Agenda item

To consider the attached motion from Councillors Richard Clewer and Laura Mayes.

On invitation of the Chairman, the Leader of the Council, Councillor Richard Clewer, proposed the following  Motion, which was seconded by Councillor Laura Mayes:

‘Wiltshire Council therefore resolves to:

1)    Work with the Government to ensure that it delivers the much-appreciated support to the residents of Wiltshire as quickly as possible.

2)    Proactively identify those most in need of support in Wiltshire and ensure that they access all the Government support they are eligible for.

3)    Identify local opportunities in Wiltshire for energy generation subject to the consultation on the local plan to help increase the supply of energy to further aid the long-term lowering of prices, support the Government’s aim of domestic energy security and create local jobs.’

The Chairman moved that the Council debate the motion, which was seconded by the Vice-Chairman.

Group Leaders were then invited to comment on the motion.

Councillor Ian Thorn, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group raised a query about the preamble to the motion which had been included within the agenda papers, to which he had pre-submitted potential amendments as set out in Supplement 1. Following advice from the Monitoring Officer the Chairman confirmed that the Leader had only moved, at the meeting, the three resolution elements as set out above, including a slight addition on the third part to include reference to the Local Plan. Accordingly, the preamble text would not form part of the motion. It was confirmed, therefore, that if the motion were approved, it would not include any element of that preamble text.

Councillor Thorn welcomed the help and support from the Government for Wiltshire residents, however, he still had a number of concerns about the wording of the Motion as currently set out, and damage that was also being done by the government.

Following a point of order from Councillor Philip Whitehead on speaking to the motion on the table, Councillor Thorn then moved an amendment to the motion, seconded by Councillor Grant, with additional text, as follows:

‘Wiltshire Council therefore resolves to:

1)    Work with the Government to ensure that it delivers the much-appreciated support to the residents of Wiltshire as quickly as possible. Wiltshire Council commits to working with landlords to ensure that the energy bill discount reaches those residents whose energy costs are included with their rents.

2)    Proactively identify those most in need of support in Wiltshire and ensure that they access all the Government support they are eligible for.  Wiltshire Council undertakes to communicate comprehensively with residents and to support individuals with the processes for means tested and disability benefits where appropriate. Wiltshire Council, via its Area Boards, undertakes to play its critical role in coordinating efforts within and between local communities, ensuring that no parishes are left out of benefiting from the efforts to provide warm spaces and food for those residents that need them.

3)    Identify local opportunities in Wiltshire for energy generation subject to the consultation on the local plan to help increase the supply of energy, particularly renewable energy to further aid the long-term lowering of prices, support the Government’s aim of domestic energy security and create local jobs in the ‘green economy’, while continuing with Wiltshire’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 by reducing reliance on environmentally damaging fossil fuels.

4)    Request the Government to look again at the level of help in the Alternative Fuel Payment Scheme given the amount announced is £100, which compares to a rise of £1,200 for the average bill for domestic heating.‘

A debate followed on the amendment to the motion.

Comments in opposition to the amendment included that the additions did not add value to the motion, that there were certain elements of the amendment that the Council would not retain management of and this caused uncertainty or confusion, such as a number of Parish Councils did not have the capacity to create warm spaces as there were no parish buildings in their area. Some comments questioned the comprehensibility of the additions.

Comments in support of the amendment indicated that the additional wording added detail to a generic motion and would help to alleviate deep anxiety being experienced by communities, including against the continued use of fossil fuels, and added weight to the proposals. It was argued to be a reasonable attempt to improve the motion.

A number of Members expressed their reservations about the preamble to the original motion during their remarks as politicising a difficult issue, and another questioned the need for the motion as a whole to be submitted by the Leader.

In response to the debate on the amendment the mover of the amendment, Councillor Thorn, urged all members to support his additions.

At the conclusion of the debate on the amendment the Leader stated that the amendment included well intentioned statements, but that these were written in a way which would constrain the Council and were also not coherent.

Following a vote, the amendment to the original motion was lost.

The debate then returned to the original motion.

Comments in debate included that the scale, level and magnitude of support from government for the current crisis is unique and unprecedented. It was stated that there were differing views of the Government, but this was an occasion where the support being received should be acknowledged, though people would be worse off than previous years. Other members though disappointed by the amendment being voted down, or wishing to see some additions such as reference to sustainable energy, stated they would support the motion as an indication of the council wishing to do everything it could to support residents. It was noted there would be critical decisions for the council in the months to come, and members should seek to work in partnership on these issues.

Other comments included opposing the motion due to the third element on energy generation subject to the consultation on the local plan, noting the situation with a proposed incinerator in Westbury. There were responding comments on the identification of energy generation opportunities.

At the conclusion of the debate the Leader, in recognising the enormity of tasks ahead of the Council, the focus was very much on Wiltshire with support from the Government, and how this could be applied to the residents of the county.

Following a vote, it was therefore,

Resolved:

That Council,

1)    Work with the Government to ensure that it delivers the much-appreciated support to the residents of Wiltshire as quickly as possible.

2)    Proactively identify those most in need of support in Wiltshire and ensure that they access all the Government support they are eligible for.

3)    Identify local opportunities in Wiltshire for energy generation subject to the consultation on the local plan to help increase the supply of energy to further aid the long-term lowering of prices, support the Government’s aim of domestic energy security and create local jobs.

In accordance with the constitution there was a recorded vote.

For – 55

Against – 2

Abstain – 3

Note: A record of the vote is attached to these minutes.