Council Procedure Rule 11.16 refers.

 

Motions received by the Head of Law and Governance by the deadline of 1.00pm on Wednesday 2^nd April 2014 are attached to this agenda.

Council had before it nine Motions on Notice and reached decisions as follows:

 

(1)          Oxford Housing Crisis Summit – (Proposed by Councillor Sam Hollick, seconded by councillor Craig Simmons)

 

Green Group Member – Motion on Notice

 

Council notes that Oxford's housing is the most unaffordable in the UK, that there is a large shortage of affordable and council homes compared to the local housing list, rough sleeping is on the increase, and that people are being moved out of the city as housing benefit won’t cover the cost of private rents. 

 

Council recognises that Oxford has a housing crisis.

 

In light of this, Council resolves to hold a Housing Crisis Summit to explore innovative solutions to Oxford’s housing crisis.  This should involve a wide range of stakeholders including Council and private sector tenants, those on housing benefit and otherwise in housing need as well as third sector organisations, political representatives and housing providers from within the City and from surrounding areas. 

 

Councillor Scott Seamons seconded by Councillor Bob Price moved the following amendment:

 

Councillor Scott Seamons will propose an amendment to Motion 1 in the name of Councillor Sam Hollick as follows:

 

To delete all of the words in the third paragraph beginning with “In light of this…..” and replace with the following words:

 

In light of severe housing needs of all tenures this council supports urban expansion of the city both to the North through the Northern Gateway and the Barton Park development; and to the South beyond the Grenoble Road. The recent Strategic Housing Market Assessment, made clear a need for 27,000 new homes in our city by 2031 and 100,000 in the wider county; such need cannot be met within the city's current boundaries alone, and will require a series of targeted reviews of the Oxford Green Belt. We remain disappointed about the loss of the Grenoble Road expansion with the abandonment of the South East Regional Plan with the ending of the Regional Development Agencies by this government.

 

Following a debate Council resolved under Procedure Rule 11/19(d) to have a named vote.  The result of the named vote was as follows:

 

For the amended Motion – Councillors Dee Sinclair, Tony Brett, Mohammed Niaz Abbasi, Mohammed Altaf-Khan, Laurence Baxter, Susan Brown, Anne Marie Canning, Mary Clarkson, Colin Cook, Van Coulter, Stephen Curran, Roy Darke, James Fry, John Goddard, Mick Haines, Rae Humberstone, Pat Kennedy, Shah Jahan-Khan, Ben Lloyd-Shogbesan, Mark Lygo, Helen O’Hara, Michele Paule, Susanna Pressel, Bob Price, Mike Rowley, Gill Sanders, Scott Seamons, Val Smith, John Tanner, Ed Turner, Oscar Van Nooijen, Ruth Wilkinson.

 

Against the amended Motion – Councillors Sam Hollick, David Williams, Dick Wolff.

 

Abstentions – Councillors Elise Benjamin, Jim Campbell, Jean Fooks, Graham Jones, Mark Mills, Gwynneth Royce, Craig Simmons.

 

With more Councillors voting for the amended Motion than against the amended Motion was adopted as follows:

 

Council notes that Oxford's housing is the most unaffordable in the UK, that there is a large shortage of affordable and council homes compared to the local housing list, rough sleeping is on the increase, and that people are being moved out of the city as housing benefit won’t cover the cost of private rents. 

 

Council recognises that Oxford has a housing crisis.

 

In light of severe housing needs of all tenures this council supports urban expansion of the city both to the North through the Northern Gateway and the Barton Park development; and to the South beyond the Grenoble Road. The recent Strategic Housing Market Assessment, made clear a need for 27,000 new homes in our city by 2031 and 100,000 in the wider county; such need cannot be met within the city's current boundaries alone, and will require a series of targeted reviews of the Oxford Green Belt. We remain disappointed about the loss of the Grenoble Road expansion with the abandonment of the South East Regional Plan with the ending of the Regional Development Agencies by this government.

 

(2)       Isolation and loneliness in our City – (Proposed by Councillor Anne-    Marie Canning, seconded by Councillor Rae Humberstone)

 

Labour Group Member – Motion on Notice

 

This Council notes that:

 

·                     Loneliness and isolation can have negative effects on our                            residents and communities here in Oxford.

