(i) Public Consultation
A motion had been received and set out in the Summons in the names of
Public Consultations are a vital way of getting residents involved and influencing important local decisions. Consulting ensures better decisions, builds understanding and helps progress towards consensus and should be at a stage when there is still scope to influence policy outcome. Considering stakeholders’ views early into the process, stimulates debate and helps ensure all policy options are taken into account.
This Council Believes:
1) The Labour Council is not fully engaging with residents.
2) Recent consultations such as on the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework and Housing Strategy were not fully inclusive and the Brandlesholme Low Traffic Neighbourhood scheme non-existent. Any consultation must engage before a decision has been made and consultees must be able to influence the decision outcome of the consultation.
3) Conducting important consultations such as the Housing Strategy during the height of pandemic is not acceptable as these consultations relied solely on digital communications and Social Media shutting out the digitally inactive residents in our 6 Towns.
4) Current consultation relies predominantly on people looking for information and visiting Council and social media platforms. A more proactive approach, i.e. direct mail shot would encourage greater involvement.
This Council believes it is important to consult people, not just on general priorities but on specific proposals and resolves to:
1) Listen to and engage with all residents and not the selected few.
2) Ensure groups that need to be included in consultations are included with the option to either send a consultation response back digitally or via a paper-based copy free of charge.
3) Having engaged with them, be clear about why we have taken a decision and communicate it.
4) Update and implement Bury’s Consultation strategy
(ii) Delivering Increased Solar Power
A motion had been received and set out in the Summons in the names of
Powell, Tegolo and S Wright.
Bury Council commits to implementing a programme of initiatives aimed at increasing its number of solar (photo-voltaic) installations and making it easier for residents and business owners to install them.
Council notes and recognises:
· The significant environmental and economic benefits of solar panel installation
· That solar power can be utilised to help the borough achieve its stated commitment to be a Carbon Neutral authority
· That the North West as a region is lagging behind on solar panel numbers and is below the national average for installations
· That a number of local authorities have been successful in driving up the number of solar powered homes through initiatives aimed at providing bespoke installation services at no immediate cost to residents
Council is therefore committed to:
· Increasing the amount of solar generated power in the Borough, as part of a broader shift to being a carbon neutral borough
· Investigate schemes, including those delivered by other local authorities, to help residents and local businesses assess the suitability of their homes for solar panels
· Investigate schemes to make investment in solar more affordable, including facilitating low-cost borrowing schemes
· Use its various media platforms to promote any subsequent initiatives to Bury residents
· Conduct an assessment of Council buildings to see if solar panel installations would be viable on these properties
Council resolves to bring a report to Cabinet on the above before the end of 2021, so that any recommendations can be reflected in the 2022-23 Council Budget.
(iii) Local involvement in planning decisions
A motion had been received and set out in the Summons in the names of:
Councillors C Boles, N Boroda, S Butler, C Cummins, U Farooq, R Gold, J Grimshaw, S Haroon, M Hayes, T Holt, K Leach, G McGill, C Morris, B Mortenson, E O’Brien, K Peel, T Pilkington, A Quinn, D Quinn, T Rafiq, A Simpson, L Smith, T Tariq, K Thomas, S Walmsley, C Walsh and M Whitby.
This council notes that:
The Government has published highly controversial proposals to reform the planning system. One aspect that has raised particular concern is the proposal to remove local residents’ right to object to individual planning applications in their own neighbourhood if the area is zoned for growth or renewal.
Although there is no legal right for members of the public to speak at meetings of Bury council’s Planning Control Committee, Bury council does allow members of the public to do so and voice their concerns around particular, individual proposed developments within our authority.
The right to object to or support individual planning applications in the local decision making process, is one which residents of Bury cherish and invoke on regular occasions. As such it is a right that should be protected in any future planning reforms.
This council recognises that:
Planning works best when developers and the local community work together to shape local areas and deliver necessary new homesand developments.
This council resolves to:
Call on the Government to protect the right of communities to object to individual planning applications.
Call on the Government to protect residents’ rights to retain a voice over planning applications, recognizing that the best way to get necessary new homes built is to support communities, councils and developers to work in partnership.
Write to the Government to support these commitments being included in future legislation.
Minutes:
A motion had been received and set out in the Summons in the names of:
Councillors R Brown, R Bernstein, R A Caserta, P Cropper, LJ Dean, I B Gartside, J Harris, S Hurst, K Hussain, N Jones, J Lancaster, J Lewis, L McBriar, T Rydeheard, D Vernon and Y Wright.
(i) Public Consultation
Public Consultations are a vital way of getting residents involved and influencing important local decisions. Consulting ensures better decisions, builds understanding and helps progress towards consensus and should be at a stage when there is still scope to influence policy outcome. Considering stakeholders’ views early into the process, stimulates debate and helps ensure all policy options are taken into account.
This Council Believes:
1) The Labour Council is not fully engaging with residents.
2) Recent consultations such as on the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework and Housing Strategy were not fully inclusive and the Brandlesholme Low Traffic Neighbourhood scheme non-existent. Any consultation must engage before a decision has been made and consultees must be able to influence the decision outcome of the consultation.
3) Conducting important consultations such as the Housing Strategy during the height of pandemic is not acceptable as these consultations relied solely on digital communications and Social Media shutting out the digitally inactive residents in our 6 Towns.
4) Current consultation relies predominantly on people looking for information and visiting Council and social media platforms. A more proactive approach, i.e. direct mail shot would encourage greater involvement.
