Five motions received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.16 were included in the agenda text.

All Motions, and amendments received prior to publication, are attached to this Briefing Note.

The Constitution provides for a total time of 60 minutes for this agenda item.  Members’ speeches are subject to a maximum of 3 minutes.

Motions received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.16.

Motions received by the Head of Law and Governance by the deadline of 1.00pm on Wednesday 21 January 2015, and as amended by the proposer, are below in full.

Substantive amendments to these motions must be received by the Head of Law and Governance by no later than 1.00pm on Friday 30 January. The briefing note will contain any substantive amendments submitted before its publication.

MOTIONS ON NOTICE –motions from Liberal Democrat, Green, Labour groups in turn.

(1)  Devolution for Councils (Proposed by Councillor Fooks, seconded by Councillor Gant)

Liberal Democrat member motion.

Council notes:

a) The strong and enthusiastic participation shown by the people of Scotland in a remarkable democratic process leading to the Referendum on 18 September;

b)         The resulting increased discussion on the devolution of powers from central government in Westminster and Whitehall.

Council believes:

I.   That power should be devolved to the people in all parts of the United Kingdom;

II. That England is currently ruled by an over-centralised state that fails to reflect localities and regions;

III. That concentrating more power to English MPs in Westminster is not the answer for English devolution and that passing power down to local areas of England is essential.

Council therefore calls for the leaders of the three political groups on Oxford City Council to ask Oxford’s MPs to join them in lobbying Government to plan for urgent major devolution of power, including tax raising and spending, from central government to the regions, counties, boroughs & districts and cities of England.

and that such lobbying should emphasise:

•   that the devolution of powers and finance to English councils be carried out in ways that enhance and strengthen local democratic bodies. This must include agreement that it shall be for local people and communities to decide their form of democratic leadership without having a specific model imposed (for example directly elected Mayors) in return for more powers;

•   a recognition that English devolution must include both large cities and county areas, as the many councils not within city regions must also gain greater powers and finance in order to build successful and prosperous futures.

Council further asks that this devolution should include consideration of the role that could be played by local elected bodies such as area committees or parish councils within the current district structure.

(2)   Reversing NHS privatisation (Proposed by Councillor Hollick)

Green Group member motion

Council notes that at the start of this year the first private company to run a hospital walked away from its contract. This followed critical findings from the Care Quality Commission around inadequate standards for safety and patient care.

Council believes that this example clearly illustrates the dangers of privatisation in the NHS, and is concerned that uncertainty created by private providers could increase now that the Secretary of State’s duty to provide has been abolished by the 2012 Health and Social Care Act.

Council welcomes the Private Member’s Bill from Clive Efford  ...  view the full agenda text for item 88

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

(1)     Devolution for Councils

Councillor Fooks proposed her submitted motion, seconded by Councillor Gant:

Council notes:

a) The strong and enthusiastic participation shown by the people of Scotland in a remarkable democratic process leading to the Referendum on 18 September;

b)         The resulting increased discussion on the devolution of powers from central government in Westminster and Whitehall.

Council believes:

I.   That power should be devolved to the people in all parts of the United Kingdom;

II. That England is currently ruled by an over-centralised state that fails to reflect localities and regions;

III. That concentrating more power to English MPs in Westminster is not the answer for English devolution and that passing power down to local areas of England is essential.

Council therefore calls for the leaders of the three political groups on Oxford City Council to ask Oxford’s MPs to join them in lobbying Government to plan for urgent major devolution of power, including tax raising and spending, from central government to the regions, counties, boroughs & districts and cities of England.

and that such lobbying should emphasise:

•   that the devolution of powers and finance to English councils be carried out in ways that enhance and strengthen local democratic bodies. This must include agreement that it shall be for local people and communities to decide their form of democratic leadership without having a specific model imposed (for example directly elected Mayors) in return for more powers;

•   a recognition that English devolution must include both large cities and county areas, as the many councils not within city regions must also gain greater powers and finance in order to build successful and prosperous futures.

Council further asks that this devolution should include consideration of the role that could be played by local elected bodies such as area committees or parish councils within the current district structure.

Councillor Turner proposed an amendment, submitted in advance of the meeting, seconded by Councillor van Nooijen:

Amend III to add before “local areas of England” the words “city regions and local areas of England”.

Delete (in the paragraph beginning “Council therefore calls…”) the words “tax raising and spending”, and instead add at the end of the paragraph: “Council believes local government needs more fiscal autonomy – for instance, the ability to levy modest taxes on tourism – but that there should not be an erosion of national solidarity, such that areas with lower tax bases are placed in an even worse economic situation, on the back of the disproportionate cuts they have suffered under the Coalition government.

Delete the final paragraph and amend to read: “Council further believes that democratic transparency would be enhanced by introducing single-tier local government to Oxfordshire based upon several district councils becoming unitary, and that such councils should make the greatest possible effort to involve all sections of their communities in decision-making.”

After  ...  view the full minutes text for item 88