The following motions have been received in accordance with Procedure Rule 16:

 

 

 

 

The following motion was received from Councillor Duncan Kerr and supported by the Green Group

 

Waste Minimisation Strategy

On the 15th July 2021 we presented a motion to this Council calling on the authority to adopt a waste minimisation strategy by Dec 2021. This motion recognised that despite declaring a climate emergency Shropshire Council has the unenviable record of collecting more household waste per household than any other mainland authority in England. The consequences is higher carbon emissions and costs falling on our residents.

 

Even though the Council had a waste minimisation strategy in 2011 this motion was opposed by the Conservative controlling group who argued that it might result in charging for green waste and that the Government might be removing the powers of Local Authorities to do this. Recently the Government has made it clear that their fears were unfounded.

 

In the meantime, the Cabinet has received a report from a Scrutiny Committee recommending that a waste minimisation strategy be developed but not producing any timetable.

 

As a result of this lost opportunity for action our recycling performance has dropped by 2.7% from 2018/9 to 2021/2 relegating us out of the top 50 authorities for recycling; and our total waste arisings have increased by 7%. We are heading rapidly in the wrong direction.

 

It’s time to take some action on a service that the Council has direct control over and is an important contributor to the climate change which is already affecting Shropshire. This motion therefore commits the Council to have a Waste Minimisation Strategy approved by June 2024

 

This was seconded by Councillor Julian Dean

 

By way of alterations Councillor Kerr proposed that the final paragraph be amended to read:

 

It’s time to take some action on a service that the Council has direct control over and is an important contributor to the climate change which is already affecting Shropshire. This motion therefore commits the Council to have a Waste Minimisation Strategy approved by 1 September 2024

 

On taking a vote the amended motion was unanimously supported

 

The following motion was received from Councillor Mark Williams and supported by the Liberal Democrat Group

 

Limit Post-16 Student Transport Costs.

 

With the imminent closure of the Bridgnorth 6th Form, the Post-16 students in my ward will now be disadvantaged by having to travel much further for their compulsory Post-16 education. The significant problem that this causes my and many other rural wards is that these students will have to purchase at least two bus passes to get to their chosen college.

 

Using my ward, Highley, as an example; almost every student will need to purchase an annual Diamond Bus Pass costing £800 to get to Bridgnorth and then either a college specific pass at around £600 or an Arriva annual bus pass at £715 to get to their chosen college.

 

Our current system is forcing the parents and carers of our children to find around £1500 per year to send them to school. This is clearly unfair, if you live within the reach of a single bus service like Arriva which covers most of the county, then you will pay no more than £715 for your annual bus pass, if, like us, you have to use multiple services you have to pay far more.

 

The Department for education Post-16 transport and travel support to education and training Statutory guidance for local authorities clearly states the Council’s responsibilities:

 

·         That those who are vulnerable to becoming not in education, employment or training should be offered any transport support that is necessary to enable them to participate.

 

·         That young people in rural areas should not be worse off financially because they may need to travel further to access education and training provision than their peers in urban areas

 

·         That they ensure that any contribution is affordable for learners and their parents.

 

·         That they ensure that there are arrangements in place to support those families on low income.

 

Also, to aid transparency, it is good practice for local authorities to set out the average cost per young person of post-16 transport in their area before any are subsidies deducted.

 

Section 509AB(3)(b)(c)&(d) of the Education Act 1996

 

I couldn’t find this information anywhere in the Council’s transport policy

 

This policy will promote fairness and inclusivity by ensuring that all students, regardless of their economic backgrounds or location, have equal access to education without an unfair financial burden of excessive transportation costs.

 

Therefore, I propose

 

1)    that the total annual cost of a Post-16 student’s transport, when using school buses and public transport, shall not exceed the expense of a single annual Arriva student bus pass within Shropshire;

 

2)    where a student’s total transport costs exceeds this amount, Shropshire Council will issue an Annual Student Transport Pass on payment of the value an Arriva student bus pass;

 

3)    that the Annual Students Transport Pass will enable the holder to use all relevant public transport to get to and from their chosen place of education within the approved list of education providers.

