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Motions Approved by Council: 2009 - 2010

Council Meeting - 20 April 2010

Motion - Credit Unions

Proposer: Councillor Mrs Newbound
Seconder: Councillor Werner

RESOLVED: This Council is concerned that households having no access to mainstream financial services, such as bank accounts, are at risk from loan sharks. Credit Unions have a strong track record of curtailing the influence of loan sharks. This Council therefore resolves to work with the Association of British Credit Unions Limited and others to establish means to help financially protect borough residents.

Lead Member: Councillor Kellaway
Lead Officer: Anthony Kemp/Andrew Brooker
Action Taken: To resolve to work with the Association of British Credit Unions Limited and others to establish means to help financially protect borough residents.

Motion - Commonwealth War Graves Commission Building

Proposer: Councillor Baskerville
Seconder: Councillor Mrs Stock

RESOLVED: This Council notes the architectural significance of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission building and the campaign to have the building listed.This Council resolves to support this campaign including writing in support of its listing to English Heritage and the Department of Culture Media and Sport.

Lead Member: Councillor Mrs Knight
Lead Officer: Tim Slaney
Action Taken: To resolve to support this campaign by writing a letter of support of its listing to English Heritage and the Department of Culture Media and Sport.

Motion - Schools Participation in the General Election Debate

Proposer: Councillor Adams
Seconder: Councillor Richards

RESOLVED: This Council should encourage young people to take part in the political debate which is taking place at the moment. We therefore encourage the local senior schools to invite the candidates standing at this election to take part in the general election debate.

Lead Member: Councillor Mrs Quick
Lead Officer: Cliff Turner
Action Taken: To encourage the local senior schools to invite the candidates standing at this election to take part in the general election debate by publishing an article in the Schools Bulletin.

Motion - Wraysbury GP Practice

Proposer: Councillor Lenton
Seconder: Councillor Dudley

RESOLVED: In 2006, Berkshire East PCT "confirmed that the provision of a surgery in Wraysbury was within the contract with the Datchet GP practice"; and that a working group would be established "to expedite the provision of premises" No such premises have been established in Wraysbury. The round trip to the Datchet surgery can be as much as 10 miles. Council asks its Lead Member and Chief Executive to conclude arrangements with the Datchet GP Practice and PCT so that until such time as a surgery in Wraysbury is re-established the taxi service to and from the Datchet Surgery is made available for all Datchet GP patients who reside in the parishes of Horton and Wraysbury and who for reasonable physical or financial reasons, as identified in a survey, to be carried out jointly by the PCT and the Royal Borough in consultation with the Datchet doctors and the two Parish Councils, need assistance in travelling to and from the surgery. The costs of such taxi service to be borne by the PCT.

Lead Member: Councillor Dudley
Lead Officer: Christabell Shawcross
Action Taken: The Council to ask Councillor Dudley and the Chief Executive to conclude arrangements with the Datchet GP Practice and PCT.

Council Meeting - 23 February 2010

Motion - Equality Bill

Proposer: Councillor Walters
Seconder: Councillor D Wilson

RESOLVED: This Council opposes the introduction of Labour's new Equality Bill. This Council therefore resolves to:

note that such a Bill would legally force local authorities, such as the Royal Borough, to promote the reduction of inequality of people which results from socio-economic disadvantages. In doing so the Bill would wrongly attempt to use local authorities as social engineering tools.
note that Professor Tony Travers, an expert in local government, has said that the Bill would inevitably influence the way public servants make policy decisions moving Council taxpayers money from one part of the country to the other with rural and suburban Councils likely to be particularly hard hit.
ask the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive to write to the relevant Minister and the Royal Borough's Members of Parliament not to support the further passage of this Bill through Parliament.

Lead Member: Councillor Burbage
Lead Officer: Ian Trenholm/Andrew Elkington
Action Taken: Letter sent by the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive (pdf 29kb) to the relevant Minister and the Royal Borough's Members of Parliament and reply from the Government Equalities Office (pdf 56kb)

Motion - Personal Care at Home Bill

Proposer: Councillor Dudley
Seconder: Councillor Mrs Proctor

RESOLVED: This Council notes the recent discussions in local government about the Government's Personal Care at Home Bill; further notes that many local authority leaders are concerned that the Government's proposals remain unfunded and could lead to cuts in service or council tax rises; believes that the Government should give a serious rethink to this policy; resolves to ask the Leader to write to the Secretary of State for Health, and the Shadow Secretaries of State reiterating our concerns about this issue.

Lead Member: Councillor Dudley
Lead Officer: Christabel Shawcross
Action Taken: Letter sent by the Leader to the Secretary of State for Health, and the Shadow Secretaries of State reiterating our concerns about this issue and copies of replies received (pdf 198kb).

