Motions received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.16.

The full text of motions received by the Head of Law and Governance by the deadline of 1.00pm on Wednesday 19 November 2014, and as amended by the proposer, is attached to this agenda.

Substantive amendments to these motions must be received by the Head of Law and Governance by no later than 1.00pm on Friday 28 November.

Full details of motions submitted by the deadline are attached and the briefing note will contain any substantive amendments submitted before its publication.

Council had before it four motions on notice and amendments submitted in accordance with Council procedure rule 11.16, and reached decisions as set out below.

(1)  Making Oxford a Social Enterprise City

Councillor Wolff proposed his submitted motion, accepting the amendment proposed by Councillor Price in writing.

This Council welcomes the announcement that Oxfordshire has become the UK’s first Social Enterprise County and congratulates the Oxfordshire Social Enterprise Partnership (OSEP), an innovative new partnership set up by Oxford Brookes University, the University of Oxford and Student Hubs to foster and support social enterprise locally.

This Council recognises the value of Social Enterprises to the Council and the local economy and aspires to join other cities in becoming one of the UK’s first Social Enterprise Cities.

Council notes with pleasure the support that the Economic Development team and the OSP Economic Development Steering group have already given to OSEP, and the close working relationship that has been developed. To take the relationship further, and to support the aspirations of the Partnership, Council recommends that the following areas of work should be pursued;

-       The creation of Social Enterprise Zones

-       The purchasing by the Council and its contractor of goods and services in such a way as to maximise social value under the Social Value Act

-       Funding opportunities for social enterprises

-       Methods of stimulating and supporting social enterprise initiatives in the city region

Council would welcome a policy review paper on social enterprise in the city for OSP and Scrutiny discussion.

Council accepted this amended motion. Councillor Price seconded this.

On being put to the vote, Council agreed to adopt the amended motion as set out above.

(2)  Personalised tax summaries

Councillor Paule proposed her submitted motion and Councillor Clack seconded this.

This council believes that Chancellor George Osborne's tax summary offering a personalised breakdown of where taxpayers’ money is going is deliberately misleading and aims to support punitive Conservative economic policy. In particular, the items included under welfare - such as pensions, including MP's pensions - aim to create unfounded anxieties about welfare spending (in fact, JSA spending is less than 0.6% of tax revenues). This data is sent out by HMRC which should be a politically neutral body. This is not only a waste of public funds but a blatant abuse of government powers. We condemn this policy and ask the council leader to write to the Treasury expressing our concerns.

Following debate and voting, Council agreed to adopt the motion as set out above.

(3)  Improving safety for cyclists

Councillor Gant proposed his submitted motion as set out in the Council agenda, accepting the amendment proposed by Councillor Price in writing.

Council notes with great concern the recent accidents involving cyclists and lorries in Oxford.

Council believes that accidents could be reduced by requiring lorries to have safety equipment, to the industry-led standard supported by the Mayor of London in December 2013.

Council notes that it adopted a motion some two years ago which endorsed the need for goods vehicles to incorporate safety equipment of the type referred to.

It now asks the City Executive Board to amend Council policy to

-       require all contractors working on council contracts in the city to have every vehicle over 3.5 tonnes fitted with sideguards to protect cyclists from being dragged under the wheels, and with mirrors giving the driver a better view of cyclists and pedestrians around their vehicles;

-       urge the County Council to make a Traffic Regulation Order imposing similar conditions on all similar vehicles in Oxford, as proposed by TfL in London.

Council accepted this amended motion. Councillor Goddard seconded this.

Following debate and voting, Council agreed to adopt the motion as set out above.

(4)  Allocating space for council housing

Councillor Hollick proposed his submitted motion and Councillor Thomas seconded this.

Council notes:

-       that Oxford is the least affordable city in the UK for housing.

-       that the right to housing is a human right.

-       that Local Development Orders can be made by local planning authorities to grant planning permission to specific types of development.

Council believes:

-       that a significant increase in the supply of genuinely affordable housing is needed to meet the housing needs of people in our city.

-       that council housing is the best option of all types of ‘affordable’ housing because of the low rents and security for tenants to stay in their home.

-       that brownfield sites (previously built upon) are a limited resource in the city and should be used to supply much needed council homes.

Council calls for:

-       a report to be considered by CEB that considers brownfield sites for allocation towards developments of council housing. This report would recommend how the use of Local Development Orders, or other tools, could be used to increase the supply of planning permission for quality council housing in the city.

Following debate and voting, Council did NOT agree to adopt the motion.