 

·                     It is estimated one in ten people of pensionable age living in our     City are likely to be classed as lonely or severely lonely.

 

·                     Loneliness and isolation can be a major threat to health and             wellbeing. Being chronically lonely is equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

 

·                     Almost 5 million older people say that the television is their main                 form of company (Harrop and Jopling, 2009).

 

·                     That social isolation can affect anyone but that the elderly and/or                infirm can be more at risk.

 

This Council believes that:

 

·                     Councillors and the authority as a whole can play a key                                 leadership role in ensuring Oxford is a City in which people                              maintain and forge social connections.

 

·                     All Councillors can assist in alleviating loneliness and isolation in              their communities by having an awareness of the issue and by                 connecting people with relevant organisations.

 

·                     There are a number of organisations in Oxford, including the                                   City Council, working to alleviate the suffering caused by social               isolation from the long-running AgeUK Oxfordshire, Archway                Foundation and the newly-started student-led project, Linkages.

 

This Council resolves:

 

·                     Become a supporter of the Campaign to End Loneliness, a                           network of national, regional and local organisations and people                         working together through community action, good practice,                          research and policy to create the right conditions to reduce                                loneliness in later life.

 

·                     Write to the Leader of the County Council to encourage him to         undertake a self-assessment using the toolkit provided by the     Campaign to End Loneliness and the Local Government Association to identify areas in which we can improve the     experiences of socially isolated people in our City and in the      wider county, and offering support in doing this.

 

·                     Encourage the County Council to involve those at risk of, or experiencing loneliness in drawing up an action plan to reduce loneliness and isolation and develop meaningful indicators to track progress, and offer support in doing this.

 

Following a debate, Council voted and the Motion was adopted.

 

(3)       Control of residential lettings boards in the City – (Proposed by Councillor Ruth Wilkinson, seconded by Councillor Jim Campbell)

 

          Liberal Democrat Group Member - Motion on Notice

 

Council acknowledges that “To Let” and “Let by” signs are erected on some properties for months despite the properties being occupied.  This creates visual clutter, community objection and planning enforcement complaints, highlights student-targeted areas, and police advice in other parts of the country has pointed to a strong correlation between crime levels and the properties displaying “To Let” boards.

 

Council notes that other authorities have tackled this issue by means of either a voluntary code or a mandatory code, and that mandatory codes have been introduced in Leeds, and also in Newcastle following a review of a previously agreed voluntary code.  Council further notes the well-documented success of a mandatory code on the erection of residential lettings boards in Inner NW Leeds which led to a reduction in crime and antisocial behaviour, and improved the appearance of two predominantly student areas in the City.

 

Council also notes that the majority of agencies involved in letting residential properties do ensure that boards are taken down when reminded.

 

Council asks the City Executive Board:

 

(a)          To require officers to introduce a code on the erection of residential lettings boards in Oxford

 

(b)          To carry out a formal consultation process on whether this code should be voluntary or mandatory

 

(c)        To work with landlords, estate agencies which operate lettings, lettings agencies, boards agents, Oxford City Council officers and the Universities on the content of the code, taking into account the relevant regulations and ensuring that there is an agreed and clear definition of the start date of a tenancy which triggers the board erection process.

 

Councillor Ruth Wilkinson’s Motion on Notice was not considered as the time allowed for Motions on Notice by the Constitution had lapsed.

 

(4)       Children’s Xmas Lantern Parade – Proposed by Councillor Craig Simmons, seconded by Councillor Sam Hollick

 

Green Group Member – Motion on Notice

 

This Council notes the popularity of the Christmas Light Festival – the focal point of which was the Childrens Xmas Lantern Parade along with the fairground and market in St. Giles. 

 

According to the Council’s own data, last year 100,000 people attended with 84% of those surveyed rating the atmosphere as ‘Good’ or ‘Excellent’

           

This Council therefore regrets the Council’s decision to scale back the outdoor elements of the Festival, including cancelling the Lantern Parade and deciding not to close St. Giles, and asks the City Executive Board to reconsider this decision.

 

Councillor Craig Simmons Motion on Notice was not considered as the time allowed for Motions on Notice by the Constitution had lapsed.

 

(5)       Unmet housing need in Oxford – (Proposed by Councillor Bob Price, seconded by Councillor Scott Seamons)

 

            Labour Group Member – Motion on Notice

 

Council notes the very significant scale of unmet housing need in the city in the Strategic Housing Market Assessment, and regrets the serious social and economic problems that the pressure on the existing housing stock is creating.  It also notes that the result of the South East Regional Plan inquiry in 2007 was a recommendation for a review of the Green Belt designation of the land to the south east of the city with a view to a significant urban extension in that area.

 

Council calls on the other District Councils and the County Council to take forward the findings of the Housing Market Assessment through the ‘duty to cooperate’ that is at the heart of the NPPF, and to identify sites that will provide sustainable housing growth on a sufficient scale that will meet the needs of the city and the county for the next two decades.

 

Councillor Bob Price’s Motion on Notice was not considered as the time allowed for Motions on Notice by the Constitution had lapsed.

 

(6)       A City of In – Oxford backing Britain’s EU Membership – (Proposed by Councillor Mark Mills, seconded by Councillor Jim Campbell)

 

            Liberal Democrat Group Member - Motion on Notice

 

            Council notes:

 

1.            The widespread discussion of a referendum on Britain’s continuing membership of the European Union.

 

2.            That the Centre for Economics and Business Research estimates that around 1 in 9 jobs in the South East of England is reliant on trade with the European Union (1)

 

3.            That the presence of the German based BMW’s Plant Oxford is estimated to contribute more that £200 million to the local economy(2)

 

4.            Statements by Ian Robertson, global head of sales at BMW that “the UK not only has to be part of Europe.  It has to be a fundamentally active part of Europe.”(3)

 

5.            That according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency there are 3,355 EU students studying at Oxford Brookes University and the University of Oxford(4) They are estimated to contribute almost £40 million to the local economy.(5)

 

6.            That in addition they employ many staff from the rest of the EU and that these staff play an important role in producing high quality research.

 

7.            That £1.2m from the EU’s Intelligent Energy Europe fund was used to kick-start OxFutures and the Low Carbon Hub.

 

Council believes:

 

1.            That the European Union embodies values of peaceful international co-operation, the rule of law, transnational social solidarity, and a market economy which are important to the people of Oxford.

 

2.            That the European Union has produced enormous benefits across out continent and that Oxford has shared in these benefits.

 

3.            That the free movement of goods, services, capital and people throughout the Union is significantly to Oxford’s economic advantage.

 

4.            That the presence of citizens of other member states in Oxford represents a social and cultural gain for the city.

 

5.            That as a result of the beliefs stated above it is in the interests of Oxford, the UK and Europe for Britain to remain in the European Union.

 

6.            That is imperative that elected representatives from all parties speak out strongly and clearly against isolationist and protectionist voices.

 

Council resolves:

 

1.            That it is the considered view of the Councillors of Oxford City          Council that continued membership of the EU is in Britain’s       interest.

 

2.            That the Chief Executive will write to the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and Oxford’s MP’s explaining why it so          important for Oxford that Britain stays in the EU, and exhorting       them to be more forthright in explaining the benefits of Britain’s       membership.

 

[1] http://www.cebr.com/reports/british-jobs-and-the-single-market/

2Figure based estimate of BMW group’s direct spending in the UK found at http://tinyurl.com/pkn24zw multiplied by Plant Oxford’s share of BMW group’s total employment in the UK

3 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/industry/9813184/Ford-and-BMW-warn-against-UK-exit-from-EU-as-David-Cameron-readies-historic-speech.html

4http://www.hesa.ac.uk/dox/dataTables/studentsAndQualifiers/download/Institution1213.xlsx

5Figures based on estimate of the average subsistence spending by a University of Birmingham student contained in: http://tinyurl.com/pzj722j

 

Councillor Mark Mill’s Motion on Notice was not considered as the time allowed for Motions on Notice by the Constitution had lapsed.

