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

All Motions submitted by the deadline and amendments received prior to the start of the meeting are attached to this Briefing Note.

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  ...  view the full minutes text for item 73

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

All Motions and amendments received prior to the start of the meeting are attached to this Briefing Note.

Council Procedure Rule 11.16 refers.

Motions received by the Head of Law and Governance by the deadline of 1.00pm on Wednesday 17^th September 2014 are attached to this agenda.

Council had before it six motions on notice and reached decisions as set out below.

(1)  Privatisation of the Probation Service

Labour Group member Motion on Notice - proposed by Councillor John Tanner, seconded by Councillor Dee Sinclair.

Oxford City Council considers the planned privatisation of 70% of the Probation Service as reckless, dangerous and costly.  It is likely to increase re-offending in Oxford, could compromise the safety of local residents and ignores the expertise of the local probation service.

Coming hard on the heels of the savage cuts in Legal Aid this attack on the Probation Service underlines the Coalition’s lack of interest in tackling crime. We call on the Government to withdraw its proposals and negotiate with the National Association of Probation officers for a sensible way forward.

Decision

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

(2) Low Carbon Economy

Liberal Democrat Group member Motion on Notice - proposed by Councillor Jean Fooks, seconded by Councillor Andrew Gant.

Council notes the progress so far made to develop Oxfordshire’s Low Carbon Economy, worth more than £1.15bn pa in sales, employing nearly 9000 people in more than 570 businesses.

It welcomes the award for Oxford’s Community energy work, including the innovative loan of £2.3m to the Low Carbon Hub for solar panels on schools.

Council believes that Oxford can do more to develop the Low Carbon Economy, to the benefit of its citizens. It therefore asks the Executive Board to work with the LEP to:

·           Investigate sources of funding for supporting researchers in winning grants from EU and UK research councils.

·           Prioritise training for skilled jobs in the low carbon building sector.

·           Develop the business case for investment in the Smart City concept.

·           Focus support on growth sectors such as alternative fuelled vehicles.

·           Appoint a ‘champion’ to co-ordinate all the strands necessary for success.

Amendment 1 – proposed by Councillor Brandt and accepted by the proposer of the motion (Councillor Fooks)

Add a further bullet point: Increase its own direct investment in low carbon energy sources.

Amendment 2 – proposed by Councillor Tanner and seconded by Councillor Price, and agreed after debate and on being put to the vote:

In paragraph 3, after LEP insert ‘and others’ before ‘to’. Change last bullet point to read: ‘Become champions to ensure all the strands necessary for success’.

Decision

Both amendments were accepted and incorporated into the motion, then debated and put to the vote.

Council agreed to adopt the amended motion as follows:

Council notes the progress so far made to develop Oxfordshire’s Low Carbon Economy, worth more than £1.15bn pa in sales, employing nearly 9000 people in more than 570 businesses.

It welcomes the award for Oxford’s Community energy work, including the innovative loan of £2.3m to the Low Carbon Hub for solar panels on schools.

Council believes that Oxford can do more to develop the Low Carbon Economy, to the benefit of its citizens. It therefore asks the Executive Board to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 55