 

This was seconded by Councillor Andrew Sherrington

 

By way of alteration Councillor M Williams proposed that  he final paragraph of the motion be amended to read:

 

Therefore, I propose that a Task & Finish Group be urgently formed to look at this problem and come forward with a proposal to the next council meeting that will promote fairness and inclusivity by ensuring that all students, regardless of their economic backgrounds or location, have equal access to education without an unfair financial burden of excessive transportation costs.

 

As a guide to the new Task & Finish Group we propose ?

 

1)    that Section 509AB(3)(b)(c) &(d) of the Education Act 1996 be looked at and its requirement be incorporated into any recommendations.

 

2)    that the total annual cost of a Post-16 student’s transport, when using school buses and public transport, shall not exceed the expense of a single annual Arriva student bus pass within Shropshire. 

 

3)    where a student’s total transport costs exceeds this amount, Shropshire Council will issue an Annual Student Transport Pass on payment of the value an Arriva student bus pass; 

 

4)    that the Annual Students Transport Pass will enable the holder to use all relevant public transport to get to and from their chosen place of education within the approved list of education providers.

 

On taking a vote the amended motion was unanimously supported

 

The following motion was received from Councillor Ruth Houghton and supported by the Liberal Democrat Group

 

Affordable Housing

 

Affordable housing is often difficult to develop in many areas of the County. The reasons for this are as follows:

 

·         Limited land availability

·         Length of time to reach the development stage and now

·         Increasing construction costs.

 

Shropshire is experiencing a significant shortage of affordable Housing which impacts on our local communities. With this in mind we propose the following :

 

This Council agrees to develop a strategic policy in conjunction with Housing providers that will help to:

 

- maintain and improve existing social housing stock across the County

- ensure that existing stock is retained and not subject to disposal

- Upgrade the existing housing social housing stock to an EPC rating  of C or above

 

This was seconded by Councillor Heather Kidd

 

On taking a vote, with 31 votes for and 36 votes against the motion was not supported.

 

The following motion was received from Councillor Rob Wilson and supported by the Liberal Democrat Group

 

Improving Shropshire’s Footways

 

This council notes that:

 

1.    Every journey includes walking or wheeling, therefore good quality, accessible footways are essential.

2.    Every councillor is aware of footways in their division of footways that are of poor quality, and are not accessible by all users, often because of overhanging vegetation, a lack of sufficient cleaning, or outstanding repairs.

3.    The “highway” is ‘hedge to hedge’, therefore the highway includes the carriageway, footways and any cycleways.

4.    The Council has a duty under the Highways Act 1980 to ensure that the highway is not obstructed. Even small overgrowths can be hazardous particularly to blind and visually impaired people who often use property boundaries as a guide, or when a footway is narrow. It is also a requirement that anything overhanging a footway must be at least 2.3m above the footway, cycleway, verge and 5.3m above the road surface

5.    It is an offence under the Highways Act 1980 to allow trees, hedges, shrubs and so on to obstruct the highway.

6.    Councils can, after an initial informal request, serve a 21 Day Notice on the occupier of a property, to cut back the offending vegetation. If the occupier does not comply with the Notice, Councils may carry out the work themselves and recover costs in doing so from the occupier, through the courts if necessary. (H_Hedge_hazards_web_18.pdf (westberks.gov.uk)).

 

This council further notes that:

 

7.    Shropshire Council is making an £59m capital investment in improving the quality of Shropshire’s highways.

8.    A number of Council’s, for example Oxfordshire, have formally moved from “Predict and Provide” to “Decide and Provide” (UK county pivots to ‘decide and provide’ transport planning - Cities Today (cities-today.com)).

 

The council resolves:

 

1.    To recognise the importance of high quality, accessible footways in all our communities, both rural and urban

2.    To request that a report is brought to Cabinet within 3 months explaining how our existing footways will be cleared and cleaned to a higher standard, including (but not limited to):

3.    To include in the report to cabinet details of how the £59m capital investment is being divided between carriageways, footways and cycleways, and to comment on this point in any future reports to Council, Cabinet and Scrutiny Committees.

