To consider the following Notices of Motion:
(3/19), submitted by Councillor J Moriarty:
In 2018 this Council introduced a new system for sifting planning applications. Said scheme was subsequently reviewed in early 2019.
On both occasions the council breached its own Scheme of Community Involvement (SCI) by failing to consult key partners in the planning process, namely Parish Councils.
It is agreed there will now be a consultation exercise with Parish Councils, said exercise to be overseen by an appropriate panel or body of elected councillors.
(4/19), submitted by Councillor A Kemp:
Lynn Transport Plan and Hardings Way Bus Lane
A large number of Constituents across the Borough, including South Lynn and the Friars, and from the Walpoles to North Runcton and Setchey, are now aware of the harm, distress and adverse impact on disabled residents, people in mobility scooters, families with children and prams, retired residents, those less able to walk and children walking to school, in the South Lynn community, the Friars and other parts of the Borough, for whom Hardings Way is the only safe route into town, if Council goes ahead with its plan to run a road through the Buggy Pavement & Safe Route to School, and allow traffic, HGV’s and two other roads across the Wisbech Road part of Hardings Way Bus Lane; and want to avoid the detrimental impacts.
In 2009, a bid for £5.3m funding from the Community Infrastructure Fund (CIF 2) to implement a package of transportation improvements in King’s Lynn, was approved at the Borough’s Cabinet.
This included a public transport road link across the waterfront area from Wisbech Road to Boal Quay.
This public transport link was Hardings Way.
The purpose of Hardings Way was to speed up buses through the bus lane and reduce congestion, air pollution and emissions from buses from London Road, from the town centre and from the gyratory.
Members - and the local community - were advised that it was envisaged that the road would never be a through traffic route, with the exception of buses.
The Transport Statement said that ‘’ the route would initially be used by 13 buses per hour, off peak, in each direction throughout the day, rising to an anticipated 15 per hour from 2016 and 17 per hour from 2021. During peak hours, initial estimates are that 22 services per hour will use the route (0800 to 0900 and 1700 to 1800 Monday to Friday) It is likely that by 2021 the weekday am/pm peak could be up to a maximum of 26 per hour in each direction. There would be significantly less bus movements in all off peak periods”.
The Development Control Board said:
“The provision of the bus route is expected to reduce bus journey times, equating to a time saving of 4 minutes for AM peak inbound journeys and 3 minutes for PM peak outbound journeys.
In addition to extended scheduled journey times currently experienced at peak periods, extended layover times between journeys are planned throughout the day to provide a robust schedule that enables services to recover from unpredictable operational delays”.
Lynn Transport Strategy
Hardings Way will underpin the success of the West Lynn Park and Ride, under consideration in the Lynn Transport Plan. Shuttle buses, using Hardings Way as the fast route to town, will encourage drivers to leave their cars outside the town, avoid the town centre queues and reduce congestion and emissions.
Hardings Way Bus Lane has a strategic role to play in further reducing traffic entering Lynn. The aspiration must be to increase the flow of buses and make Lynn a carbon neutral town.
Planning Application September 2017
However, by a planning application of Sept 2017, the Borough granted itself planning permission that would place general traffic and and maximum HGV’s on a fifth of Hardings Way, build three access stub roads for 50 houses on Hardings Way South and move the bus lane north 15m north; and instructed Norfolk County Council to amend the two Traffic Orders that banned general traffic on Hardings Way.
There was no highways impact assessment.
The County Council has destroyed the road specification for Hardings Way and it is uncertain if it was built to withstand maximum weight vehicles that the traffic orders would permit.
The Traffic Orders allows general traffic and maximum weight HGV’s on the first 125m of the bus lane, even though the feeder road, Wisbech Road, has a 7.5 tonne weight limit.
The Equality Impact Assessment said that disabled people would suffer a significant detriment.
The access for the private firm placing maximum HGV’s on the bus lane, and the other two accesses, would be paid for by the Borough Council.
There have been 1,400 online and written objections to general traffic on any part of Hardings Way.
