Agenda item

Motions on Notice

A period of up to one hour is allocated to consider the motions on notice. This may only be extended with the agreement of the Council.

Minutes:

Single Use Plastics and Recycling

Members considered the following notice of motion, submitted by Councillor P. McDonald:

"That this Council joins others in the battle against single-use plastics by agreeing to stop providing plastic cups, bottles, cutlery and straws at all its buildings, cafes and public events by the end of the year.

In addition this Council agrees to explore ways in which it can positively promote and/or influence alternatives to single-use plastics at events within the District and positively encourage the use of recyclable alternatives.”

The motion was proposed by Councillor P. McDonald and seconded by Councillor M. Glass.

In proposing the motion Councillor McDonald agreed to amend the timescale given within it, to within 18 months. Councillor Glass commented that what was being requested could be achieved within a relatively short period of time and that a target of 18 months gave a better opportunity for the Council to be able to achieve this.

In proposing the motion Councillor McDonald made particular reference to the damage done to sea and sea life through the disposal of plastics and the amount of time taken for plastics to biodegrade.

Councillor Glass highlighted the need to raise awareness with residents and to encourage them to recycle wherever possible. The introduction of waste collection points within the Bromsgrove main centre and for the Council to encourage further investment from Worcestershire County Council was paramount to the Council being able to make a difference.

Following presentation of the motions, Members discussed a number of areas in more detail, including:

· A previous motion which had been raised in respect of the Council only using environmentally friendly products and an update in respect whether this had been progressed.

· Councillor Shannon highlighted a scheme used at a local university where students were able to purchase a reusable cup and it was suggested that this type of scheme could be instigated through the Council and have the Council logo on the cups.

· It was confirmed that the motions, which had initially been individual, had been combined.

· The potential for non-recyclable plastics to be banned within the District/County.

· The cost of recycling plastics – it was understood that most were recyclable, but that the cost of this process was prohibitive.

On being put to the vote the Chairman declared the motion to be carried.

WASPI

Members considered the following notice of motion submitted by Councillor C. Bloore:

Council notes:

· Hundreds of thousands of women had significant pension changes imposed on them by the Pensions Acts of 1995 and 2011 with little/no/personal notification of the changes. Some women had only two years notice of a six-year increase to their state pension age.

· Many women born in the 1950's are living in hardship. Retirement plans have been shattered with devastating consequences. Many of these women are already out of the labour market, caring for elderly relatives, providing childcare for grandchildren, or suffer discrimination in the workplace so struggle to find employment.

· Women born in this decade are suffering financially. These women have worked hard, raised families and paid their tax and national insurance with the expectation that they would be financially secure when reaching 60.

Council believes:

· It is not the pension age itself that is in dispute - it is widely accepted that women and men should retire at the same time. The issue is that the rise in the women's state pension age has been too rapid and has happened without sufficient notice being given to the women affected, leaving women with no time to make alternative arrangements.

Council resolves:

· The Council calls upon the leader of the Council to write to the Prime Minister and Chancellor to urge them to reconsider transitional arrangements for women born on or after 6th April 1950, so that women do not live in hardship due to pension changes they were not told about until it was too late to make alternative arrangements.

The motion was proposed by Councillor C. Bloore and seconded by Councillor C. McDonald.

Councillor Bloore thanked Members for the opportunity to put forward this motion and explained that the County Council had not been able to accept it. He explained that it impacted on all women in their 50s and it was important that the Council made a stand and supported them. Councillor Bloore provided examples of women who had been affected by these changes and the impact on their lives and that the changes had not been communicated to those affected in a timely and appropriate manner. From residents he had spoken to it was clear that there was a real problem in both Bromsgrove and Worcestershire as a whole. It affected many women who did not have a significant work pension and had taken time off from work to raise their families. His motion simply requested that the Council write to the Prime Minister and Chancellor to urge them to reconsider the transitional arrangements currently in place.

Following presentation of the motion Members discussed a number of areas in more detail and whilst accepting the need for equality the manner in which this had been implemented had been disappointing and the information available to those it had affected that been limited. It was also noted that over 200 MPs had signed a motion in respect of this matter.

In support the motion Councillor Christine McDonald made specific reference to those women who had been affected with little or no notice, which gave them little or no time to make alternative arrangements and meant that they had no alternative but to draw down from savings to pay bills or were forced to claim benefits.

Councillor Baxter, whilst supporting the need for a common retirement age, supported the motion as the Council had a duty to its residents to ensure they were treated fairly. It was unacceptable to change the retirement age at such short notice without the opportunity to plan. There was also the potential for this to impact on the Council in supporting those residents who found themselves in need.

The Leader thanked Councillor Bloore for bringing the proposal forward and highlighting the plight of those that would be affected.

On being put to the vote the Chairman declared the motion to be carried.

Planning

Councillor Thompson confirmed the withdrawal of the item, which he understood would now be discussed by the Group Leaders at the next meeting of the Constitution Working Group.

Supporting documents: