The following Notices of Motion have been received:-
“This Council notes that times have been tough for many hard working people in our country since 2008. However, the UK economy is now growing faster than most major European economies.
This Council regrets the 3.7% hike in Council Tax that the current Labour administration placed on hard working people in our Borough earlier this year. It had a significant effect upon levels of disposable income and slowed down the economic recovery in Bury.
The recent announcement by the Coalition Government to help local authorities freeze the Council Tax for the 4th year running and also offer assistance in 2015/16 is to be welcomed by this Council. Furthermore, the Government have also guaranteed that ongoing freeze grants will be put into the local government funding ‘base’. This means that councils will not be penalised down the line for taking up the freeze.
Now that the economic recovery is in full swing, this Council needs to do all it can to ensure that the recovery is sustained in Bury.
Therefore, this Council resolves to at least freeze the level of Council Tax at the Budget Council on the 19th February 2014.”
In the names of Councillors I Bevan, R Caserta, J Daly, I Gartside, D Gunther,
M Hankey, K Hussain, S Nuttall, B Vincent, R Walker, J Walton and Y Wright
2. Homophobic Bullying
“This Council believes it is vital to capitalise on the good work already undertaken in raising the issue of homophobic bullying, particularly with regard to young people.
According to the University of Cambridge research for Stonewall in The School Report (2012), 55% of young gay and bisexual people have experienced homophobic bullying in schools and 95% have experienced homophobic language. This Council believes that as community leaders and school governors we should commit ourselves to challenging this.
As an employer we have taken great strides in addressing homophobic bullying but there is still a great deal of work to be done. For instance, all councillors should sign up to be Straight Allies. We should, as governors discuss with our schools what steps need to be taken to combat this unacceptable state of affairs.”
In the names of Councillors A Audin, K Audin, M Bailey, D Bailey, N Bayley, J Black, P Bury, G Campbell, S Carter, D M Cassidy, J Columbine, M Connolly, A J Cummings, E FitzGerald L Fitzwalter, J Frith, J Grimshaw, S Haroon, P Heneghan, T Holt, A Isherwood, M A James, D Jones, J S Lewis, A K Matthews, N A Parnell, A Quinn, K Rothwell, R Shori, A Simpson, S Smith, J Smith, S Southworth, T Tariq and S Walmsley.
Minutes:
Two Notices of Motion have been received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12:-
1. Council Tax
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, K Hussain, S Nuttall, B Vincent, R Walker, J Walton and Y Wright.
It was moved by Councillor Gartside and seconded by Councillor Daly:
“This Council notes that times have been tough for many hard working people in our country since 2008. However, the UK economy is now growing faster than most major European economies.
This Council regrets the 3.7% hike in Council Tax that the current Labour administration placed on hard working people in our Borough earlier this year. It had a significant effect upon levels of disposable income and slowed down the economic recovery in Bury.
The recent announcement by the Coalition Government to help local authorities freeze the Council Tax for the 4th year running and also offer assistance in 2015/16 is to be welcomed by this Council. Furthermore, the Government have also guaranteed that ongoing freeze grants will be put into the local government funding ‘base’. This means that councils will not be penalised down the line for taking up the freeze.
Now that the economic recovery is in full swing, this Council needs to do all it can to ensure that the recovery is sustained in Bury.
Therefore, this Council resolves to at least freeze the level of Council Tax at the Budget Council on the 19 February 2014.”
It was moved and seconded that the question be now put. With 34 voting for, 15 against and one abstention the procedural motion was declared carried.
Prior to the vote on the motion, in excess of the required 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 as follows:-
For the Motion:
Councillors Bevan, Caserta, Daly, Gartside, Gunther, Hankey, Hussain, Nuttall, O’Hanlon, Pickstone, Vincent, Walker, Walton, Wiseman and Wright.
Against the Motion:
Councillors A Audin, K Audin, D Bailey, M Bailey, N Bayley, Black, Bury, Campbell, Carter, Cassidy, Connolly, Cummings, FitzGerald, Fitzwalter, Frith, Grimshaw, Haroon, Heneghan, Holt, Isherwood, James, Jones, Lewis, Matthews, Parnell, Quinn, Rothwell, Shori, Simpson, J Smith, S Smith, Southworth, Tariq and Walmsley.
Abstaining from the Vote:
The Worshipful the Mayor.
The Mayor declared the Motion lost.
2. Homophobic Bullying
A motion has been received and set out in the Summons in the names of:-
Councillors A Audin, K Audin, D Bailey, M Bailey, N Bayley, J Black, P Bury, G Campbell, S Carter, D M Cassidy, M Connolly, A J Cummings, E FitzGerald, L Fitzwalter, J Frith, J Grimshaw, S Haroon, P Heneghan, T Holt, A Isherwood, M A James, D Jones, J S Lewis, A K Matthews, N A Parnell, A Quinn, K Rothwell, R Shori, A Simpson, S Smith, J Smith, S Southworth, T Tariq and S Walmsley.
It was moved by Councillor Campbell and seconded by Councillor Holt:
“This Council believes it is vital to capitalise on the good work already undertaken in raising the issue of homophobic bullying, particularly with regard to young people.
According to the University of Cambridge research for Stonewall in The School Report (2012), 55% of young gay and bisexual people have experienced homophobic bullying in schools and 95% have experienced homophobic language. This Council believes that as community leaders and school governors we should commit ourselves to challenging this.
As an employer we have taken great strides in addressing homophobic bullying but there is still a great deal of work to be done. For instance, all Councillors should sign up to be Straight Allies. We should, as governors discuss with our schools what steps need to be taken to combat this unacceptable state of affairs.”
(At this stage in the Proceedings it was moved and seconded that the question be now put. With 13 voting for, 36 against and one abstention the procedural motion was declared lost).
In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14.7(a) Councillors Campbell and Holt, with the consent of Council, altered the motion by the deletion in Paragraph 3 of “For instance, all Councillors should sign up to be Straight allies.”
With the alteration as set out, the following Motion was put and declared carried unanimously:-
“Homophobic Bullying
This Council believes it is vital to capitalise on the good work already undertaken in raising the issue of homophobic bullying, particularly with regard to young people.
According to the University of Cambridge research for Stonewall in The School Report (2012), 55% of young gay and bisexual people have experienced homophobic bullying in schools and 95% have experienced homophobic language. This Council believes that as community leaders and school governors we should commit ourselves to challenging this.
As an employer we have taken great strides in addressing homophobic bullying but there is still a great deal of work to be done. We should, as governors discuss with our schools what steps need to be taken to combat this unacceptable state of affairs.”