Issue - meetings

This report sets out notices of motions ruled in order by the Mayor in consultation with the Chief Legal Officer.

The Council received three Motions.

Motion 1: “Climate Change emergency”

In pursuance of the Council’s Rules of Procedure, Councillor Hannah Dalton MOVED and Councillor Kate Chinn SECONDED the following Motion:

“This Council notes that the UK Parliament recently declared a climate change emergency and recognises the importance of continuing to respond to the environmental concerns highlighted by the on-going global and national debate.

Epsom and Ewell Council recognises the serious and accelerating changes to the world caused by climate change, as well as the importance of responding to these concerns.

 This Council also acknowledges:

·                     That bold climate action can deliver local social and economic benefits in terms of new jobs, economic savings and sustainable livelihood opportunities, as well as improved wellbeing

·                     That individuals cannot be expected to make sufficient carbon emissions reductions on their own and that society needs to change its laws, taxation and infrastructure to make low carbon living easier and enable behavioural change

Mindful of the role that local authorities can have in combatting climate change this Council notes that:

·                     Epsom & Ewell Borough Council, along with other local and regional authorities, has a role in contributing towards the achievement of national, legally binding targets

·                     Epsom & Ewell Borough Council has already started a journey when it comes to addressing the issue of climate breakdown through: carrying out its Green Infrastructure Study (2013), active support of local biodiversity and land management policies which help to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change; introduction of Simply Weekly which has increased Borough recycling; supporting the successful bid for step-free access at Stoneleigh Station which it hopes will reduce car journeys and harmful CO2 emissions.

This Council therefore agrees:

(1)          “To establish its own climate change action plan, with targets to cut its environmental impact and steps to become carbon neutral.

(2)          To ensure that the plan is provided to the Environment and Safe Communities Committee and subsequently ratified by Full Council within the next 6 months

(3)          That regular updates on progress against the ratified plan are brought to the Environment and Safe Communities committee and provided annually to Full Council

(4)          To work with our partners across the Borough on environmental issues where that will help us individually and collectively to meet our targets.”

An amendment to the motion was MOVED by Councillor Liz Frost and SECONDED by Councillor Steven McCormick:

“to amend the Motion with the addition of an extra bullet point as follows:

(1)          “(3) The climate change action plan is to be reviewed in full annually and updated or amended, if required, to take account of changes in legislation, new best practice, advances in technology or any other changes in circumstances”

(2)          The consequential renumbering of the existing points 3 and 4 to 4 and 5.”

Upon being put the amendment was CARRIED unanimously and became the substantive motion.

A second amendment to the motion was MOVED by Councillor Debbie Monksfield and SECONDED by Councillor Rob Geleit:

“to amend the bullet point (1) of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18