Agenda item
To consider motions from Members of the Council of which notice has been given under Council Procedure Rule 15
- Meeting of Council, Tuesday, 10 October 2017 7.30 pm (Item 45.)
- View the declarations of interest for item 45.
Notice of Motion No1 - Fleet Leisure
To be moved by Cllr. Shane Mochrie-Cox and seconded by Cllr. John Burden
that:-
This council fully supports the retention of fleet leisure in council ownership and seeks its rebuilding as a community facility as soon as practically possible and reaffirms no housing development will be permitted on the site.
Notice of Motion No2 – Housing
To be moved by Cllr. Jenny Wallace and seconded by Cllr. Lee Croxton that:-
This council supports the need for more local authority housing and denounces Kent County Council for its proposed plans to withdraw support for the vulnerable in our housing stock and proposes that government be written to demand the relaxation of the oppressive ongoing central government austerity programme and allow us to provide more affordable housing for local people and to require Kent County Council to maintain its supported people programme for the vulnerable in out housing stock.
Notice of Motion No3 – National Joint Council (NJC) pay to Councils
To be moved by Cllr. John Burden and seconded by Cllr. Colin Caller that:-
This Gravesham Borough Council notes that:
· NJC basic pay has fallen by 21% since 2010 in real terms
· NJC workers had a three-year pay freeze from 2010-2012
· Local terms and conditions of many NJC employees have also been cut, impacting on their overall earnings
· NJC pay is the lowest in the public sector
· Job evaluated pay structures are being squeezed and distorted by bottom-loaded NJC pay settlements needed to reflect the increased National Living Wage and the Foundation Living Wage
· There are growing equal and fair pay risks resulting from this situation
This council therefore supports the NJC pay claim for 2018, submitted by UNISON, GMB and Unite on behalf of council and school workers and calls for the immediate end of public sector pay restraint. NJC pay cannot be allowed to fall further behind other parts of the public sector. This council also welcomes the joint review of the NJC pay spine to remedy the turbulence caused by bottom-loaded pay settlements.
This council also notes the drastic ongoing cuts to local government funding and calls on the Government to provide additional funding to fund a decent pay rise for NJC employees and the pay spine review.
This council therefore resolves to:
· Call immediately on the LGA to make urgent representations to Government to fund the NJC claim and the pay spine review and notify us of their action in this regard
· Write to the Prime Minister and Chancellor supporting the NJC pay claim and seeking additional funding to fund a decent pay rise and the pay spine review
· Meet with local NJC union representatives to convey support for the pay claim and the pay spine review
Minutes:
Notice of Motion No1 - Fleet Leisure
It was moved by Cllr Shane Mochrie-Cox and seconded by Cllr John Burden that:-
This council fully supports the retention of fleet leisure in council ownership and seeks its rebuilding as a community facility as soon as practically possible and reaffirms no housing development will be permitted on the site.
An amendment was moved by Cllr Sandra Garside and seconded by Cllr David Turner that (the text in bold shows the proposed amendment to the original motion):-
This council fully supports the retention of fleet leisure in council ownership and seeks its rebuilding as a community facility as soon as practically possible and reaffirms no housing development will be permitted on the site, other than one unit to provide accommodation for a steward as this would provide security.
The amendment was declared to be carried by 22 votes to 18.
Following a debate, a second amendment was moved by Cllr David Turner and seconded by Cllr John Burden that (the text in bold shows the proposed amendment to the substantive motion):-
This council fully supports the retention of fleet leisure in council ownership and seeks its rebuilding as a community facility as soon as practically possible and reaffirms no housing development will be permitted on the site, other than to provide accommodation within the main leisure facility building for a steward as this would provide security.
The second amendment was declared to be carried unanimously.
It was therefore resolved that –
This council fully supports the retention of fleet leisure in council ownership and seeks its rebuilding as a community facility as soon as practically possible and reaffirms no housing development will be permitted on the site, other than to provide accommodation within the main leisure facility building for a steward as this would provide security.
Notice of Motion No2 – Housing
It was moved by Cllr Jenny Wallace and seconded by Cllr Lee Croxton that:-
This council supports the need for more local authority housing and denounces Kent County Council for its proposed plans to withdraw support for the vulnerable in our housing stock and proposes that government be written to demand the relaxation of the oppressive ongoing central government austerity programme and allow us to provide more affordable housing for local people and to require Kent County Council to maintain its supported people programme for the vulnerable in out housing stock.
An amendment was moved by Cllr Anthony Pritchard and seconded by Cllr Karen Hurdle that (the text in bold shows the proposed amendment to the original motion):-
This council supports the need for more local authority housing and is very disappointed that Kent County Council is proposing to withdraw financial support for the GBC Sheltered Housing service.
It is proud that both parties work together to deliver the best possible service to all its tenants, and confirms its commitment to deliver ever more local council owned social housing.
