Agenda item

Five valid Motions on Notice, signed by at least three Members of the Council, have been received for consideration at this meeting.

(Councillor A Newman left the room.)

(During the discussion of this Motion, Councillor Bones moved a Motion without Notice, seconded by Councillor J Bartoli, for members to briefly adjourn so that an issue in the public gallery could be resolved.  The meeting was adjourned for 13 minutes.)

It was moved by Councillor L Bones, and seconded by Councillor D Lilly that:

Council notes with concern the news of structural issues unrelated to RAAC at four local schools, and specifically the significant financial impact this issue will have on the Council’s budget without central government support.

Council wishes to express its gratitude to Council officers who have reacted quickly and worked diligently to ensure disruption to teaching has been minimised.

Council asks the Mayor to write to the new Secretary of State for Education, requesting an urgent meeting to discuss the issue and explore how funding from central government can be secured to address these structural problems.

Council asks the Mayor to ensure that the cabinet member provides an update report on the situation and financial implications at each meeting of the Overview & Scrutiny Co-ordination & Finance Committee until these issues are fully resolved.

An amendment was moved by Councillor S Phillips and seconded by Councillor C Johnson as follows:

·         Alter the second paragraph insert:

‘Council thanks the Mayor and Cabinet for acting swiftly to ensure children returned to face-to-face education as swiftly as possible.  Council is disappointed to note that the previous Conservative led Government consistently refused to provide both temporary funding and commitments to the long-term solution.’

·         In the third paragraph, replace ‘Council asks the Mayor to write’ with ‘Council notes the mayor has already written’.

The amended Motion therefore read:

Council notes with concern the news of structural issues unrelated to RAAC at four local schools, and specifically the significant financial impact this issue will have on the Council’s budget without central government support. Council wishes to express its gratitude to Council officers who have reacted quickly and worked diligently to ensure disruption to teaching has been minimised.

Council thanks the Mayor and Cabinet for acting swiftly to ensure children returned to face-to-face education as swiftly as possible.

Council is disappointed to note that the previous Conservative led Government consistently refused to provide both temporary funding and commitments to the long-term solution.

Council notes the Mayor has already written to the new Secretary of State for Education, requesting an urgent meeting to discuss the issue and explore how funding from central government can be secured to address these structural problems.

Council asks the Mayor to ensure that the cabinet member provides an update report on the situation and financial implications at each meeting of the Overview & Scrutiny Co-ordination & Finance Committee until these issues are fully resolved.

Votes for the Amendment:

Councillors Linda Bell, Louise Bell, P Bunyan, B Burdis, B Clark, K Clark, S Cox, J Cruddas, E Darke, L Darke, J Day, D Drummond, P Earley, S Graham, C Gray, I Grayson, T Hallway, J Harrison, A Holdsworth, C Johnson, H Johnson, F Lott, W Lott, L Marshall, A McMullen, J Montague, J Mudzingwa, T Mulvenna, M Murphy, T Neira, K Nott, P Oliver, R O’Keefe, J O'Shea, S Phillips, B Pickard, N Redfearn, W Samuel, J Sharp, J Shaw, A Spowart, M Thirlaway, J Walker, J Webster.

Votes against the Amendment:

Councillors J Bartoli, L Bartoli, L Bones, J Johnsson, D Lilly, I McAlpine, O Scargill.

The amendment was approved 42 votes to 7 votes, with 1 abstention.

A vote on the Substantive Motion was approved unanimously.

(Councillor A Newman returned to the room.)