This Council believes it is important to consult people, not just on general priorities but on specific proposals and resolves to:
1) Listen to and engage with all residents and not the selected few.
2) Ensure groups that need to be included in consultations are included with the option to either send a consultation response back digitally or via a paper-based copy free of charge.
3) Having engaged with them, be clear about why we have taken a decision and communicate it.
4) Update and implement Bury’s Consultation strategy
On being put, with 22 voting for, 27 voting against, and with the Mayor abstaining, the Mayor declared the motion lost.
(ii) Delivering Increased Solar Power
A motion had been received and set out in the Summons in the names of:
Councillors Powell, Tegolo and S Wright
Bury Council commits to implementing a programme of initiatives aimed at increasing its number of solar (photo-voltaic) installations and making it easier for residents and business owners to install them.
Council notes and recognises:
The significant environmental and economic benefits of solar panel installation
That solar power can be utilised to help the borough achieve its stated commitment to be a Carbon Neutral authority
Council is therefore committed to:
Council resolves to bring a report to Cabinet on the above before the end of 2021, so that any recommendations can be reflected in the 2022-23 Council Budget.
On being put, with 49 voting for, 0 members voting against, and with the Mayor abstaining, the Mayor declared the motion carried.
(i) Local involvement in planning decision
A motion had been received and set out in the Summons in the names of C Boles, N Boroda, S Butler, C Cummins, U Farooq, R Gold, J Grimshaw, S Haroon, M Hayes, T Holt, G McGill, C Morris, B Mortenson, E O’Brien, K Peel, T Pilkington, A Quinn, D Quinn, T Rafiq, A Simpson, L Smith, T Tariq, K Thomas, S Walmsley, C Walsh, M Whitby
This council notes that:
The Government has published highly controversial proposals to reform the planning system. One aspect that has raised particular concern is the proposal to remove local residents’ right to object to individual planning applications in their own neighbourhood if the area is zoned for growth or renewal.
Although there is no legal right for members of the public to speak at meetings of Bury council’s Planning Control Committee, Bury council does allow members of the public to do so and voice their concerns around particular, individual proposed developments within our authority.
The right to object to or support individual planning applications in the local decision making process, is one which residents of Bury cherish and invoke on regular occasions. As such it is a right that should be protected in any future planning reforms.
This council recognises that:
Planning works best when developers and the local community work together to shape local areas and deliver necessary new homes and developments.
This council resolves to:
It was moved by Councillor N Jones and seconded by Councillor N Jones and Seconded by Councillor P Cropper as an amendment to:-
Amend to
The Government has published proposals to reform the planning system to create a simpler, faster and more modern planning system to replace the current one that dates back to 1947.
There is little meaningful public engagement in the current planning system. At present only around 3 percent of local people engage with planning applications.
The main benefit of the Bill would be digitising a system to make it more visual and easier for people to engage with.
The right to object to or support individual planning applications in the local decision making process, is one which residents of Bury cherish and invoke on regular occasions. As such it is a right that should be protected in any future planning reforms.
This council recognises that:
Planning works best when developers and the local community work together to shape local areas and deliver necessary new homes and developments.
Amend to –
Planning works best when developers and the local community work together to shape local areas and deliver necessary new homes and developments.
Bury Council does not have a local plan and the council have failed to provide a suitable plan since 1997. As of February 2021, only 41 percent of Local Authorities have an up- to – date local plan in place. The green belt can be protected by prioritising the building of new homes on brownfield land.
This council resolves to:
Call on the Government to protect the right of communities to object to individual planning applications.
Call on the Government to protect residents’ rights to retain a voice over planning applications, recognizing that the best way to get necessary new homes built is to support communities, councils and developers to work in partnership.
Write to the Government to support these commitments being included in future legislation.
Amended to -
The Council supports the right of communities to be able to engage easily in the planning process by:
The full use of digital technology
Participating in the making of neighbourhood and Local Plans
Maintaining the right to object to individual planning applications
On being put, with 16 voting for, 33 voting against and with the Mayor abstaining, the Mayor declared the amendment lost.
On being put, with 33 voting for, 16 voting against and with the Mayor abstaining, the Mayor declared the motion carried.
(i) Emergency motion – Attacks on Women in Public Life
An emergency motion has been received in the names of:
Councillors C Boles, N Boroda, S Butler, C Cummins, U Farooq, R Gold, J Grimshaw, S Haroon, M Hayes, T Holt, K Leach, G McGill, C Morris, B Mortenson, E O’Brien, K Peel, T Pilkington, A Quinn, D Quinn, T Rafiq, A Simpson, L Smith, T Tariq, K Thomas, S Walmsley, C Walsh and M Whitby.
The Council is asked to note that women in public life - and especially women of colour - are routinely the targets of unacceptable behaviour and abuse, which is often aimed at silencing women's voices. The violence is never acceptable, and that those who serve the public should not have to carry out their work while being intimidated by thugs.
The Council is therefore asked to resolve:-
i) To condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the recent arson
attack on the Leader of Oldham Council, Councillor Arooj Shah.
ii) To continue to work alongside the
police and criminal justice system, in our own Borough, to protect
victims and prevent violence and harassment.
iii) To instruct the Chief Executive to fully implement Bury
Council's recent equality review
On being put, with 50 voting for, 0 members voting against, the Mayor declared the motion carried.
(Note: This item which did not appear on the Summons for the meeting was allowed by the Mayor to be considered as a matter of urgency).