Agenda

Members of the Council are requested to declare any interests which they have in any items or issues before the Council for determination.

To approve the Minutes of the last meeting, held on 29 November 2017.

To receive communications from the Mayor and any announcements by the Leader of the Council or the Chief Executive on matters of interest to the Council.

To answer questions from members of the public, notice of which has been given, on any matter relevant to the Council or its services to the community. Up to 30 minutes will be set aside for this purpose. If time permits, further questions will be invited from members of the public present.

To receive a Statement from the Leader of the Council on the work of the Cabinet and to answer written questions from Members of the Council to the Leader and Cabinet Members on any matter in relation to which the Council has powers or duties which affect the Borough, provided the necessary written notice has been given.

Verbal questions on the work of the Cabinet since the last Council meeting will be allowed subject to a limit of one question per Councillor.

Report attached.

(A)        A report from the Council’s representative on the work of Transport for Greater Manchester , Councillor Bayley

(B)        Questions (if any) on the work of the Joint Authorities to be asked by Members of the Council for which the necessary notice has been given in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.2

The following Notices of Motion have been received:

Reducing Plastic Waste

This Council notes with concern:

1      That 300 million tons of new plastic is made each year, half of which is for single use plastic such as packaging and convenience foods. In many cases, such as plastic straws, takeaway food containers and coffee cups, there are practical alternatives available that are either reusable or sustainable.

2      That in 2016, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimated that by weight, there could be more plastic in our oceans than fish, as soon as 2050.  As plastics are durable and strong they will stay in our environment for up to an estimated 600 years. (Columbia University)

3      That marine plastic leads to coastal / offshore dead zones, entanglement, death through ingestion, toxic transfer and, once degraded into micro plastics, contamination of the food chain – including our own. We are quite literally eating the plastic that has ended up in our seas.

Council welcomes:

1             The significant increase in recycling achieved in the Borough in the last decade, through improvements to doorstep recycling.

2             Policy adopted in 2017 in support of Deposit Return Schemes, and the significant reduction in plastic waste that such schemes could achieve.

3             The success of the ‘Plastic Bag Levy’, introduced by the 2010-15 Coalition Government, which has led to an 85% reduction in disposable plastic bag usage.

This Council therefore commits that Bury will play its full role in helping to reduce plastic waste, specifically:

1             That the Council will undertake an audit, within existing resources, of single use plastics used by the Authority seek to replace with sustainable or reusable alternatives where practicable.

2             That the Council will play its role in helping to educate members of the public about plastic waste, specifically by including information for members on the public on reducing plastic waste in both online and written materials.

3             That the Council will use its membership of the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal and Combined Authorities to work towards increasing the amount of plastic product that can be recycled through doorstep and other recycling.

4             To write to both our members of Parliament and the European Parliament, and to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, urging them to consider legislation and regulations which will reduce the amount of single use plastic used by society.

To use the links we have with businesses in Bury to encourage them to reduce the amount of plastic waste produced and specifically to write to each of our major supermarkets asking them to consider introducing a ‘plastic free aisle’ in their Bury store(s) on a trial basis.

In the names of Councillors D’Albert, Pickstone and S Wright

Loneliness

This Council notes that chronic loneliness is unhealthy and leads to many physical and mental health problems. It can affect anyone at any stage of their life. A disconnected society could be costing the UK economy £32 billion a year and also has a massively negative impact  ...  view the full agenda text for item 9.

Questions on the work of Outside Bodies or partnerships on which the Council is represented to be asked by Members of the Council (if any).

Questions on the delegated decisions made by the Regulatory Committees and Scrutiny Committees contained in the Digest of Decision 4 published  since the last ordinary meeting of the Council, providing four clear working days’ notices has been given of the question.

Members are asked to bring to the meeting their copy of Digest 4