The following Notice of Motions have been received: -
1 Scout Moor
This Council notes the current planning applications to Rossendale and Rochdale Councils for 16 additional wind turbines on Scout Moor. Most of the cluster will shortly be determined by the Rossendale Planning Committee on July 21st, 2015 (At the time of writing, Rochdale have yet to set a date for the two turbines to be determined within the boundary of their authority).
Therefore, this motion requests Councillors who oppose this new development write to Rossendale and Rochdale’s planning departments before the decisions are taken, expressing their opposition (on a personal basis and not on behalf of the Council). This could be for the following reasons :-
1) The application contradicts the latest Government guidance regarding on-shore wind turbines which now acknowledges further expansion on these sites should be curtailed.
2) The proposed site is largely un-obscured, and many residents in Ramsbottom, Tottington and the villages of Summerseat, Holcombe, Greenmount and Brandlesholme would no longer be able to enjoy the wonderful countryside that currently exists.
3) An additional cluster of turbines, in the words of the Government Planning Inspector who approved the current wind farm, “would cause much more serious harm”.
4) In comparison to the current wind farm, the energy benefits are significantly diminished, meaning that they do not outweigh the visual impact on the landscape.
5) The allowable size of up to 115 metres tall is significantly higher than the existing ones.
6) The adverse effect upon leisure and tourism in our borough, for example, the views from the Peel Monument and areas of Holcombe Moor will be adversely affected.
In the names of Councillors I Bevan, R Caserta, J Daly, I Gartside, D Gunther, M Hankey, J Harris, R Hodkinson, K Hussain, S Nuttall, R Walker, and Y Wright
2. Benefit Sanctions
“This Council is concerned and appalled at how this government continues to use benefit sanctions against some of our most vulnerable citizens. This regime of sanctions appears to be used more and more. DWP figures from April 14 to March 15 show 918.600 JSA claimants alone were sanctioned a 410% rise on the same period in the previous year.
This council notes that when a pass-ported benefit has been sanctioned for what can be up to four months, other entitlements to benefits stop.
This practice is causing a massive strain on claimants and their families plunging many into poverty and spiralling debt.
This council call for a letter to be sent on behalf of this council and residents to The Rt. Hon Iain Duncan Smith outlining our concerns and demanding he stops this cruel, and arbitrary use of sanctions.”
In the names of Councillors P Adams, N Bayley, J Black, S Briggs, D Cassidy, M Connolly, E FitzGerald, L Fitzwalter, J Grimshaw, S Haroon, P Heneghan, T Holt, A Isherwood, M James, D Jones, J Kelly, S Kerrison, J Lewis, J Mallon, A Matthews, E O’Brien, N Parnell, C Preston, A Quinn, R Shori, A Simpson, R Skillen, Sarah Southworth, Susan Southworth, T Tariq, J Walker, S Walmsley and M Whitby
3. Food Waste
“Council notes:
1. That in Britain today households throw away 7 million tonnes of food and drink waste each year, half of which could have been eaten.
2. Bury Council pays to dispose of 15,000 tonnes of brown bin waste in a year, costing nearly £1 million in charges.
3. That 4 million people in the UK are living in food poverty; 900 million people in the world go to bed hungry every day.
Council resolves:
1. That Bury MBC will play its part to encourage a reduction in the amount of food waste generated by the Borough.
2. To include more information about reducing food waste in the information we provide to residents about waste disposal, including online, paper resources and through the work of the waste enforcement teams.
3. To investigate further options for making better local use of food thrown away by retailers, including seeing if a branch of Rotherham’s ‘Community Shop’ would work in Bury.
4. To work with major institutional producers of food waste in the Borough (Schools, colleges, hospitals, other major employers) and encourage strategies to achieve a significant reduction of food waste.
5. Write to all of Bury’s MPs and MEPs, encouraging them to support policies which will continue and improve Britaina and EU’s role tackling food waste and poverty both in this country and worldwide.
6. For the Cabinet Member to report back to the Cabinet on this issue before the end of the 2016-17 Municipal Year. ”
In the names of Councillors M D’Albert and T Pickstone
Minutes:
Three Notices of Motions were received and set out in the
Summons.
1. Scout Moor
A motion had been received and set out in the summons in the names of Councillors I Bevan, R Caserta, J Daly, I Gartside, D Gunther, M Hankey, J Harris, R Hodkinson, K Hussain, S Nuttall, R Walker, and Y Wright
It was moved by Councillor Gartside and seconded by Councillor Harris:-
“This Council notes the current planning applications to Rossendale and Rochdale Councils for 16 additional wind turbines on Scout Moor. Most of the cluster will shortly be determined by the Rossendale Planning Committee on July 21st, 2015 (At the time of writing, Rochdale have yet to set a date for the two turbines to be determined within the boundary of their authority).
