Agenda item

Motion One

This Council:

Recognises that domestic abuse is significant issue across society affecting people in all parts of the community and notes that this meeting coincides with the White Ribbon Campaign 2019.

Is proud of its continuing commitment to the White Ribbon Campaign.

Accepts that while domestic violence overwhelmingly affects women, men can also be victims of domestic abuse and agrees that anyone experiencing Domestic Abuse should be able to access suitable support.

Expresses its continuing support for policies to address domestic violence in our communities in partnership with the Police and other organisations in the statutory and voluntary sectors.

Notes that the GMB union is promoting an Employer’s Charter which pledges employers to:

• Support employees who are experiencing Domestic Abuse to access support services and information confidentially
• Ensure that anyone experiencing Domestic Abuse is not disadvantaged, and to take reasonable adjustments to facilitate their needs in the workplace
• Commit to working with other organisations to facilitate support for those experiencing abuse
• Provide toolkits and information in a format which is easily and discretely accessible.
• Ensure that there are sufficient employees trained to provide access to support.

Therefore resolves:

1. That the Leader of the Council should sign the GMB’s Employer Charter to demonstrate Gedling Borough Council’s commitment to supporting any employees experiencing Domestic Abuse.

2. To refer the Charter to the Appointments and Conditions of Service Committee who will consult with the Joint Consultative and Safety Committee to identify any gaps between the Council’s current policies and the commitments in the Charter.

Proposer: Councillor Roxanne Ellis
Seconder: Councillor Thomas

Motion Two

This Council notes that:

• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has found that global warming is likely to reach 1.5C by 2050. The Met Office predicts that the impact of climate change on the UK will include, but is not limited to, flooding of coastal and inland areas, increased demand on energy during hotter summers and colder winters, species loss and extinction, damage to infrastructure that is not equipped for extremes of temperature and an increase in illnesses caused by extremes of temperature;
  
  
• Parliament and over 200 councils across the country have already declared a climate emergency, recognising the seriousness of the situation and committing to take action in their local area;
  
  
• Local government has the ability to make an impact at a local level, including greening the council estate, fleet and housing stock by working with housing associations and landlords, as well as working with local industry to help and incentivise them to operate more sustainably. However, local councils have also seen their budgets cut by 60p in every £1 since 2010, which has had a crippling effect on public services and will severely impact the ability of councils to reach their full potential in tackling the causes of climate change;
  
  
• A recent survey by ComRes has found that 71% of UK adults think that climate change is a more pressing long term issue than Brexit, and 60% of adults feel that the UK government is not doing enough to prioritise the climate crisis;
  
  
• Co-operatives, community energy companies, local and national campaign groups and charities have already been taking action to tackle climate change, raising public awareness about climate change and environmental issues such as single use plastics and air quality;
  
  
• Action needs to be taken now in order to minimise the impact and reach of temperature rises and climate change, and that there should be an ambition of carbon neutrality by 2030 at the latest.

This Council resolves that Gedling Borough Council will:

• Join with other councils and Parliament in declaring a Climate Emergency;
   
• Set a goal and vision of becoming carbon neutral across Gedling borough by 2030;
  
  
• Ensure that this work doesn’t just focus on the activity of Gedling Borough Council, but also reaches out to partners and residents to help them reduce their carbon footprint;
  
  
• Produce a practical and robust action plan to ensure that all councillors and officers are clear what Gedling Borough Council will do to tackle the climate emergency;
  
  
• Work with employers in the borough, including businesses, the third sector, charities and the public sector to encourage them to take steps to reduce their carbon emissions and operate in a more sustainable way, and learn from any best practice that they’ve already put in place;
  
  
• Work with local MPs to lobby the Government, as well as Labour’s front bench and other major political parties to ensure that local government is given the powers and funding they need to tackle the climate emergency and make our borough greener.

Proposer: Councillor Payne

Seconder: Councillor Clarke

Motion One

Upon a notice of motion received in the name of Councillor Roxanne Ellis, a proposition was moved by Councillor Roxanne Ellis, seconded by Councillor Thomas, in the following terms:

This Council:

Recognises that domestic abuse is significant issue across society affecting people in all parts of the community and notes that this meeting coincides with the White Ribbon Campaign 2019.

Is proud of its continuing commitment to the White Ribbon Campaign.

Accepts that while domestic violence overwhelmingly affects women, men can also be victims of domestic abuse and agrees that anyone experiencing Domestic Abuse should be able to access suitable support.

Expresses its continuing support for policies to address domestic violence in our communities in partnership with the Police and other organisations in the statutory and voluntary sectors.