The amendment was declared to be carried by 22 votes to 18.
It was therefore resolved that –
This council supports the need for more local authority housing and is very disappointed that Kent County Council is proposing to withdraw financial support for the GBC Sheltered Housing service.
It is proud that both parties work together to deliver the best possible service to all its tenants, and confirms its commitment to deliver ever more local council owned social housing.
Notice of Motion No3 – National Joint Council (NJC) pay to Councils
It was moved by Cllr John Burden and seconded by Cllr Colin Caller that:-
This Gravesham Borough Council notes that:
· NJC basic pay has fallen by 21% since 2010 in real terms
· NJC workers had a three-year pay freeze from 2010-2012
· Local terms and conditions of many NJC employees have also been cut, impacting on their overall earnings
· NJC pay is the lowest in the public sector
· Job evaluated pay structures are being squeezed and distorted by bottom-loaded NJC pay settlements needed to reflect the increased National Living Wage and the Foundation Living Wage
· There are growing equal and fair pay risks resulting from this situation
This council therefore supports the NJC pay claim for 2018, submitted by UNISON, GMB and Unite on behalf of council and school workers and calls for the immediate end of public sector pay restraint. NJC pay cannot be allowed to fall further behind other parts of the public sector. This council also welcomes the joint review of the NJC pay spine to remedy the turbulence caused by bottom-loaded pay settlements.
This council also notes the drastic ongoing cuts to local government funding and calls on the Government to provide additional funding to fund a decent pay rise for NJC employees and the pay spine review.
This council therefore resolves to:
· Call immediately on the LGA to make urgent representations to Government to fund the NJC claim and the pay spine review and notify us of their action in this regard
· Write to the Prime Minister and Chancellor supporting the NJC pay claim and seeking additional funding to fund a decent pay rise and the pay spine review
· Meet with local NJC union representatives to convey support for the pay claim and the pay spine review
An amendment was moved by Cllr David Turner and seconded by Cllr Anthony Pritchard that (the text in bold shows the proposed amendment to the original motion):-
This council notes that:
· NJC basic pay has fallen by 21% since 2010 in real terms
· NJC workers had a three-year pay freeze from 2010-2012
· Local terms and conditions of many NJC employees have also been cut, impacting on their overall earnings
· NJC pay is the lowest in the public sector
· Job evaluated pay structures are being squeezed and distorted by bottom-loaded NJC pay settlements needed to reflect the increased National Living Wage and the Foundation Living Wage
· There are growing equal and fair pay risks resulting from this situation
This council therefore supports the NJC pay claim for 2018, submitted by UNISON, GMB and Unite on behalf of council and school workers and calls for the immediate end of public sector pay restraint. NJC pay cannot be allowed to fall further behind other parts of the public sector. This council also welcomes the joint review of the NJC pay spine to remedy the turbulence caused by bottom-loaded pay settlements.
This council also notes the drastic ongoing cuts to local government funding and calls on the Government to provide additional funding to fund a decent pay rise for NJC employees and the pay spine review.
This council resolves to:
· Call immediately on the LGA to make urgent representations to Government to fund the NJC claim and the pay spine review and notify it of its action in this regard
· Write to the Prime Minister and Chancellor supporting the NJC pay claim and highlighting that cross-party effort is meeting the need to reduce the council’s budget and that pay increases to the level sought requires additional funding
· Meet with local NJC union representatives to convey support for the pay claim and the pay spine review
The amendment was declared to be carried unanimously.
It was therefore resolved that –
This council notes that:
· NJC basic pay has fallen by 21% since 2010 in real terms
· NJC workers had a three-year pay freeze from 2010-2012
· Local terms and conditions of many NJC employees have also been cut, impacting on their overall earnings
· NJC pay is the lowest in the public sector
· Job evaluated pay structures are being squeezed and distorted by bottom-loaded NJC pay settlements needed to reflect the increased National Living Wage and the Foundation Living Wage
· There are growing equal and fair pay risks resulting from this situation
This council therefore supports the NJC pay claim for 2018, submitted by UNISON, GMB and Unite on behalf of council and school workers and calls for the immediate end of public sector pay restraint. NJC pay cannot be allowed to fall further behind other parts of the public sector. This council also welcomes the joint review of the NJC pay spine to remedy the turbulence caused by bottom-loaded pay settlements.
This council also notes the drastic ongoing cuts to local government funding and calls on the Government to provide additional funding to fund a decent pay rise for NJC employees and the pay spine review.
This council resolves to:
· Call immediately on the LGA to make urgent representations to Government to fund the NJC claim and the pay spine review and notify it of its action in this regard
· Write to the Prime Minister and Chancellor supporting the NJC pay claim and highlighting that cross-party effort is meeting the need to reduce the council’s budget and that pay increases to the level sought requires additional funding
· Meet with local NJC union representatives to convey support for the pay claim and the pay spine review