Building Regulations
In accordance with the Rule No. 3.4.3, Councillor R Jackson will move and Councillor R Holloway, will second a motion to the following effect:
“There continues to be pressure for renewable energy solutions such as solar to address our moves towards achieving net zero. A simple way we could help and reduce pressure for solar farms taking up valuable agricultural land would be to require all new housing and warehouses to incorporate solar panels. I know that Part L of the Building Regulations goes some way towards this but I think we can and should go further. I would ask that the Council considers how it could introduce such a policy in the future and that it writes to Angela Rayner, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to ask that Building Regulations are strengthened in order to require solar panels on all new developments as standard.”
Winter Fuel Allowance
In accordance with the Rule No. 3.4.3, Councillor R Holloway will move and Councillor T Smith, will second a motion to the following effect:
“The Labour Government has chosen to restrict the Winter Fuel Payment to only pensioners in receipt of means-tested benefits like Pension Credit, as recently announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
We know that the Winter Fuel Payments play a significant role in helping older residents of Newark and Sherwood and across the UK afford heating during the coldest months, thereby preventing 'heat or eat' dilemmas and safeguarding health.
It is nationally acknowledged that this Winter Fuel payment has been a lifeline for many older people across the UK and that restricting its availability solely to those on Pension Credit risks leaving many pensioners in financial hardship, this will have a direct impact on 23,970 Pensioners across the Newark and Sherwood District.
Many of those Pensioners will have been relying on this payment to see them through the coldest winter months and now have no time to set money aside to meet the rising cost of keeping warm.
The decision to means-test Winter Fuel Payments, especially with such short notice and without adequate compensatory measures, is deeply unfair and will disproportionately affect the health and well-being of our poorest older residents.
This Council resolves to:
• Request that the Council Leader write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, urging a review of the decision to means-test the Winter Fuel Payment, and asking the government to ensure that vulnerable pensioners, particularly those who do not claim Pension Credit, are protected from fuel poverty.
• Encourage local efforts to promote Pension Credit uptake through council services and partnerships with local charities and community organisations to ensure that all eligible pensioners in Newark and Sherwood are supported in claiming their entitlement.”
Addressing Violence Against Women and Girls
In accordance with the Rule No. 3.4.3, Councillor P Taylor will move and Councillor M Shakeshaft, will second a motion to the following effect:
“The aim of the motion is to express the seriousness of the amount of violence against women and girls. 1 in 4 women and girls experience violence from male perpetrators.
The Council’s commitment to do all within its power to highlight the issue and assist in increasing the safety of women and girls across Newark and Sherwood.
The Council commits to
a. Continuing to actively participate in the white ribbon campaign - The White Ribbon is the globally recognised symbol to end men’s violence against women and girls. Allyship is a central message of the White Ribbon; it represents men taking responsibility to challenge this issue and being allies, every day, to stop violence against women and girls before it starts.
b. Achieving the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance accreditation (DAHA) which ensures the Council deliver safe and effective responses to incidents of domestic abuse in our district.
c. Working with partners including the Police & Crime Commissioners Office to make women and girls safer.
d. Castle House becoming a safe space for women and girls to request support and that all other Council premises should aim to become safe spaces once staff have been trained.
e. Involving more businesses in this campaign to make women and girls safer.
f. Ensuring our staff and Councillors are trained to support women and girls when it is needed.
It is time that men who are the principal perpetrators take ownership of addressing this issue in order to reduce the number of women and girls who suffer from violence against them.”
Conduct and Public Service
In accordance with the Rule No. 3.4.3, Councillor R Cozens will move and Councillor P Peacock, will second a motion to the following effect:
“Earlier this year the Local Government Information Unit published findings showing that less than half of people in England trusted their local councillors to act in their best interests. Trust in national Government is even lower. Only 25% of people reported that they trusted national Government to act in their interests.
The purpose of this motion is to encourage us to take a good hard look at ourselves and how we are perceived by others.
This matters for all sorts of reasons. We are collectively the employer to over 700 people, the vast majority live and vote in our District. There is a requirement to promote and maintain high standards of behaviour and conduct throughout the entire Council. This is as well as upholding the Members’ Code of Conduct.
In our roles as Councillors we are closely observed, here and online. People expect us to set a good example and be role models for the Council’s values. The public also observe us, perhaps only a small selection here, but plenty online and in the newspaper. When they observe poor behaviour, it reflects badly on us and on public service more generally. It can also have a detrimental effect on the mental health and wellbeing of members, employees and relatives.
There is no place for the increasing toxicity and intimidation that prevails in public debate, particularly online and in social media. It is a real deterrent for the next generation of councillors and creates a risk for the future of representative democracy.
It is the case that the vast majority of councillors work very hard, for little reward and recognition, with the utmost dignity, integrity and compassion.
My proposal therefore is:
That Full Council requests the Audit & Governance Committee to review the Code of Conduct and the LGA’s Civility in Public Life programme, with a view to identifying practical measures the Council could adopt to address poor conduct by members where it arises. This includes a request for clear and robust guidance around member behaviour on social media. If necessary, the Council shall make representations to Government and the Local Government Association for proposed changes and stiffer sanctions.”