Issue - meetings

Motion

Meeting: 24/07/2018 - Council (Item 13)

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.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

LEP

Members considered the following notice of motion, submitted by Councillor S. Colella.

"This motion calls on the Leader to formally withdraw from the Greater
Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) in favour of
more heightened involvement in the Worcestershire LEP.”

In considering the motion Councillor Colella requested that the Leader provide an update in respect of the LEPs.

The Leader explained that the government had recently published a report in respect of LEPS. This report outlined requirements which stipulated that LEPs should no longer overlap in terms of the areas that they covered. The Chairmen of the LEPs would be required to meet to discuss how to resolve this issue, including the Chairmen of Worcestershire LEP and the Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP. A decision would need to be taken by the end of September in relation to this matter, though would not come into effect until 2020.

Councillor Colella commented that he would be keen for full Council to have a chance to consider which LEP the Council would remain a member of moving forward.

Based on the update provided, Councillor Colella withdrew the motion.

Prayers

Members considered the following notice of motion, submitted by Councillor S. Webb.

"Council notes:

· Of the 6 district councils in Worcestershire, 4 councils currently have a space for prayer and reflection. Since 2015, the right of Councils to decide to hold prayers has been enshrined in law.

· A space for prayers and reflection gives an opportunity to welcome different communities and faiths into the heart of local government in Bromsgrove, and sends a powerful message to all communities that they are welcome here.

· That it is important to make local democracy as open and inclusive as possible, with a role for every faith community and none. Council emphasises that including a space for reflection and prayer is an opportunity to allow all faiths and none to play a role in local government, not to appear to subscribe to one faith in particular, and those who do not wish to participate in a prayer or thought for the day have no obligation to do so.

Council resolves:

· To introduce a space for prayers and reflection as a part of Full Council meetings at the beginning. Council takes this opportunity to welcome all faiths and none to play a role in local government in Bromsgrove, and resolves to write to representatives of different faiths and nonreligious local figures to ask if they would like to participate.”

The motion was proposed by Councillor S. Webb and seconded by Councillor R. Laight.

In proposing the motion Councillor Webb commented that Councils that practised prayers and moments of reflection across the country often chose to have a rotating series of local faith representatives play a part in the Council’s business from week to week. This provided a chance to open the doors of local government to representatives of all communities so that members of the public could be involved. Prayers would provide an opportunity to welcome ... view the full minutes text for item 13