conservative Party general election target constituencies in England
iv) the inclusion of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government’s own town of Newark-on-Trent in the Government’s new ‘Towns Fund’ announced on 6 September 2019
This Council regrets:
i) the Government’s disappointing decision to reject Gedling Borough Council’s bid for a share of the £1 billion Future High Street Fund for Arnold town centre and choosing 100 other places instead
ii) the decision of the Conservative Government to turn its back on Gedling Borough by not including any of Gedling Borough’s towns as beneficiaries of the multi-million pound new ‘Towns Fund’ announced on 6 September 2019
This Council agrees:
that all members of the Council will be invited to sign the letter being sent by the Leader of the Council to the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government demanding they:
a) reconsider their decision to exclude Gedling Borough’s towns from the 100 announced beneficiaries of the new ‘Towns Fund’ and calling on them to ensure towns in our borough receive a fair share of the funding available
b) immediately publish the criteria used for determining the 100 towns to benefit from the new ‘Towns Fund’ and which Government Minister made the decision to approve the list of the 100 towns announced on 6 September 2019