There is a 38 degrees petition.
123 written objections to the Traffic Orders were sent to Norfolk County Council.
Flood Risk
The Hardings Way South area was flooded in the Great Flood of ‘53, in the floods of ‘78 and Hardings Way was flooded during the storm surge
Tidal Hazard Mapping for the River Great Ouse shows the site is located in a high flood risk area, where the mapping identifies inundation to depths of up to 2m in a flooding event, over the development’s lifetime. The Local Plan Task Group is being approached over concerns regarding the suitability, sustainability and safety of Hardings Way South as a location for people’s homes.
Disability and Protected Groups
This Council has just appointed a new Disability Champion for the Borough, and is committed to understanding, listening and improving life for disabled residents.
The western pavement along Hardings Way South is a key walking route into town for disabled people including buggy users, for families with prams and young children, and for the whole community. It encourages people to leave their cars at home and walk into town.
Hardings Way is the only safe route into town.
Implementation of the planning permission would allow an unsignalled crossing in the wide western pavement, and introduce points of conflict with cars, parked cars and HGV’s in turning manoeuvres, putting disabled buggy users, cylists and other vulnerable users at risk.
It would affect safety and independent use of the road for those less able to walk.
People in Buggies do not feel safe using London Road unaided to get into the town centre, as it has sloping pavements with an uneven surface and several road accesses that are not safe to cross, as they are not traffic lit and have inadequate drop kerbs.
Hardings Way Buggy Lane in contrast, has a wide smooth pavement on a flat surface that is easy for buggies to negotiate.
People with disabilities want to lead fulfilling lives and get to town under their own steam.
The implementation of the traffic orders would affect the independence and safety of disabled residents and the attractiveness of cycling into town. People would be deterred from getting into town under the own steam.
Hardings Way links into National Cycle Lane 1.
Hardings Way South is also used by parents to teach children to cycle.
Hardings Way South is part of the safe route to school for children at Whitefriars Primary.
The former Head of Whitefriars School was promised by the County Council is 2009 that general traffic would never be allowed on the Bus Lane, because of concerns about pollution near the adjacent school playground.
Hardings Way was built on waste ground that was the traditional walking route into town for residents and plays an important role in healthy lifestyles and improving public health outcomes in the deprived area of South Lynn.
In view of the disruption to the efficient working of the bus lane and to Lynn’s Transport Strategy, the high flood risk to building in Hardings Way South, and the impact on older and disabled residents and young families if the Traffic Orders and planning permission were implemented, and in view for the strategic imperative to reduce traffic from entering the historic town centre:
Council urges Cabinet, in the strongest terms, to review all work planned to be done on or around Hardings Way, under (but not limited to) Planning Permission 17/01008/F, in the hope that they will not move the bus lane north, or introduce any new roads across it, and not allow any additional types of traffic onto it, or diminish any of its current features which enable pedestrians, prams and buggies to use it unhindered by traffic; in order to prevent the detrimental impacts.
(5/19), Submitted by Councillor M de Whalley
1. This council recognises that:
a. Local Government exists to ensure the wellbeing of its population through its statutory and moral authority across a wide range of economic and social aspects of local life.
b. The human influence on the climate system is unequivocal, and recent man-made emissions of greenhouse gases are the highest in history.
c. Recent climate changes have had widespread impacts on human and natural systems. This and other factors have led to a crisis in ecology and biodiversity.
d. West Norfolk is already at a high and increasing risk of the effects of climate change which endangers the population. This council has the legal and moral responsibility to act both across its own corporate activities and those wider economic and social issues over which it has regulatory control and influence.
e. The 2015 Paris Agreement, which the UK has ratified, sets a temperature target of limiting global heating well below 2oC with efforts to achieve 1.5oC.
f. “For King's Lynn and West Norfolk to make its fair contribution to delivering the Paris Agreement's commitment to staying ‘well below 2°C and pursuing 1.5°C’ global temperature rise, then an immediate and rapid programme of decarbonisation is needed.”*
g. The 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report showed that “impacts are much greater if 1.5oC is exceeded.”
h. The social and economic costs of delayed action far outweigh those of rapid mitigation and adaptation to the 1.5oC target.