Council Meeting - 8 December 2009

Motion - 10:10 Campaign

Proposer: Councillor Holness
Seconder: Councillor Werner

RESOLVED: This Council notes that many organisation, individuals and councils have signed up to the 10:10 campaign. The idea of a ten per cent cut in carbon emissions in 2010 is supported by this Council. To help generate further publicity and support for the national 10:10 campaign, this Council resolves to:

Commit to achieving a 10% cut in carbon emissions across all council-run premises.
Work with and encourage schools to join the 10:10 campaign.

Lead Member: Councillor Maxwell
Lead Officer: Terry Gould/Andrew Elkington
Action Taken: See resolution in motion.

Motion - Cavity Wall and Loft Insulation

Proposer: Councillor Mrs Herdson
Seconder: Councillor Adams

RESOLVED: This Council notes mailings on Warmfront have been made to residents on council tax and housing benefits. To increase the uptake of cavity wall and loft insulation, further action is needed. This Council therefore resolves both to widen its targeted groups and also to be more pro-active in its marketing activity.

Lead Member: Councillor Maxwell
Lead Officer: Terry Gould/Andrew Elkington
Action Taken: See resolution in motion.

Motion - Car Parking Charges - St Mark's Hospital

Proposer: Councillor Mrs Hewbound
Sweconder: Councillor Baskerville

RESOLVED: This Council notes the limited financial return to the Primary Care Trust from their St Marks parking charges. The Council is disappointed that the PCT has overridden the Council and Theresa May MP's concerns about local residents and businesses. The Council therefore resolves to:-

Negotiate with the PCT to remove these charges.
Asks the Leader of the Council to write to the PCT restating the Council's opposition to parking charges at St Mark's Hospital.

Lead Member: Councillor Dudley
Lead Officer: Chrisabell Shawcross/Allan Brown
Action Taken: See resolution in motion.

Motion - Fire Service

Proposer: Councillor Burbage
Seconder: Councillor Mrs Bateson

RESOLVED: This Council notes the Selector decision on 20th November 2009 by the Local Government Association to prevent this Borough from requesting the Secretary of State to allow us to withdraw from Berkshire Fire Authority; further notes that the authority still intend to reduce fire cover in the borough; resolves:-

to continue the campaign to provide the fire cover that local people want and pay for;
requests that the Council apply to the Government directly to vary the Fire Services 2004 Act
requests that the Cabinet consider the benefits of the Borough's membership of the LGA"

Lead Member: Councillor Mrs Bateson
Lead Officer: Harjit Hunjan
Action Taken: See resolution in motion.

Motion - Civic Event to mark Centenary of the Guides

Proposer: Councillor J Evans
Seconder: Councillor Rayner

RESOLVED: 2010 is the centenary of the Guides, and they will be joining the Scouts in their annual parade from Bachelors Acre to the Parish Church in Windsor on 18th April 2010. In recognition and endorsement of the enormous contribution the scouting organisations have made to the life of the Borough and the nation, and to celebrate this milestone, it is moved that Council designate the 2010 Scouts & Guides Parade in Windsor as a Civic Event.

Lead Member: Councillor Grey (Mayor)
Lead Officer: Andrew Scott/Alison Singleton
Action Taken: To hold a Civic Event.

Motion - Naming of new road after former Councillor Mrs Hawkes

Proposer: Councillor Mrs Quick
Seconder: Councillor Mrs Pitteway

RESOLVED: This Council notes the 12 years of service given by Cllr Elizabeth Hawkes, particularly in the field of education; further notes her dedication to the successful reprovision of Holyport Manor School; believes that we should find an appropriate way to honour her following her passing away; resolves to name the new street leading to the Manor Green school 'Elizabeth Hawkes Way' in her memory.

Lead Member: Councillor Mrs Quick
Lead Officer: Stephen Brown
Action Taken: Name new street leading to the Manor Green school 'Elizabeth Hawkes Way' in her memory.

Council Meeting - 22 September 2009

Motion - War Memorials

Proposer: Councillor Holness
Seconder: Councillor Stretton

RESOLVED: The UK National Inventory of War Memorials website has hundreds of entries for sites in the Royal Borough but only a few specifically relate to post World War Two. This Council believes that conflict and casualties since 1945 deserve to be equally remembered. Accordingly it asks for a report to be presented at its next meeting giving specific proposals to address this.

Lead Member: Councillor Dudley
Lead Officer: Ian Hunt
Action Taken: Report presented to Council meeting on 8 December 2009.

Motion: Accredited Breeding Scheme

Proposer: Cllr Mrs Pitteway
Seconder: Councillor Baskerville

RESOLVED: The Kennel Club would like the principles and standards set out on in their Accredited Breeding Scheme to be mandatory for every dog breeder. This Council supports the raising of standards this would bring and resolves to write to 10 Downing Street agreeing with the aims of Kennel Club's campaign.

Lead Member: Councillor Dudley
Lead Officer: Christabel Shawcross
Action Taken: Letter sent to the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street. Summary of Responses Received (pdf 137kb)

Motion: Business rate relief to urban post offices

Proposer: Councillor Adams
Seconder: Councillor Mrs Stock

RESOLVED: This Council notes that Bristol City Council have asked the Government to extend the same business rate relief to urban post offices as rural as a submission under the Sustainable Communities Act. This Council supports this idea and resolves to write to the Local Government Association and the Department of Communities and Local Government in support of having uniform help for the countries' post offices.

Lead Member: Councillor Mrs Bateson
Lead Officer: Harjit Hunjan
Action Taken: Letters written and sent out. Summary of responses received (pdf 171kb)

Motion: Minor Injuries Unit at St Mark's Hospital, Maidenhead

Proposer: Councillor Mrs Napier
Seconder: Councillor Dudley

RESOLVED: This council fully endorses the Patient Survey Report undertaken by Patient Dynamics about the Minor Injuries Unit at St Mark's Hospital. It also notes that letters have been sent to the PCT urging for the continuation of this service. This Council regrets that during the pilot the MIU was unable to be open for all of the proposed hours. It therefore resolves to write to the Primary Care Trust stressing how important it is for this valuable service to be available and fully staffed for the residents of Maidenhead.

Lead Member: Councillor Dudley
Lead Officer: Allan Brown
Action Taken: Allan Brown to write to the Primary Care Trust.

Motion: Crossrail, Airtrack and plans to re-open the line from this borough to High Wycombe

Proposer: Councillor Werner
Seconder: Councillor Adams

RESOLVED: There are several plans to improve the rail infrastructure in the next decade. This council is supportive of Crossrail, Airtrack and plans to re-open the line from this borough to High Wycombe. The Council therefore resolves:

To resist any delays in the building of Crossrail, establishing clarity as to the line's Berkshire terminus and ensuring that existing travellers journey times are not extended.
To ensure that Airtrack benefits borough residents both in the provision of stations on its route and the timings of its service
To lobby the Association of Train Operating Companies to include the full restoration of the Maidenhead to High Wycombe line as a desired project.

Lead Member: Councillor Rayner
Lead Officer: Gail Kenyon
Action Taken: Letters to be written and circulated.

Motion: Private Car Clamping

Proposer: Councillor Bicknell
Seconder: Councillor Gard

RESOLVED: This Council notes the negative publicity that the activities of Parking Control Management (UK) Limited attracts to our borough; further notes allegations from the Sunday Express a member of staff at the firm is illegally claiming benefits; requests that the Lead Member for Highways examine methods including ASBO's to stop "extortionate" private clamping in the borough; further requests that publicity is undertaken to warn tourists about this firm and other.

Lead Member: Councillor Rayner
Lead Officer: David Perkins
Action Taken: Methodology to be examined and publicity to be undertaken.

Motion: Sir Nicholas Winton

Proposer: Councillor D Wilson
Seconder: Councillor Holness

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That this Council recognises the significant courage and achievement of Maidenhead resident Sir Nicholas Winton getting Jewish children out from Nazi occupied Czechoslovakia to Britain seventy years ago and would like the Council to commission a tribute in recognition of all those children he saved from holocaust, and public inscription be invited.

Lead Member: Councillor Dudley
Lead Officer: Christabel Shawcross
Action Taken: Discussions taking place on the form the tribute should take.

Council Meeting - 28 July 2009

Motion - Department of Energy and Climate Change's Road to Copenhagen campaign

Proposer: Councillor Mrs Newbound
Seconder: Councillor Holness

RESOLVED: This Council believes that the December 2009 Copenhagen UN conference represents a chance to reach global agreement on tackling climate change. This Council notes the Department of Energy and Climate Change's Road to Copenhagen campaign in support of this objective. This Council resolves to support this campaign by supplementing the publicity generated by central government

Lead Member: Councillor Maxwell
Lead Officer: Terry Gould
Action Taken: Council to support campaign and publicity generated by central government to be embraced and utilised.

Motion - Changes to Bus Services

Proposer: Councillor Werner
Seconder: Councillor Mrs Stock

RESOLVED: With older residents now entitled to free bus travel, buses are becoming more and more popular as an environmentally friendly alternative to the car. It is now more important than ever to improve the current plan for making and announcing bus timetable changes Therefore the Council agrees that:

Any changes are made based on information regarding passenger usage and that local information is sought from bus users through local consultation, which will continue to involve ward councillors.
Bus service changes are advertised where possible in the month before they take place in the local papers, on timetable boards at Bus Stops and in the buses themselves.
That the Council will endeavour to do its best to keep residents informed of any changes to the buses, although accepts that there will be some unavoidable changes to routes and times due to unforeseen circumstances.

Lead Member: Councillor Rayner
Lead Officer: Stephen Brown
Action Taken: As set out in a-c of the Motion.

Motion - Water bills to non-domestic properties.

Proposer: Councillor J Evans
Seconder: Councillor Bicknell

RESOLVED: This Council notes that the Government has forced water companies to change the calculation of water bills to non-domestic properties, which includes voluntary and community groups, who currently benefit from a discounted rate to private homeowners. This change will result in excessive and unmanageable increases in water bills for these organisations, which provide a great benefit to the community. This Council therefore resolves to ask the Leader of the Council and Chief Executive to write to the relevant minister, OFWAT and the Royal Borough's Members of Parliament, urging them not to support or progress with the plans to raise the water bills for voluntary and community groups.

Lead Member: Councillor Mrs Bateson
Lead Officer: Harjit Hunjan
Action Taken: Letters Written to the Local MPs, OFWAT and DEFRA (pdf 1MB) in accordance with the motion. Summary of responses received (pdf 305kb)

Motion - Jesus Hospital, Bray

Proposer: Councillor Walters
Seconder: Councillor Thompson

RESOLVED: This Council notes that in 1609 William Goddard bequeathed land to the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers for the purposes of supporting the needy residents in Bray. It further notes that today the company owns and operates Jesus Hospital a popular and well regarded Almshouse, and believes that the proposed transfer of Jesus Hospital to 'Bristol Charities' and the demand that residents leave is a betrayal of the aims that William Goddard laid out. This Council resolves to continue to oppose this move and requests that the Mayor write to the following:

The Lord Mayor of the City of London, the Master Fishmonger, and the Chairman of the Charities Commission, and the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Livery Committee, and

further resolves to ensure that the residents of Jesus Hospital and the residents of Bray are made aware that actions are being taken to support this important local service.

Lead Member: Councillor Dudley
Lead Officer: Allan Brown
Action Taken: Letters written to The Lord Mayor of the City of London, the Master Fishmonger, and the Chairman of the Charities Commission, and the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Livery Committee (pdf 297kb) in accordance with the resolution and replies received (pdf 992kb). Change of the Trusteeship to Donnington Hospital finalised - the scheme to authorise the change will take effect from 03.06.2010.

Council Meeting - 23 June 2009

Motion - Parking Charges

Proposer: Councillor T Bursnall
Seconder: Councillor Dudley

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That, in January 2007, the London Borough of Richmond introduced differentiated pricing for parking permits based on a vehicle's Co2 emissions. Richmond Borough is now planning to expand differentiated pricing to other areas of parking such as On-Street Pay and Display. This Council Resolves that;

This is an extra tax that takes no account of the frequency/usage of the vehicle, the number of people who use it, and the reasons why residents may need vehicles with larger engines.
Positive moves should be made by councils to encourage use of public transport where possible, rather than blunt taxation punishments. Accordingly asks its Sustainability Panel to examine how public transport can be encouraged without introducing extra taxes.
RBWM agrees with the Automobile Association and condemns CO2 related permit charges as a 'green smokescreen revenue raising' exercise and re-affirms that no such schemes should be implemented in this Borough.

Lead Member: Councillor Rayner
Lead Officer: Terry Gould/David Oram
Action Taken: Issues in b above referred to the Sustainability Panel.

Motion - Publication of Councillors' Claim Forms

Proposer: Councillor Burbage
Seconder: Councillor Mrs Knight

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That this Council is committed to openness in its dealings with Taxpayers Money; notes that there is public concern over politicians expenses; believes that residents want to know details on every expense claim made by Councillors; resolves to publish copies of all claims submitted by Councillors as soon as practicably possible, in addition to the totals that are already available on our website.

Lead Member: Councillor Burbage
Lead Officer: Ian Hunt
Action Taken: All claims submitted by Councillors are published on the Website.

Motion - Publication of Councillors' Expenses

Proposer: Councillor Mrs Proctor
Seconder: Councillor Mrs Newbound

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That This Council resolves to provide greater clarity in the information that it publishes concerning councillors' expenses.

Lead Member: Councillor Burbage
Lead Officer: Ian Hunt
Action Taken: Greater clarity published.

Motion - Town Centre Car Parks

Proposer: Councillor Werner
Seconder: Councillor Holness

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That good car parking is essential for the survival of the Borough's town centres. In a time of recession when shoppers have less money to spend and shop keepers are suffering the Borough needs to have an improved strategy to provide low cost and quality car parking. This Council agrees:

To continue to work to reduce the cost of short term car parking.
To substantially improve the level of cleanliness especially in the stairwells of the car parks.
To ensure that all car park equipment works properly including all lifts and ticket machines.

Lead Member: Councillor Rayner
Lead Officer: Neil Walter/David Oram
Action Taken: To undertake the actions outlined in a - c above.