Council Procedure Rule 11.14 refers.  The Motions (listed in the order received) that have been notified to the Head of Law and Governance by the deadline of 1.00pm on Wednesday 8^th February 2012 are attached to this agenda.

Council had before it one Motion on Notice and reached a decision as follows:

(1)       Opposition to Right to Buy – (Proposer – Councillor David Rundle, seconded by Councillor Stuart McCready)

This Council notes the announcement at the Autumn's Conservative Party Conference of a renewal of the Thatcherite policy of Right to Buy (RTB) and its subsequent inclusion as a proposal in the Government's HousingStrategy.

This Council also notes the long-standing cross-party opposition to RTB with its impact of decreasing the social housing stock in our city which has a very real housing crisis.

This Council further notes the aspiration in the Government's Housing Strategy to offset the loss of social housing via RTB by provision of replacement dwellings, but not necessarily in the same part of the country. This Council does not accept that this provides sufficient safeguard against the damaging effects of RTB.

This Council therefore calls on the Chief Executive to ensure that there is a robust response to the consultation on this proposed policy, restating Oxford's reasoned opposition to RTB. That response should express opposition in principle to the policy and also underline the special situation of Oxford which would mean a return to RTB would make our city suffer more than most.

Councillor David Williams moved an amendment as follows:

To delete the word “Government” where it appears and to replace with the words “Coalition Government”

To added an additional paragraph as follows:

Council Officers will investigate the option of establishing a Cooperative Trust to manage all out Council house stock as suggested by the Local Authority Cooperative Network and the Rochdale model if that will circumvent the RTB provisions to be announced by the Secretary of State and thereby retain a form of social housing in Oxford.

Councillor Joe McManners, seconded by councillor Ed Turner moved an amendment as follows:

“To delete the amendment by councillor David Williams and to retain the substantive Motion by Councillor David Rundle”

The mover of the substantive Motion Councillor David Rundle accepted the amendment by Councillor David Williams.  Following a debate, Council voted:

(a)               Not to adopt the amendment by Councillor David Williams;

(b)       To adopt the substantive Motion un-amended as follows:

“This Council notes the announcement at the Autumn's Conservative Party Conference of a renewal of the Thatcherite policy of Right to Buy (RTB) and its subsequent inclusion as a proposal in the Government's HousingStrategy.

This Council also notes the long-standing cross-party opposition to RTB with its impact of decreasing the social housing stock in our city which has a very real housing crisis.

This Council further notes the aspiration in the Government's Housing Strategy to offset the loss of social housing via RTB by provision of replacement dwellings, but not necessarily in the same part of the country. This Council does not accept that this provides sufficient safeguard against the damaging effects of RTB.

This Council therefore calls on the Chief Executive to ensure that there is a robust response to the consultation on this proposed policy, restating Oxford's reasoned opposition to RTB. That response should express opposition in principle to the policy and also underline the special situation of Oxford which would mean a return to RTB would make our city suffer more than most”.