2. For the above reasons the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk declares a climate and biodiversity emergency and commits to the following actions:
a. Ensure that every decision made by this council takes into consideration the impact on climate change and biodiversity as the top priority.
b. Achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, or earlier, across the Borough Council’s own corporate activities.
c. Use all Council regulatory means (such as local plan, transport, regeneration etc.) to ensure that the relevant aspects of life across West Norfolk become net zero carbon by 2030, or earlier, across the population to meet the Borough Council’s fair share of the UK commitment to the Paris Agreement temperature target.*
d. Not to exceed a Borough population-wide all-time “energy only” budget of 8 million tonnes of CO2 (or equivalent) emissions, as calculated recently to meet the Paris Agreement temperature target.
e. Prepare a report, within six-months of this motion, outlining how West Norfolk can sufficiently reduce carbon emissions through energy and other Council strategies, plans and contracts to ensure the above commitments are met.
f. Include a full carbon footprint for the Borough with future trajectories.
g. The above report will be overseen by the formation of a Climate Change and Biodiversity task group which will report to the appropriate Council body.
h. Review and performance monitoring of climate change strategy will take place every six months.
i. Establish a West Norfolk Climate Change Partnership with key stakeholders & Government departments to develop new strategic and policy approaches.
j. Invite contributions and instigate a wide-ranging programme of community engagement and awareness within the next six months.
k. Lobby Westminster to deliver the legislation and resources necessary for the required changes.
l. Provide adequate staff, time and leadership to effect the above.
* Tyndall Centre, Manchester, “Setting Climate Commitments for King's Lynn and West Norfolk”, October 2019.
6/19 Submitted by Councillor F Bone
This Council notes:-
Hardings Way in South Lynn was built as part of a £5.3 million Government funded scheme to allow the NORA development to proceed and to help reduce pollution on London Road
When planning permission was granted, in 2009, it was for public transport, and not general traffic. Prohibition Orders were put in place to prohibit traffic entering Hardings Way from Wisbech Road.
A senior highways engineer of Norfolk Highways Authority who advised the Norfolk Casualty Reduction Partnership Board on highways safety issues wrote to state that Hardings Way was only for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport and was not safe for any other use.
Therefore, this Council calls on the Cabinet to bring a report to this Council detailing all aspects of Hardings Way to include, but not exclusively, implications of a nature that cover:
Legal
Financial
Social
Environmental
Highways Safety
Highways Impact Assessment
This Council instructs the Chief Executive to write informing Norfolk County Council that this Council will not fund any and all work carried out in association with Hardings Way until this Council has considered the report from Cabinet.
Minutes:
The following Notices of Motion were considered:
(3/19), submitted by Councillor J Moriarty:
Councillor Moriarty proposed the following motion, seconded by Councillor Parish.
“In 2018 this Council introduced a new system for sifting planning applications. Said scheme was subsequently reviewed in early 2019.
On both occasions the council breached its own Scheme of Community Involvement (SCI) by failing to consult key partners in the planning process, namely Parish Councils.
It is agreed there will now be a consultation exercise with Parish Councils, said exercise to be overseen by an appropriate panel or body of elected councillors.”
In proposing the Motion Councillor Moriarty explained that it was not about whether it was a good idea or if it worked or saved money, but about the fact that key partners were not consulted when it was brought in and the panel was not told the detail of comments from parishes. He made referent to the SCI which described how the Council would engage with key partners including parishes, he considered that the argument not to consult on the process was difficult to sustain and the Council should show how it wanted to treat parishes.
Councillor Long reminded members that the SCI came into effect for major consultations, whereas the sifting panel was an internal working arrangement and did not affect how the parishes were consulted on planning applications or whether their comments were taken into account in deciding on applications. He referred to a parish council training session on planning which was recently run where no-one made any comments on the sifting panel. The parishes still had their 21 days to comment on applications, and those were taken into account.