Notes that the GMB union is promoting an Employer’s Charter which pledges employers to:

• Support employees who are experiencing Domestic Abuse to access support services and information confidentially
• Ensure that anyone experiencing Domestic Abuse is not disadvantaged, and to take reasonable adjustments to facilitate their needs in the workplace
• Commit to working with other organisations to facilitate support for those experiencing abuse
• Provide toolkits and information in a format which is easily and discretely accessible.
• Ensure that there are sufficient employees trained to provide access to support.

Therefore resolves:

1. That the Leader of the Council should sign the GMB’s Employer Charter to demonstrate Gedling Borough Council’s commitment to supporting any employees experiencing Domestic Abuse.

2. To refer the Charter to the Appointments and Conditions of Service Committee who will consult with the Joint Consultative and Safety Committee to identify any gaps between the Council’s current policies and the commitments in the Charter.

RESOLVED:

1)    That the Leader of the Council should sign the GMB’s Employer Charter to demonstrate Gedling Borough Council’s commitment to supporting any employees experiencing Domestic Abuse.

2)    To refer the Charter to the Appointments and Conditions of Service Committee who will consult with the Joint Consultative and Safety Committee to identify any gaps between the Council’s current policies and the commitments in the Charter.

Vote: 36 For, 0 Against, 2 Abstentions

Motion Two

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 that:

• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has found that global warming is likely to reach 1.5C by 2050. The Met Office predicts that the impact of climate change on the UK will include, but is not limited to, flooding of coastal and inland areas, increased demand on energy during hotter summers and colder winters, species loss and extinction, damage to infrastructure that is not equipped for extremes of temperature and an increase in illnesses caused by extremes of temperature;
  
  
• Parliament and over 200 councils across the country have already declared a climate emergency, recognising the seriousness of the situation and committing to take action in their local area;
  
  
• Local government has the ability to make an impact at a local level, including greening the council estate, fleet and housing stock by working with housing associations and landlords, as well as working with local industry to help and incentivise them to operate more sustainably. However, local councils have also seen their budgets cut by 60p in every £1 since 2010, which has had a crippling effect on public services and will severely impact the ability of councils to reach their full potential in tackling the causes of climate change;
  
  

·         A recent survey by ComRes has found that 71% of UK adults think that climate change is a more pressing long term issue than Brexit, and 60% of adults feel that the UK government is not doing enough to prioritise the climate crisis;

·         Co-operatives, community energy companies, local and national campaign groups and charities have already been taking action to tackle climate change, raising public awareness about climate change and environmental issues such as single use plastics and air quality;

·         Action needs to be taken now in order to minimise the impact and reach of temperature rises and climate change, and that there should be an ambition of carbon neutrality by 2030 at the latest.

This Council resolves that Gedling Borough Council will:

• Join with other councils and Parliament in declaring a Climate Emergency;
   
• Set a goal and vision of becoming carbon neutral across Gedling borough by 2030;
  
  
• Ensure that this work doesn’t just focus on the activity of Gedling Borough Council, but also reaches out to partners and residents to help them reduce their carbon footprint;
  
  

·         Produce a practical and robust action plan to ensure that all councillors and officers are clear what Gedling Borough Council will do to tackle the climate emergency;

·         Work with employers in the borough, including businesses, the third sector, charities and the public sector to encourage them to take steps to reduce their carbon emissions and operate in a more sustainable way, and learn from any best practice that they’ve already put in place;

• Work with local MPs to lobby the Government, as well as Labour’s front bench and other major political parties to ensure that local government is given the powers and funding they need to tackle the climate emergency and make our borough greener.

RESOLVED to:

1)    Join with other councils and Parliament in declaring a Climate Emergency;
 

2)    Set a goal and vision of becoming carbon neutral across Gedling borough by 2030;

3)    Ensure that this work doesn’t just focus on the activity of Gedling Borough Council, but also reaches out to partners and residents to help them reduce their carbon footprint;

4)    Produce a practical and robust action plan to ensure that all councillors and officers are clear what Gedling Borough Council will do to tackle the climate emergency;

5)    Work with employers in the borough, including businesses, the third sector, charities and the public sector to encourage them to take steps to reduce their carbon emissions and operate in a more sustainable way, and learn from any best practice that they’ve already put in place;

6)    Work with local MPs to lobby the Government, as well as Labour’s front bench and other major political parties to ensure that local government is given the powers and funding they need to tackle the climate emergency and make our borough greener.

Vote: 38 For, 0 Against, 0 Abstentions.