The following Notice of Motion has been received:-
Bury Magistrates and County Court
“This Council is of the view that having a legal centre in Bury is vital to our residents and important to our town centre from both a social and economic point.
The Council therefore notes with concern the Ministry of Justice’s proposals to close Bury Magistrates Court and Bury County Court with workloads being transferred to Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court and Manchester Civil Justice Centre respectively.
The Council is of the view that the proposals will have a negative impact on a range of issues including travel times and costs for clients; witnesses and magistrates; Police efficiency; arrangements for social security tribunals; the loss of local jobs; and the loss of business rates income to the Council. Insufficient information is provided on value for money arising from the proposals.
The Council is also disappointed that the consultation takes no account of the benefits that could be obtained by incorporating the proposals into a wider review of the public estate across Greater Manchester nor any account of the opportunities provided to the region through the devolution agenda or on the opportunities for integrating the Courts into the other local buildings.
The Court is an integral part of Bury town centre and the Council also expresses concern that the consultation fails to provide assurance around the future of the site nor does it give details or timescales for alternative uses for the site.
The Council therefore resolves to consult widely with all stakeholders within Bury and to lead on the preparation of a response representing as wide a range of views as possible.
The Council also calls on the Chief Executive to write to the Ministry of Justice asking that the proposals be deferred so that the Courts can be included within the One Public Estate review of public assets that is being undertaken by the 10 Greater Manchester Councils.”
In the names of Councillors M Connolly, I Gartside and T Pickstone
Minutes:
A Notice of Motion was received and set out in the Summons.
Bury Magistrates and County Court
A motion had been received and set out in the summons in the names of Councillors M Connolly, I Gartside and T Pickstone
It was moved by Councillor Connolly and seconded by Councillor Gartside:-
“This Council is of the view that having a legal centre in Bury is vital to our residents and important to our town centre from both a social and economic point.
The Council therefore notes with concern the Ministry of Justice’s proposals to close Bury Magistrates Court and Bury County Court with workloads being transferred to Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court and Manchester Civil Justice Centre respectively.
The Council is of the view that the proposals will have a negative impact on a range of issues including travel times and costs for clients; witnesses and magistrates; Police efficiency; arrangements for social security tribunals; the loss of local jobs; and the loss of business rates income to the Council. Insufficient information is provided on value for money arising from the proposals.
The Council is also disappointed that the consultation takes no account of the benefits that could be obtained by incorporating the proposals into a wider review of the public estate across Greater Manchester nor any account of the opportunities provided to the region through the devolution agenda or on the opportunities for integrating the Courts into the other local buildings.
The Court is an integral part of Bury town centre and the Council also expresses concern that the consultation fails to provide assurance around the future of the site nor does it give details or timescales for alternative uses for the site.
The Council therefore resolves to consult widely with all stakeholders within Bury and to lead on the preparation of a response representing as wide a range of views as possible.
The Council also calls on the Chief Executive to write to the Ministry of Justice asking that the proposals be deferred so that the Courts can be included within the One Public Estate review of public assets that is being undertaken by the 10 Greater Manchester Councils.”
On being put, with no-one voting against and no abstentions, the Mayor declared the motion carried unanimously.
2. Refugee Crisis
With the agreement of the Mayor, a motion was submitted at the meeting in the names of 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 Connolly and seconded by Councillor Shori:-
“This Council believes that the humanitarian crisis on the borders of Europe can only be solved with strong political leadership by the United Kingdom, in conjunction with other European nations.
This Council notes that Germany expects up to 800,000 asylum applications this year. France has agreed to take 24,000. We note with disappointment that the UK Government has only agreed to take 20,000 over five years and that the funding is coming from the Foreign Aid budget with no guarantees of funding after the first year.
Bury and many other authorities stand ready to play our part.
We call on the UK Government to:-
1. Accept a much fairer settlement of refugees to help lessen the crisis in Europe.
2. Work directly with local authorities and not through the existing failed asylum seeker contracts.
3. Ensure adequate resources are made available to local authorities and government agencies to deal with the situation.
4. Develop a national strategy to help settle refugees across the whole of the UK, not just in those areas with low property prices.
5. Work out a long term strategy with our European neighbours so that crisis’s like the current refugee crisis do not develop in the tragic way this one has.
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, N Bayley, J Black, K S Briggs, D M Cassidy, M Connolly, M D’Albert, E FitzGerald, L Fitzwalter, J Grimshaw, S Haroon, P Heneghan, T Holt, A Isherwood, M A James, D Jones, J Kelly, S Kerrison, J Lewis, J Mallon, A K Matthews, E O’Brien, N A Parnell, T Pickstone, C Preston, A Quinn, R Shori, R Skillen, A Simpson, Sarah Southworth, Susan Southworth, T Tariq, J Walker, S Walmsley and M Whitby
Against the motion:
Abstaining from the motion:
Councillors I Bevan, J Daly, I B Gartside, D Gunther, M Hankey, J Harris, K Hussain, R Hodkinson, S Nuttall, R E Walker and M J Wiseman (Deputy Mayor).
The Mayor declared the Motion carried.
(Note: This Motion which did not appear on the Summons for the meeting was allowed by the Mayor to be considered as a matter of urgency in light of the unfolding humanitarian crisis and the Government’s recent announcement that the country would take additional numbers of refugees. Discussion of the matter would give the opportunity for the Council to represent the views of the people of the Borough and assist in the preparations for refugees coming to Bury).