Councillor Howman in supporting the Motion proposed an amendment that the Kings Lynn Area Consultative Panel (KLACC) be included in the consultation process as Kings Lynn was unparished. Councillor Jones seconded the amendment.
Councillor Holmes commented that he understood it was a trial, so should therefore be reviewed.
Councillor Rust in supporting the motion as amended considered it would go a long way to ensure local people were kept informed.
Councillor Joyce stated that if something was being changed to a
great extent it should be consulted on.
He referred to the planning application at Knights Hill which he
considered would have had objections.
Councillor Dark commented that he had a degree of sympathy for the motion, but it was an existing policy. He suggested that the Corporate Performance Panel was the correct route to review policies.
Councillor Long reminded members that the KLACC members were members of Council and so had the full ability to comment on the process as it came through the panels. KLACC had the opportunity to comment on any planning applications for the unparished area. He re-iterated that it was an internal process, not one that required and SCI consultation process.
In summing up on the amendment, Councillor Moriarty reminded members that he was talking about consulting on the Sifting Panel process.
On being put to the vote the amendment was lost.
In debating the substantive Motion Councillor Parish reminded members of the process prior to the Sifting Panel whereby parish comments contrary to the officer recommendations would automatically add the item to the Planning Committee agenda. The process was now that the parish had to go to a ward member to call the item in to committee.
In summing up Councillor Moriarty pointed out that he believed parishes had been affected by it. He stated that he would encourage it to be reviewed by the Corporate Performance Panel. Councillor Moriarty, with the required number of supporters requested a recorded vote on the decision.
|
For |
Against |
Abstain |
|
P Beal |
B Ayres |
|
|
J Bhondi |
L Bambridge |
|
|
F Bone |
C Bower |
|
|
A Bullen |
A Bubb |
|
|
J Collop |
J Collingham |
|
|
S Collop |
C Crofts |
|
|
A Holmes |
S Dark |
|
|
G Howman |
I Devereux |
|
|
C Hudson |
A Dickinson |
|
|
B Jones |
P Gidney |
|
|
C Joyce |
G Hipperson |
|
|
A Kemp |
G Howard |
|
|
B Lawton |
M Howland |
|
|
J Moriarty |
H Humphrey |
|
|
C Morley |
J Kirk |
|
|
S Nash |
P Kunes |
|
|
T Parish |
B Long |
|
|
D Pope |
J Lowe |
|
|
J Ratcliff |
C Manning |
|
|
C Rose |
G Middleton |
|
|
J Rust |
E Nockolds |
|
|
A Ryves |
S Patel |
|
|
S Squire |
C Sampson |
|
|
M de Whalley |
S Sandell |
|
|
M Wilkinson |
M Storey |
|
|
|
D Tyler |
|
|
|
D Whitby |
|
|
25 |
27 |
0 |
The vote on the motion was lost and the motion fell.
Resolved: That the Motion falls.
(4/19), submitted by Councillor A Kemp:
Councillor Kemp proposed the Motion, seconded by Councillor Bone. Councillor Kemp proposed her motion referring to the content of her Motion.
“Lynn Transport Plan and Hardings Way Bus Lane
A large number of Constituents across the Borough, including South Lynn and the Friars, and from the Walpoles to North Runcton and Setchey, are now aware of the harm, distress and adverse impact on disabled residents, people in mobility scooters, families with children and prams, retired residents, those less able to walk and children walking to school, in the South Lynn community, the Friars and other parts of the Borough, for whom Hardings Way is the only safe route into town, if Council goes ahead with its plan to run a road through the Buggy Pavement & Safe Route to School, and allow traffic, HGV’s and two other roads across the Wisbech Road part of Hardings Way Bus Lane; and want to avoid the detrimental impacts.
In 2009, a bid for £5.3m funding from the Community Infrastructure Fund (CIF 2) to implement a package of transportation improvements in King’s Lynn, was approved at the Borough’s Cabinet.
