Council Meeting Tuesday 26 February 2019
Proposer: Councillor Dudley. Seconder: Councillor Bicknell.
Resolved Unanimously: That this Council:
- Has grave concerns about any expansion of Heathrow Airport with a third runway and the implications for air quality and the health of our residents.
- Requests the Leader of the Council to write to the Prime Minister, Theresa May MP and copy the Secretary of State for Transport, in support of the Western Rail Link beng promoted by Network Rail.
Update: Letters were sent to Theresa May, MP and Chris Grayling, Secretary of State for Transport on Tuesday 2 April 2019.
Council Meeting Tuesday 11 December 2018
Proposer: Councillor Coppinger. Seconder: Councillor Jones.
Resolved Unanimously: That this Council:
- Agrees with the general principles of the Plastic Free Communities scheme namely to:
- Lead by example in removing single-use plastic items from council premises as has already been agreed by the Sustainability Panel on Tuesday 18 September 2018.
- Encourage plastic free initiatives such as Maidenhead Challenging Plastic, promote the Plastic Free Windsor and Plastic Free Maidenhead campaigns, appoint a Member of the council to each of the Plastic Free Steering committees and support campaign events.
- Encourage all business within the Borough to become plastic free.
2. Work towards becoming a Plastic Free Council, including but not limited to:
- Ceasing to use or to permit the use of single-use plastics in properties and open spaces under the management of the council.
- Seeking to minimise the use of single-use plastics in any future contracts.
3. Reduce the use of plastic drinks bottles by:
- Working with an external supplier to trial at least one reverse vending machine in the Borough.
- Supporting the work of Refill to enable all residents and visitors to refill their reusable water bottles across the Borough and to increase the supply of fresh drinking water within the Borough.
Update: Councillors S Rayner and Jones were appointed Members of the Plastic Free Steering Committee.
Council Meeting Tuesday 26 June 2018
Proposer: Councillor Beer. Seconder: Councillor Dudley.
Resolved Unanimously: That this Council:
i) Notes that there is evidence that the progression of the River Thames Scheme is in doubt as several riparian Councils cannot commit to its funding.
ii) Urges the Government to fully fund the essential project as it is totally unjustified to burden a few communities to fund the safe disposal of water from such a vast catchment area.
Proposer: Councillor McWilliams. Seconder: Councillor Carroll.
Resolved Unanimously: That this Council:
i) Requests the Leader of the Council to write to the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice urging him to find time in this parliamentary session to bring forward legislation to introduce life sentences for those who cause death by dangerous driving, and for careless drivers who kill while under the influence of drink or drugs, as per the government's response to the Ministry of Justice's consultation in October 2017;
ii) Recognises the pain and suffering caused by death by dangerous driving or careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs to family, friends and wider community;
iii) Believes that the current sentences for death by dangerous driving and careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs should be strengthened.
Update: The Leader of the Council wrote to the Lord Chancellor on 10 July 2018. The letter stated:
Dear Lord Chancellor,
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead recently passed the following motion:
i) Requests the Leader of the Council to write to the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice urging him to find time in this parliamentary session to bring forward legislation to introduce life sentences for those who cause death by dangerous driving, and for careless drivers who kill while under the influence of drink or drugs, as per the government's response to the Ministry of Justice's consultation in October 2017;
ii) Recognises the pain and suffering caused by death by dangerous driving or careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs to family, friends and wider community;
iii) Believes that the current sentences for death by dangerous driving and careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs should be strengthened.
The motion was brought on behalf of Mark and Alison Hollands, residents in Cox Green, whose heartbreaking story about the death of their youngest daughter Bryony affected many in the council chamber. I am sure you will agree that one of our most important jobs as representatives is ensuring that voices and stories of the public are heard and action is taken to support them.
Bryony Hollands was studying Music at University of Sheffield, pursuing a career in music, an accomplished musician (playing the French horn, trumpet and piano), as well as performing ballet and in local plays and pantomimes in Maidenhead. During her time at Sheffield University, she also helped provide soup and sandwiches to the homeless and helped decorate a remote village school in India.
She was loved by her family and friends and had a bright future ahead of her. One of her teachers described her as bringing her own “sunny disposition and mischievous humour” to every occasion and “would light up the room” she was in.
Then almost 3 years ago this August, Bryony was walking home with her boyfriend when a car mounted the curb and hit Bryony and her boyfriend. Bryony was killed instantly. She was 19. Her boyfriend survived but has been left permanently deaf in one ear.
The driver got out of the car and immediately proceeded to try to dispose of a syringe and other drug paraphernalia, delete data from his phone and babbled for “no police”. It was later found that the driver had taken cocaine and was three times over the drink drive limit.
He was promptly arrested and in October 2015 was jailed for causing death by dangerous driving. As you will be aware, the maximum sentence available to the judge is 14 years. The judge said that he had to reserve this maximum sentence for cases even more serious than Bryony’s, he said he would have sentence the driver to 12 years had he been found guilty after trial. As it was, he was sentenced to just 8 years after having pleaded guilty at the earliest possible opportunity, meaning he will be released after serving just 4 years in prison.
In recent months there has been confusion added to the situation when the Hollands received an email from the prison service suggesting the driver would be moved into a low security prison for the final 2 years of his sentence. He was also being considered for overnight release on temporary licence in August (just 3 years after killing Bryony).
As you will be aware, last year the Government issued a consultation following calls to extend the sentences available and in October last year - after 70% backed introductions of life sentences - the Government said it would bring forward legislation to introduce life sentences for death by dangerous driving. However since then no legislation has come forward.
EU legislation is understandably taking up a great deal of the parliamentary bandwidth at the moment, however there has been a lack of communication between the Ministry of Justice and the families who have been campaigning on this issue. I have absolutely no doubt that work is being done within the Ministry on this key issue and I think it would be helpful for an update to be provided to families on the progress being made.
We know the Prime Minister and the Government are supportive of bringing forward this important change to the law and urge the Government to find time to bring forward legislation in this parliamentary session. As I understand it, a Bill is to be brought forward in the next parliamentary session, if this is the case then I would urge that this is made clear to the families who are concerned about the progress being made and clear explanation provided as to why legislation cannot be brought forward in this session.
Nothing will bring Bryony back and nothing will ever make anything about this tragedy acceptable. Lives have been irrevocably damaged and will never be fully repaired. However, by bringing forward legislation to introduce these new sentences, we can perhaps provide a greater deterrent and sense of justice to the families, friends and communities affected by similar tragedies in the future.
I look forward to receiving your response and have copied in the Prime Minister as our constituency MP.