Issue - meetings

Notices of Motion

 

 

Meeting: 12/05/2015 - Council (Item 41)

41 No. 18 - Community Grants - From Councillors Jeff Osborn and Helen Osborn

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Chairman reported receipt of the above mentioned motion from Councillors Jeff Osborn and Helen Osborn. The wording of the motion was as follows:

 

“That this Council requires the rules concerning community grants awarded by Area Boards to be amended to allow only one grant per applicant per year”.

 

To assist Council in its consideration of the motion, a briefing note was circulated.

 

In speaking to his motion, Councillor Jeff  Osborn thanked the officers for preparing the briefing note. He expressed concern that some organisations had become serial applicants, that the purpose of the grants has been lost and that organisations should be limited to one grant per year. In his view, this situation had been exacerbated by the removal of revenue grant funding.

 

However, he accepted that the issue should be should be discussed at an Area Board level and therefore with the permission of his seconder, withdrew the motion.

 

Motion withdrawn

 

 

 

 

Meeting: 13/05/2014 - Council (Item 36)

36 Notices of Motion: Recognition of Trade Union Rights - Councillors Jeff Osborn and Terry Chivers

To consider the following notice of motion: 

 

“In the tendering of any future contracts for services provided by this Council, a clear condition should be made that the Council will only enter into a contract with organisations that make a clear and public commitment that they fully recognise trade union rights for their employees and that they will continue to do so”

 

For Council’s ease of reference the rules on how a motion is dealt with at Council taken from Part 4 of the Council’s constitution is attached.

 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Chairman reported receipt of the above mentioned motion from Councillors Jeff Osborn and Terry Chivers.  

 

Accordingly, Councillor Jeff Osborn moved the following motion which was duly seconded by Cllr Terry Chivers:

 

“In the tendering of any future contracts for services provided by this Council, a clear condition should be made that the Council will only enter into a contract with organisations that make a clear and public commitment that they fully recognise trade union rights for their employees and that they will continue to do so.”

 

To assist Council in its consideration of the motion, a report was circulated via the Agenda Supplement for the meeting which provided legal advice on the implications of adopting such a motion. Council was therefore asked to consider the motion in light of this legal advice.

 

For Council’s ease of reference the rules on how a motion is dealt with at Council, taken from Part 4 of the Council’s constitution was presented.

 

Councillor Jeff Osborn presented his motion and in so doing requested that the motion be deferred to the next meeting to allow for thorough consideration of the legal advice presented.

 

Councillor Stuart Wheeler, Cabinet member explained that time had been taken to formulate the legal advice to enable Council to properly consider the motion. He further explained that what the motion was seeking was effectively illegal and as such could not see that anything would be gained by deferring it. Councillor wheeler emphasised advice in the report which stated that in terms of any future contracts, it would not be possible within the

current statutory framework to use as evaluation criteria a public commitment

to recognise Trade Unions for collective bargaining purposes. Such a proposal could also deter smaller companies from tendering and therefore discriminating against them.

 

Having been moved by the Chairman and seconded and being put to the vote, it was

 

Resolved:

 

That the motion be debated.

 

The Chairman invited Group Leaders to speak on the motion before opening the debate to other members. A discussion ensued during which a number of members spoke in favour and against the motion.

 

Councillor Gordon King moved the following amendment which was duly seconded by Councillor Jon Hubbard:

‘That the motion be referred to the Staffing Policy Committee to consider the legal implications of the terms of the motion and to ensure maximum protection to employees wherever possible.’

 

On being put to the vote, the above amendment was CARRIED and it was

 

Resolved:

 

That the motion be referred to the Staffing Policy Committee to consider the legal implications of the terms of the motion and to ensure maximum protection to employees wherever possible.

 

(note: the motion was considered by the Staffing Policy Committee at its meeting on 9 July 2014 – link to meeting http://cms.wiltshire.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=140&MId=8032&Ver=4

Item 39 refers)