This included a public transport road link across the waterfront area from Wisbech Road to Boal Quay.
This public transport link was Hardings Way.
The purpose of Hardings Way was to speed up buses through the bus lane and reduce congestion, air pollution and emissions from buses from London Road, from the town centre and from the gyratory.
Members - and the local community - were advised that it was envisaged that the road would never be a through traffic route, with the exception of buses.
The Transport Statement said that ‘’ the route would initially be used by 13 buses per hour, off peak, in each direction throughout the day, rising to an anticipated 15 per hour from 2016 and 17 per hour from 2021. During peak hours, initial estimates are that 22 services per hour will use the route (0800 to 0900 and 1700 to 1800 Monday to Friday) It is likely that by 2021 the weekday am/pm peak could be up to a maximum of 26 per hour in each direction. There would be significantly less bus movements in all off peak periods”.
The Development Control Board said:
“The provision of the bus route is expected to reduce bus journey times, equating to a time saving of 4 minutes for AM peak inbound journeys and 3 minutes for PM peak outbound journeys.
In addition to extended scheduled journey times currently experienced at peak periods, extended layover times between journeys are planned throughout the day to provide a robust schedule that enables services to recover from unpredictable operational delays”.
Lynn Transport Strategy
Hardings Way will underpin the success of the West Lynn Park and Ride, under consideration in the Lynn Transport Plan. Shuttle buses, using Hardings Way as the fast route to town, will encourage drivers to leave their cars outside the town, avoid the town centre queues and reduce congestion and emissions.
Hardings Way Bus Lane has a strategic role to play in further reducing traffic entering Lynn. The aspiration must be to increase the flow of buses and make Lynn a carbon neutral town.
Planning Application September 2017
However, by a planning application of Sept 2017, the Borough granted itself planning permission that would place general traffic and and maximum HGV’s on a fifth of Hardings Way, build three access stub roads for 50 houses on Hardings Way South and move the bus lane north 15m north; and instructed Norfolk County Council to amend the two Traffic Orders that banned general traffic on Hardings Way.
There was no highways impact assessment.
The County Council has destroyed the road specification for Hardings Way and it is uncertain if it was built to withstand maximum weight vehicles that the traffic orders would permit.
The Traffic Orders allows general traffic and maximum weight HGV’s on the first 125m of the bus lane, even though the feeder road, Wisbech Road, has a 7.5 tonne weight limit.
The Equality Impact Assessment said that disabled people would suffer a significant detriment.
The access for the private firm placing maximum HGV’s on the bus lane, and the other two accesses, would be paid for by the Borough Council.
There have been 1,400 online and written objections to general traffic on any part of Hardings Way.
There is a 38 degrees petition.
123 written objections to the Traffic Orders were sent to Norfolk County Council.
Flood Risk
The Hardings Way South area was flooded in the Great Flood of ‘53, in the floods of ‘78 and Hardings Way was flooded during the storm surge
Tidal Hazard Mapping for the River Great Ouse shows the site is located in a high flood risk area, where the mapping identifies inundation to depths of up to 2m in a flooding event, over the development’s lifetime. The Local Plan Task Group is being approached over concerns regarding the suitability, sustainability and safety of Hardings Way South as a location for people’s homes.
Disability and Protected Groups
This Council has just appointed a new Disability Champion for the Borough, and is committed to understanding, listening and improving life for disabled residents.
The western pavement along Hardings Way South is a key walking route into town for disabled people including buggy users, for families with prams and young children, and for the whole community. It encourages people to leave their cars at home and walk into town.
Hardings Way is the only safe route into town.
Implementation of the planning permission would allow an unsignalled crossing in the wide western pavement, and introduce points of conflict with cars, parked cars and HGV’s in turning manoeuvres, putting disabled buggy users, cylists and other vulnerable users at risk.
It would affect safety and independent use of the road for those less able to walk.
People in Buggies do not feel safe using London Road unaided to get into the town centre, as it has sloping pavements with an uneven surface and several road accesses that are not safe to cross, as they are not traffic lit and have inadequate drop kerbs.
Hardings Way Buggy Lane in contrast, has a wide smooth pavement on a flat surface that is easy for buggies to negotiate.
People with disabilities want to lead fulfilling lives and get to town under their own steam.
The implementation of the traffic orders would affect the independence and safety of disabled residents and the attractiveness of cycling into town. People would be deterred from getting into town under the own steam.
Hardings Way links into National Cycle Lane 1.
Hardings Way South is also used by parents to teach children to cycle.
Hardings Way South is part of the safe route to school for children at Whitefriars Primary.
The former Head of Whitefriars School was promised by the County Council is 2009 that general traffic would never be allowed on the Bus Lane, because of concerns about pollution near the adjacent school playground.
Hardings Way was built on waste ground that was the traditional walking route into town for residents and plays an important role in healthy lifestyles and improving public health outcomes in the deprived area of South Lynn.
In view of the disruption to the efficient working of the bus lane and to Lynn’s Transport Strategy, the high flood risk to building in Hardings Way South, and the impact on older and disabled residents and young families if the Traffic Orders and planning permission were implemented, and in view for the strategic imperative to reduce traffic from entering the historic town centre:
Council urges Cabinet, in the strongest terms, to review all work planned to be done on or around Hardings Way, under (but not limited to) Planning Permission 17/01008/F, in the hope that they will not move the bus lane north, or introduce any new roads across it, and not allow any additional types of traffic onto it, or diminish any of its current features which enable pedestrians, prams and buggies to use it unhindered by traffic; in order to prevent the detrimental impacts.”
Under standing order 14.6 Councillor Long proposed the matter be referred to Cabinet, pointing out that that the Motion referred to Cabinet consideration. This was seconded by Councillor Nockolds.
Councillor Kemp asked for a debate on the motion and a recorded vote on the item.
Council was advised that the vote should be taken on the 14.6 referral without debate. Councillor Moriarty questioned this advice and referred to standing order 14.8, to which Council was advised that once a vote was taken on 14.6, then 14.8 could be moved and then voted upon.
The proposal from Councillor Long to refer the motion to Cabinet under standing order 14.6 was put to the vote and carried.
Councillor Long then proposed that under standing order 14.8 the
considerations from Cabinet come back to Council for
decision. On being put to the vote,
this was agreed.
Resolved: That the Motion 4/19 be referred to Cabinet for consideration and back to Council for final decision.
(5/19), Submitted by Councillor M de Whalley
Councillor de Whalley proposed the Notice of Motion, seconded by Councillor Moriarty. In proposing the Motion Councillor de Whalley set out the details and reasoning behind the motion, also reminding members that the Council could influence areas outside its own responsibility. He referred to the potential costs of the climate emergency for the area particularly when west Norfolk was a low lying area.
1. This council recognises that:
a. Local Government exists to ensure the wellbeing of its population through its statutory and moral authority across a wide range of economic and social aspects of local life.
b. The human influence on the climate system is unequivocal, and recent man-made emissions of greenhouse gases are the highest in history.
c. Recent climate changes have had widespread impacts on human and natural systems. This and other factors have led to a crisis in ecology and biodiversity.
d. West Norfolk is already at a high and increasing risk of the effects of climate change which endangers the population. This council has the legal and moral responsibility to act both across its own corporate activities and those wider economic and social issues over which it has regulatory control and influence.
e. The 2015 Paris Agreement, which the UK has ratified, sets a temperature target of limiting global heating well below 2oC with efforts to achieve 1.5oC.
f. “For King's Lynn and West Norfolk to make its fair contribution to delivering the Paris Agreement's commitment to staying ‘well below 2°C and pursuing 1.5°C’ global temperature rise, then an immediate and rapid programme of decarbonisation is needed.”*
g. The 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report showed that “impacts are much greater if 1.5oC is exceeded.”
h. The social and economic costs of delayed action far outweigh those of rapid mitigation and adaptation to the 1.5oC target.
