Agenda item

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

Council received three Motions submitted under FCR 14 of Part 4 of the Council’s Constitution.

Motion1: “To Thank EEBC Members Staff for Their Work During the Covid-19 Emergency.”

The Council resolved by a majority vote to consider this Motion at the meeting. In pursuance of the Council’s Rules of Procedure, Councillor Eber Kington MOVED and Councillor Peter O’Donovan SECONDED the following Motion:

“This Council wishes to place on record its thanks and appreciation to Borough Council officers for their outstanding work in meeting the challenge of the strategic shift in the deployment of staff and resources during the Covid-19 emergency.  Your work and the care shown, particularly in support of more vulnerable members of the community, has been both outstanding and inspiring.

This Council also wishes to acknowledge the vital roles paid by those Officers providing key support for services whilst working from home, and also those members of staff who have ensured that the Council’s important basic services have continued to be provided to residents during the emergency. Your contributions have been hugely appreciated and have been crucial to the work of the council over the past few weeks.

Whatever your role, our thanks to you all”

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

The proposed amendment was as follows:

“This Council wishes to place on record its thanks and appreciation to Borough Council officers for their outstanding work in meeting the challenge of the strategic shift in the deployment of staff and resources during the Covid-19 emergency.  Your work and the care shown, particularly in support of more vulnerable members of the community, has been both outstanding and inspiring.

This Council also wishes to acknowledge the vital roles paid by those Officers providing key support for services whilst working from home, and also those members of staff who have ensured that the Council’s important basic services have continued to be provided to residents during the emergency. In addition this council will identify a scheme to reward council staff for their exceptional efforts during the emergency caused by Covid-19.

Your contributions have been hugely appreciated and have been crucial to the work of the council over the past few weeks

Whatever your role, our thanks to you all.”

Upon being put the amendment was LOST with a majority vote against it.

Following the resolution of the amendment, the substantive motion was debated and put to a vote.

Upon being put the motion was CARRIED with a majority vote for it.

Accordingly, the Council resolved:

This Council wishes to place on record its thanks and appreciation to Borough Council officers for their outstanding work in meeting the challenge of the strategic shift in the deployment of staff and resources during the Covid-19 emergency.  Your work and the care shown, particularly in support of more vulnerable members of the community, has been both outstanding and inspiring.

This Council also wishes to acknowledge the vital roles paid by those Officers providing key support for services whilst working from home, and also those members of staff who have ensured that the Council’s important basic services have continued to be provided to residents during the emergency. Your contributions have been hugely appreciated and have been crucial to the work of the council over the past few weeks.

Whatever your role, our thanks to you all

Motion 2: “Enforcement against cars idling.”

The Council resolved by a majority vote to refer this Motion to the Environment and Safe Communities Committee for consideration.

Motion 3: “To Support Action Promoting Community Cohesion, Anti-Racism, Equality and Justice”

The Council resolved by a majority vote to consider this Motion at the meeting. In pursuance of the Council’s Rules of Procedure, Councillor Alex Coley MOVED and Councillor Hannah Dalton SECONDED the following Motion:

“This Council notes and values the contribution that Epsom and Ewell communities and social media groups are making in support of community cohesion, anti- racism and calls for equality and justice

In support of these local initiatives, including the “We Stand Together” movement, the Borough Council will:

I.             Invite local schools to contribute to a Borough Council programme celebrating multiculturalism and the achievements of differing communities in the borough

II.            Use the EEBC Business Newsletter, Business Breakfasts and our conversations with the BID to raise issues of racism and prejudice in the workplace and, leading by example, encourage equality in recruitment practices, investment in unconscious bias training and other active ways to create equality.

III.          Use the Community Safety Partnership to encourage local people to use their voice and report hate crimes to the police, and to develop with our partners a system for monitoring the outcomes of such reporting.

IV.          Continue our conversations with Community Leaders to better understand how the Borough Council can best manage its services to support those communities and best use its influence to make a positive difference.

V.           Listen to our own staff about their experiences and create an environment where they can speak freely, and raise awareness among Officers and Members to ensure equal access to services”

An amendment to the motion was MOVED by Councillor Kate Chinn and SECONDED by Councillor Debbie Monksfield:

The proposed amendment was as follows:

“This Council notes and values the contribution that Epsom and Ewell communities and social media groups are making in support of community cohesion, anti- racism and calls for equality and justice

In support of these local initiatives, including the “We Stand Together” movement, the Borough Council will:

I.             Invite local schools to contribute to a Borough Council programme celebrating multiculturalism and the achievements of differing communities in the borough

II.            Use the EEBC Business Newsletter, Business Breakfasts and our conversations with the BID to raise issues of racism and prejudice in the workplace and, leading by example, encourage equality in recruitment practices, investment in unconscious bias training and other active ways to create equality.

III.          Use the Community Safety Partnership to encourage local people to use their voice and report hate crimes to the police, and to develop with our partners a system for monitoring the outcomes of such reporting.

IV.          Continue our conversations with Community Leaders to better understand how the Borough Council can best manage its services to support those communities and best use its influence to make a positive difference.

V.           Listen to our own staff about their experiences and create an environment where they can speak freely, and raise awareness among Officers and Members to ensure equal access to services

VI.          Commit to work with partners and lobby the government for immediate action to implement the recommendations on the recent PHE report on the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on our Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities.”

Upon being put the amendment was CARRIED with a majority vote for it, and became the substantive motion.

Following the resolution of the amendment, the substantive motion was debated and put to a vote.

Upon being put the motion was CARRIED with a majority vote for it.

Accordingly, the Council resolved:

This Council notes and values the contribution that Epsom and Ewell communities and social media groups are making in support of community cohesion, anti- racism and calls for equality and justice

In support of these local initiatives, including the “We Stand Together” movement, the Borough Council will:

I.             Invite local schools to contribute to a Borough Council programme celebrating multiculturalism and the achievements of differing communities in the borough

II.            Use the EEBC Business Newsletter, Business Breakfasts and our conversations with the BID to raise issues of racism and prejudice in the workplace and, leading by example, encourage equality in recruitment practices, investment in unconscious bias training and other active ways to create equality.

III.          Use the Community Safety Partnership to encourage local people to use their voice and report hate crimes to the police, and to develop with our partners a system for monitoring the outcomes of such reporting.

IV.          Continue our conversations with Community Leaders to better understand how the Borough Council can best manage its services to support those communities and best use its influence to make a positive difference.

V.           Listen to our own staff about their experiences and create an environment where they can speak freely, and raise awareness among Officers and Members to ensure equal access to services

VI.          Commit to work with partners and lobby the government for immediate action to implement the recommendations on the recent PHE report on the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on our Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities.