Agenda item

To consider the following motions submitted in accordance with Procedure Rule 12.1:

12.1    Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

12.2    RSPCA motion on the protection of animals and vulnerable persons affected by seasonal issues

12.3    Climate Emergency Action Plans

The deadline for receipt of motions was 5pm on Tuesday 12 April 2022.

124.1  A motion was moved by the Mayor and seconded by the Deputy Mayor and it was

RESOLVED that the Council

     i.        sends an address to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II offering Her Majesty the congratulations of Waverley Borough Council in the name of the people of Waverley, on the occasion of the seventieth anniversary of her accession to the throne and wishing her long to reign; and

    ii.        encourages residents to mark and celebrate this significant occasion.

124.2  A motion was moved by Councillor Mirylees and seconded by Councillor Follows.

124.3  Councillors Foryszewski, Hyman, Keen, Peter Martin, Cosser and Gale spoke in the debate.

124.4  At 9.53pm, in accordance with Procedural Rule 9 (Adjournment of Meeting) and on the recommendation of the Mayor, Council RESOLVED to continue the meeting until Council had concluded its consideration of the agenda.

124.5  Councillor Merryweather proposed an amendment to ban helium balloons as well as sky lanterns on all Council land.  Councillors Goodridge, Dickson, Cosser, Heagin, Keen, Liz Townsend, Mulliner and Wilson spoke on the amendment.  Councillor Merryweather withdrew his amendment to enable further discussion at a future meeting following examination of data on the effect of helium balloons.  Councillor Follows proposed a new amendment, which was seconded by Councillor Cosser to remove the reference to helium balloons from the bullet point relating to Towns and Parishes, on the understanding that further consideration be given to the matter at a later date.  Councillor Hyman spoke on the amendment.

124.6  The Mayor put the amended proposal to the vote which was carried by general assent and it was

RESOLVED

?     To amend the licence conditions for events on council land to include

§  A requirement to advertise all public firework displays within the local authority boundaries well in advance of the event.

§  A recommendation that organisers investigate the use of ‘quieter’ fireworks.

?     To actively promote a public awareness campaign for organisers of events on private land and the owners of that land in respect of the impact of fireworks on animal welfare and vulnerable people and measures to mitigate the risks; and to encourage them to adopt the principles of this motion

?     To encourage local firework suppliers to stock ‘quieter’ fireworks for public display.

?     To reaffirm the ban in the licence conditions for events on council land, of:

§  The giving of live animals as prizes, in any form, on Waverley Borough Council  land.

§  The release of sky lanterns on Waverley Borough Council land.

·           To engage with Town and Parish Councils to encourage them to adopt the motion and introduce bans on the use of animals as prizes and on the release of sky lanterns from their land, if they have not already done so.

·           To write to the UK Government and urge them:           

       ? To introduce legislation to limit the maximum noise level of fireworks to 90dB for those sold to the public for private displays, and,

       ? To ban:

§  The giving of live animals as prizes on both public and private land, and

§  The release of sky lanterns on public and private land.

124.7  Councillor Williams proposed a motion, which was seconded by Councillor Follows.

124.8  Councillors Mulliner, Cosser, Dickson, Clark (on behalf of Councillor Beaman), Seaborne and Wilson spoke on the motion.  Councillor Williams responded to the points raised in the debate.

134.9  In accordance with Procedure Rule 17.4, a recorded vote was called.  The Mayor put the motion to the vote and it was carried: votes in favour 24; votes against 5; abstentions 4.

RESOLVED

That Waverley Borough Council

·         writes to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Communities and Local Government requesting a meeting to agree funding to facilitate Waverley Borough Council’s trajectory to carbon neutrality by 2030;

·         calls on the government to legislate immediately to provide 100% grant funding for all councils with robust and costed action plans for reductions in carbon emissions to net zero;

·         calls on the government to engage with the Local Government Association to develop detailed criteria for the additional government grant funding for councils with a robust and costed trajectory to net zero carbon emissions;

·         calls on other councils with climate emergency action plans to affirm their support for government funding for robust and costed action plans for carbon emission reductions.

For (24)

Councillors Blishen, Clark, D’Arcy, Davidson, Dickson, Ellis, Follows, Foryszewski, Gale, Heagin, Keen, MacLeod, Merryweather, Mirylees, Nicholson, Reed, Paul Rivers, Penny Rivers, Mr Mayor, Councillor Robini, Liz Townsend, Philip Townsend, Mr Deputy Mayor, Councillor Ward, Williams and Wilson.

Against (5)

Councillors Cockburn, Cosser, Jenny Else, Goodridge and Peter Martin.

Abstentions (4)

Councillors Hyman, Mulliner, Neale and Seaborne.