2. For the above reasons the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk declares a climate and biodiversity emergency and commits to the following actions:
a. Ensure that every decision made by this council takes into consideration the impact on climate change and biodiversity as the top priority.
b. Achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, or earlier, across the Borough Council’s own corporate activities.
c. Use all Council regulatory means (such as local plan, transport, regeneration etc.) to ensure that the relevant aspects of life across West Norfolk become net zero carbon by 2030, or earlier, across the population to meet the Borough Council’s fair share of the UK commitment to the Paris Agreement temperature target.*
d. Not to exceed a Borough population-wide all-time “energy only” budget of 8 million tonnes of CO2 (or equivalent) emissions, as calculated recently to meet the Paris Agreement temperature target.
e. Prepare a report, within six-months of this motion, outlining how West Norfolk can sufficiently reduce carbon emissions through energy and other Council strategies, plans and contracts to ensure the above commitments are met.
f. Include a full carbon footprint for the Borough with future trajectories.
g. The above report will be overseen by the formation of a Climate Change and Biodiversity task group which will report to the appropriate Council body.
h. Review and performance monitoring of climate change strategy will take place every six months.
i. Establish a West Norfolk Climate Change Partnership with key stakeholders & Government departments to develop new strategic and policy approaches.
j. Invite contributions and instigate a wide-ranging programme of community engagement and awareness within the next six months.
k. Lobby Westminster to deliver the legislation and resources necessary for the required changes.
l. Provide adequate staff, time and leadership to effect the above.
* Tyndall Centre, Manchester, “Setting Climate Commitments for King's Lynn and West Norfolk”, October 2019.
In seconding the Motion, Councillor Moriarty drew attention to the LGA’s recent motion declaring a climate emergency offering support to local authorities declaring the same. He considered that with the county’s low lying coastline we should be at the fore front with the LGA with the support of other councils.
He referred to the need to ensure that local responses and data sets were tailored locally.
Councillor Moriarty moved an amendment to the motion – to delete section 1 b: The human influence on the climate system is unequivocal, and recent man-made emissions of greenhouse gases are the highest in history. This was seconded by Councillor Rust.
Under standing order 14.6, Councillor Long wished to move referral of the motion to Cabinet for consideration, the amendment had to be debated first.
In debating the amendment Councillor Joyce urged council to agree that the earth was warming and it was getting out of control and it needed to be brought back. He said it was about things that would make a difference, for example supporting local services and a park and ride for the town. Councillor Joyce was reminded that the debate was on the amendment.
Councillor Squire referred to the little enthusiasm to declare anything, she referred to sea levels, weather patterns and glaciers, she urged councillors to be part of the solution not the problem. Councillor Squire was reminded that the debate was on the amendment.
Councillor Kemp stated that human influence was unequivocal , the ice levels of 250 years ago were no longer there. The Borough area was responsible for high levels of CO2 from gas turbines in the area.
Councillor Parish spoke in support of the amendment. He wanted to debate the motion at the meeting.
Councillor Rust agreed that the Council should take a lead as the LGA suggested, stating that it couldn’t be ignored, and that the point that 12 years didn’t constitute a climate emergency was small minded when it was important to ensure West Norfolk didn’t flood.
Councillor de Whalley apologised for the comments made in public questions and applauded the Extinction Rebellion. He considered that 12 years was a climate emergency.
The amendment was put to the vote and carried.
The substantive Motion was now on the table.
Councillor Long, under standing order 14.6 moved the motion be referred to Cabinet for consideration. He explained that there was already a statement position on this issue with reports being prepared, and that he agreed with a large part of the motion but needed more information. This was seconded by Councillor Middleton.
Councillor Moriarty with the required number of supporters requested a recorded vote.
A recorded vote was held on the substantive. Immediately following the initial calling of names Councillors Mrs Wilkinson and Howland declared that they had called the wrong vote. Upon discussion those votes were amended. Councillor Moriarty called the figures into question and objections were raised on the amending of the votes.