 

(7)       Flood Insurance and Mitigation – (Proposed by Councillor Craig Simmons, seconded by Councillor David Williams)

 

            Green Group Member – Motion on Notice

 

This Council notes that flooding incidents in Oxford are likely to increase as climate change worsens with serious effects on those whose homes and businesses are badly damaged and lives disrupted.

 

This Council also notes that the agreement between the UK Government and the insurance industry, the so-called ‘Statement of Principles’ , which required members of the Association of British Insurers  (ABI) to make insurance available for properties in areas at significant flood risk, expired last year. 

 

The outline of a new scheme, called ‘Flood Re’, has been agreed with the industry but this will not come into effect until at least 2015. Its terms, conditions and costs remain unclear. 

 

In the interim, flood insurance is being provided on a voluntary basis with the risk that premiums and excesses will rise and new households where flooding is a risk will find getting a policy more and more difficult.

 

This Council therefore asks the relevant officer to write to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs expressing its concern on behalf of those at risk of flooding in the City and asks for details of any interim measures that will guarantee cover until the new arrangement are in place. 

 

This Council also agrees to revisit its own policy on climate change adaptation working with other agencies to ensure that the City, its people and economy, are better prepared for more extreme weather events.

 

Councillor Craig Simmons Motion on Notice was not considered as the time allowed for Motions on Notice by the Constitution had lapsed.

 

(8)       Proliferation of Betting Shops – (Proposed by Councillor Michele Paule, seconded by Councillor Ed Turner)

 

            Labour Group Member – Motion on Notice

 

Council notes that:

 

·                     The Tory and LibDem coalition government’s extension of permitted development rights has allowed for an increase in betting shops (Geofutures, 2012). For planning purposes betting shops are now placed in the same category (A2) as banks, building societies, estate agents and employment agencies. Furthermore, a change of use from a restaurant, cafe, pub or a takeaway to a betting shop is also allowed without planning permission.

 

·                     Betting shops have been shown to harm the diversity of local shopping zones and discourage other businesses. (Landman Economics report, 2013).

 

·                     The Campaign for Fairer Gambling has mapped the locations of betting shops nationally and finds that they are concentrated in the poorest areas. There are an estimated 24 betting shops in Oxford, the majority of which are to be found in the areas of most disadvantage. Compare this to the mere 7 in the Prime Minister’s more affluent West Oxfordshire District.

 

·                     Local people are increasingly concerned about the establishment of new betting shops in their neighbourhoods

 

Council believes that:

 

·                     Betting shops make profit from the most vulnerable and add to existing social problems (Campaign for Fairer Gambling, 2013).

 

·                     The extension of permitted development rights is in contravention of the government’s stated commitment to localism, and is proving harmful in other areas as well, such as the conversion of offices to housing.

 

·                     The concerns of local people should be attended to in granting permission to establish new betting shops

 

Council resolves:

 

·                     To make representations to the Secretary of State on the need for a new use class of planning permission for the establishment of betting shops giving councils the power to refuse them in any area where it is believed their presence will be detrimental to well-being.

 

·                     To work with local people in attempting to limit the opening of new betting shops where there are justified concerns.

 

·                     To monitor closely the impact of existing betting shops

 

Councillor Michele Paule’s Motion on Notice was not considered as the time allowed for Motions on Notice by the Constitution had lapsed.

 

(9)       Improving access to the Register of Gifts and Hospitality-(Proposed by Councillor David Williams, seconded by Councillor Elise Benjamin)

 

Green Group Member – Motion on Notice

 

This Council believes that both Councillors and officers must act, and be seen to act, in an impartial and objective way if public faith in Council processes are to be maintained and enhanced. 

 

There is already a requirement under the Employee Code of Conduct for each Service Area to maintain a Register of Gifts and Hospitality, but members of the public are unable to easily access this information. 

 

Council therefore resolves that, in the interest of openness and transparency: 

 

(1)          All Service Area Registers of Gifts and Hospitality should be made readily available to Councillors and members of the public via a link on the Council website; and 

 

(2)          Reports on planning applications, and other quasi-judicial documents, should include reference to any related disclosures.

 

Councillor David Williams Motion on Notice was not considered as the time allowed for Motions on Notice by the Constitution had lapsed.