Therefore, this motion requests Councillors who oppose this new development write to Rossendale and Rochdale’s planning departments before the decisions are taken, expressing their opposition (on a personal basis and not on behalf of the Council). This could be for the following reasons :-
1) The application contradicts the latest Government guidance regarding on-shore wind turbines which now acknowledges further expansion on these sites should be curtailed.
2) The proposed site is largely un-obscured, and many residents in Ramsbottom, Tottington and the villages of Summerseat, Holcombe, Greenmount and Brandlesholme would no longer be able to enjoy the wonderful countryside that currently exists.
3) An additional cluster of turbines, in the words of the Government Planning Inspector who approved the current wind farm, “would cause much more serious harm”.
4) In comparison to the current wind farm, the energy benefits are significantly diminished, meaning that they do not outweigh the visual impact on the landscape.
5) The allowable size of up to 115 metres tall is significantly higher than the existing ones.
6) The adverse effect upon leisure and tourism in our borough, for example, the views from the Peel Monument and areas of Holcombe Moor will be adversely affected.”
The motion on being put with 14 voting for, 19 against and 11 abstentions was declared lost.
2. Benefit Sanctions
A motion had been received and set out in the summons in the names of Councillors P Adams, N Bayley, J Black, S Briggs, , D Cassidy, M Connolly, E FitzGerald, L Fitzwalter, J Grimshaw, S Haroon, P Heneghan, T Holt, A Isherwood, M James, D Jones, J Kelly, S Kerrison, J Lewis, J Mallon, A Matthews, E O’Brien, N Parnell, C Preston, A Quinn, R Shori, A Simpson, R Skillen, Sarah Southworth, Susan Southworth, T Tariq, J Walker, S Walmsley and M Whitby.
It was moved by Councillor Parnell and seconded by Councillor Simpson:-
“This Council is concerned and appalled at how this government continues to use benefit sanctions against some of our most vulnerable citizens. This regime of sanctions appears to be used more and more. DWP figures from April 14 to March 15 show 918,600 JSA claimants alone were sanctioned a 410% rise on the same period in the previous year.
This council notes that when a pass-ported benefit has been sanctioned for what can be up to four months, other entitlements to benefits stop.
This practice is causing a massive strain on claimants and their families plunging many into poverty and spiralling debt.
This council call for a letter to be sent on behalf of this council and residents to The Rt. Hon Iain Duncan Smith outlining our concerns and demanding he stops this cruel, and arbitrary use of sanctions.”
Prior to the vote on the motion, in excess of eight Councillors requested that voting be recorded to show how each Member cast their vote, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 17.5.
The result of the vote was a follows:-
For the motion:
P Adams, D Bailey, N Bayley, J Black, D M Cassidy, M Connolly, M D’Albert, E FitzGerald, L Fitzwalter, J Grimshaw, P Heneghan, T Holt, A Isherwood, M A James, D Jones, J Kelly, S Kerrison, J Mallon, A K Matthews, E O’Brien, N A Parnell, T Pickstone, C Preston, A Quinn, R Shori, A Simpson, Sarah Southworth, Susan Southworth, T Tariq, J Walker, S Walmsley and M Whitby
Against the motion:
Councillors I Bevan, R Caserta, J Daly, I B Gartside, D Gunther, M Hankey, R Hodkinson, R E Walker and Y Wright.
Abstaining from the motion:
The Worshipful the Mayor and Councillor Wiseman, Deputy Mayor.
The Mayor declared the Motion carried.
3. Food Waste
A motion had been received and set out in the summons in the names of Councillors D’Albert and Pickstone
It was moved by Councillor Pickstone and seconded by Councillor D’Albert:-
“Council notes:
1. That in Britain today households throw away 7 million tonnes of food and drink waste each year, half of which could have been eaten.
2. Bury Council pays to dispose of 15,000 tonnes of brown bin waste in a year, costing nearly £1 million in charges.
3. That 4 million people in the UK are living in food poverty; 900 million people in the world go to bed hungry every day.
Council resolves:
1. That Bury MBC will play its part to encourage a reduction in the amount of food waste generated by the Borough.
2. To include more information about reducing food waste in the information we provide to residents about waste disposal, including online, paper resources and through the work of the waste enforcement teams.
3. To investigate further options for making better local use of food thrown away by retailers, including seeing if a branch of Rotherham’s ‘Community Shop’ would work in Bury.
4. To work with major institutional producers of food waste in the Borough (Schools, colleges, hospitals, other major employers) and encourage strategies to achieve a significant reduction of food waste.
5. Write to all of Bury’s MPs and MEPs, encouraging them to support policies which will continue and improve Britain and EU’s role tackling food waste and poverty both in this country and worldwide.
6. For the Cabinet Member to report back to the Cabinet on this issue before the end of the 2016-17 Municipal Year. ”
On being put, with no-one voting against and no abstentions, the Mayor declared the motion carried unanimously.