Minutes:
The Mayor confirmed there were two items of urgent business not included in the published agenda for the meeting which he considered urgent.
The first item was brought by Councillor Payne with support of all political parties and related to the Council’s response to the developing situation in the Ukraine. A resolution setting out the Council’s position had been prepared in agreement with all parties and circulated to Councillors as below:
UKRAINE – URGENT RESOLUTION
This Council:
i) strongly condemns the multiple attacks and illegal violations of
the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.
ii) expresses our full support and solidarity to the Ukrainian
people and our peers in local and regional government in
Ukraine.
iii) considers the escalation of violence, repeated bombings and
attacks on Ukrainian cities and territories as a serious threat to
the preservation of peace and democracy across Europe. We call on
the Russian Federation to cease its illegal attack, to leave the
national territory of Ukraine, to respect all international
treaties and fundamental principles of international law and to
recognise the full sovereignty of Ukraine over all its territories,
including Donbas and Crimea.
iv) affirms the Council’s commitment to provide any
reasonable help and support to all Ukrainian nationals living in
Gedling Borough.
v) stands ready to welcome Ukrainian people fleeing war and
persecution in their own country and assisting with any forthcoming
Government proposals for resettlement support for Ukrainians
seeking sanctuary here in the UK.
This Council agrees to send a message of solidarity and support to
the Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Kingdom.
Proposer: Cllr Michael Payne;
Seconder: Cllr Jenny Hollingsworth, and in agreement with all Group Leaders – Cllr Mike Adams, Cllr Andrew Ellwood & Cllr Pat Bosworth
In accordance with the standing orders adopted under the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, the proposition was put to a named vote.
For the resolution:
Councillor Adams, Peter Barnes, Sandra Barnes, Barnfather, Bosworth, Boyle, Brooks, Clunie, Collis, Creamer, Dunkin, Elliott, David Ellis, Rachael Ellis, Roxanne Ellis, Ellwood, Feeney, Fox, Gibbons, Greensmith, Hollingsworth, Hope, Keneally, Lawrence, Ron McCrossen, Viv McCrossen, Miller, Murray, Najuk, Paling, Parr, Payne, Scroggie, Martin Smith, Sam Smith, Towsey-Hinton, Truscott, Wheeler and Wilkinson
Against the resolution:
None
Abstentions:
None
RESOLVED that:
This council;
i) strongly condemns the multiple
attacks and illegal violations of the territorial integrity and
sovereignty of Ukraine.
ii) expresses our full support and solidarity to the Ukrainian
people and our peers in local and regional government in
Ukraine.
iii) considers the escalation of violence, repeated bombings and
attacks on Ukrainian cities and territories as a serious threat to
the preservation of peace and democracy across Europe. We call on
the Russian Federation to cease its illegal attack, to leave the
national territory of Ukraine, to respect all international
treaties and fundamental principles of international law and to
recognise the full sovereignty of Ukraine over all its territories,
including Donbas and Crimea.
iv) affirms the Council’s commitment to provide any
reasonable help and support to all Ukrainian nationals living in
Gedling Borough.
v) stands ready to welcome Ukrainian people fleeing war and
persecution in their own country and assisting with any forthcoming
Government proposals for resettlement support for Ukrainians
seeking sanctuary here in the UK.
This Council agrees to send a message of solidarity and support to
the Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Kingdom.
The second item was brought by the Director of Corporate Resources and Section 151 Officer and related to approval of an amended Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS) for 2022/23. A report in relation to this item had been circulated to all Councillors. The reasons for the urgency were set out in paragraph 5.3 of the report, namely:
· Government guidance in relation to the Energy Bills rebate was published on 23 February 2022, the same day as the agenda for the meeting meaning there was insufficient time for the issue to be included in the published agenda;
· The authority were required by statute to include a disregard of payments made under the Energy Bills rebate scheme as part of the CTRS for 2022/23;
· The CTRS for 2022/23 must be approved by full Council by 11 March 2022 meaning the meeting provided the forum to comply with those requirements;
· Officers have been following the statutory requirement to consult on the proposed amendment to the CTRS to include the Energy Bills rebate disregard, which had been undertaken proportionately and swiftly to enable this matter to be considered.
In accordance with the standing orders adopted under the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, the proposition was put to a named vote.
For the resolution:
Councillor Adams, Peter Barnes, Sandra Barnes, Barnfather, Bosworth, Boyle, Brooks, Clunie, Collis, Creamer, Dunkin, Elliott, David Ellis, Rachael Ellis, Roxanne Ellis, Ellwood, Feeney, Fox, Gibbons, Greensmith, Hollingsworth, Hope, Keneally, Lawrence, Ron McCrossen, Viv McCrossen, Miller, Murray, Najuk, Paling, Parr, Payne, Scroggie, Martin Smith, Sam Smith, Towsey-Hinton, Truscott, Wheeler and Wilkinson
Against the resolution:
None
Abstentions:
None
RESOLVED that:
The Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS) 2022/23 be amended to include the statutory requirement to disregard the support for energy bills related Council Tax Rebate from the calculation of CTRS entitlement.