Following discussions with the Mayor, as it was an important decision for the Council to take, for Councillors to have confidence that their vote, as published, was their vote as intended and for the avoidance of all doubt, Council was invited to re take the vote.
There was some disagreement on the decision taken with comments that it would stifle any debate, to which it was also commented that it was to be proposed to bring it back to Council, and that it would set a precedent. It was noted that this would not set a precedent, and each instance would have to be considered on its merits.
This vote was as follows:
|
For |
Against |
Abstain |
|
B Ayres |
P Beal |
G Hipperson |
|
L Bambridge |
J Bhondi |
|
|
C Bower |
F Bone |
|
|
A Bubb |
A Bullen |
|
|
J Collingham |
J Collop |
|
|
C Crofts |
S Collop |
|
|
S Dark |
A Holmes |
|
|
I Devereux |
G Howman |
|
|
A Dickinson |
C Hudson |
|
|
P Gidney |
B Jones |
|
|
G Howard |
C Joyce |
|
|
M Howland |
A Kemp |
|
|
H Humphrey |
B Lawton |
|
|
J Kirk |
J Moriarty |
|
|
P Kunes |
C Morley |
|
|
B Long |
S Nash |
|
|
J Lowe |
T Parish |
|
|
C Manning |
D Pope |
|
|
G Middleton |
J Ratcliff |
|
|
E Nockolds |
C Rose |
|
|
S Patel |
J Rust |
|
|
C Sampson |
A Ryves |
|
|
S Sandell |
S Squire |
|
|
M Storey |
M de Whalley |
|
|
D Tyler |
M Wilkinson |
|
|
D Whitby |
|
|
|
26 |
25 |
1 |
The vote was carried to refer the matter to Cabinet for consideration.
Under standing order 14.8 Councillor Long moved that the matter be brought back to Council for consideration. This was agreed.
RESOLVED: That the Motion, as amended be referred to Cabinet for consideration, with the recommendations to be brought back to Council for decision.
6/19 Submitted by Councillor F Bone
Councillor Bone proposed the following Notice of Motion, seconded by Councillor Joyce. In proposing his Motion Councillor Bone explained that he felt there was no financial reason to change Hardings Way and he considered that the Council should not subsidise private house buyers. He felt that changes would make the friars area as congested as London Road, He asked if due diligence had been carried out and called for a report to come to Cabinet and Council.
In seconding the Motion Councillor Joyce invited Councillor Long to accept the Motion and bring it back to Council. He referred to the need for more bus only lanes to encourage people to leave their cars which would help the environment and climate emergency.
“This Council notes:-
Hardings Way in South Lynn was built as part of a £5.3 million Government funded scheme to allow the NORA development to proceed and to help reduce pollution on London Road
When planning permission was granted, in 2009, it was for public transport, and not general traffic. Prohibition Orders were put in place to prohibit traffic entering Hardings Way from Wisbech Road.
A senior highways engineer of Norfolk Highways Authority who advised the Norfolk Casualty Reduction Partnership Board on highways safety issues wrote to state that Hardings Way was only for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport and was not safe for any other use.
Therefore, this Council calls on the Cabinet to bring a report to this Council detailing all aspects of Hardings Way to include, but not exclusively, implications of a nature that cover:
Legal
Financial
Social
Environmental
Highways Safety
Highways Impact Assessment
This Council instructs the Chief Executive to write informing Norfolk County Council that this Council will not fund any and all work carried out in association with Hardings Way until this Council has considered the report from Cabinet.”
Under standing order 14.6, Councillor Long moved that the Motion be referred to Cabinet as per the sentiment in the Motion. He reminded members that the Kings Lynn Area Transport Plan was not yet finalised.
The motion to refer to Cabinet was put to the vote. This vote was carried.
Under standing order 14.8 Councillor Long proposed it be referred back to Council for decision. This was agreed.
RESOLVED: That the Motion be referred to Cabinet for consideration, with the recommendations to be brought back to Council for decision.