4.    Ensure that LTP4 is based on the principle of “decide and provide” rather than “predict and provide”.

 

This was seconded by Councillor Heather Kidd

 

On being put to a recorded vote with 32 Members voting for, 36 against and 1 abstentions as follows:

 

FOR:

 

Councillors Bagnall, Bentick, Boddington, Buckley, Clarke, Connolly, Dartnall, Davies, Dean, J Evans, R Evans, Green, Halliday, Hartin, Houghton, R Huffer, T Huffer, Kerr, Kidd, Moseley, Mosley, Pardy, Parry, Parsons, Sherrington, Taylor, Towers, Turley, Vasmer, Wagner, M Williams and Wilson

 

 

AGAINST:

 

Councillors Aldcroft, Anderson, Bardsley, Barrow, Biggins, Bird, Broomhall, Butler, Carroll, Charmley, Dakin, Davenport, Elner, D Evans, Gittins, Harris, Hignett, Hunt, Hurst-Knight, M. Jones, S Jones, Lea, Luff, Lumby, Macey, Morris, Mullock, Nellins, Picton, Potter, Price, Schofield, Thomas, Wild, B Williams and Wynn

 

ABSTENTION:

 

Councillor Minnery

 

The motion was not supported

 

The following motion was received from Councillor Roger Evans and supported by the Liberal Democrat Group

 

Free School Meals

School budgets are being squeezed in many ways. Family income is also being squeezed.

Wage rises, heating costs and travel to school events all cost more. Parents who are not able to pay for breakfast clubs and after school clubs are now being faced with not being able to work if the school can’t afford to support them. This applies to many where both parents are working on low wages especially with high rents and energy costs. Help is available from other sources in certain areas.

 

One area where help can be given is in the supply of free school meals.

 

The benefits of introducing free school meals have long been proven. Children who eat healthy, free school meals have lower obesity rates, better academic performance and behaviour and improved lifetime productivity. However, the numbers eligible for free school meals is reducing and is noted in many schools.

 

The income levels at which claims can be made has not been increased since 2018.

In Shropshire Children in KS2 and higher at present cease to be entitled to a universal free school meal.

From KS2 onwards in Shropshire, pupils are only entitled to a free school meal if.

 

If you're on universal credit then the household earnings threshold is £7400

If you work and claim other benefits like child tax credits or working tax credits, then the threshold is £16190.

The trigger level for wages is so low - household income must be below £22,700/annum.

As of 2023, the UK national minimum wage for workers aged 23 and over is £10.42 per hour, which equates to around £21,630 per year if working full-time hours.

From April 1^st, 2024, the UK national minimum wage for workers over 23 will rise to £11.44.

 

There is still, in many people’s minds a stigma attached to claiming these, the school does not hear much from parents who miss out when applying.

 

For every child who is entitled to a free school meal the school they attend get extra income.

 

The Primary School gets £1,455 and Secondary School an extra £1035.

 

In England, every child in Key Stage 1 is automatically eligible for a free school meal, but the school loses out by not getting the extra income if the parent does not also fill in a claim form asking their child to also be registered as being eligible for a free school meal. If registered, as detailed above, the school would receive an extra £1,455.00.

 

In the majority of England, the universal free school meal ceases from when the child enters Key Stage 2, Other areas in the UK adopt different rules and many extend this to later years.

 

We on Shropshire Council note the above and the extra benefit for both the child and the school when they are able to eat a healthy midday meal.

 

The Council asks both the Leader and the Chief Executive to.

·         Write to all our MPs and the Department of Education urging them to bring the offer of the universal free meal in England to both KS1 and KS2 pupils.

·         To increase the income eligibility level so it is at least equivalent to the national minimum wage for workers over the age of 23.

·         Task officers of Shropshire Council to initiate and promote a publicity campaign urging those eligible to fill in and submit a free school meal claim as soon as possible and so enable the children’s chosen school will receive the additional income that is on offer from government.

 

This was seconded by Councillor Mark Williams

 

By way of alteration Councillor R Evans proposed that the final paragraph of the motion be amended to read: -

 

We on Shropshire Council note the above and the extra benefit for both the child and the school when they?can?eat a healthy midday meal. 

 

The Council asks both the Leader and the Chief Executive to write to all our MPs and the Department of Education urging them to:- 

 

·         bring the offer of the universal free meal in England to both KS1 and KS2 pupils.  

·         increase the income eligibility level so it is at least equivalent to the national minimum wage for workers over the age of 23. 

·         Ask the Department of Education to work with the DWP to commence automatic enrolment of children entitled to free school meals when the appropriate benefit trigger applies. 

 

And to arrange a Shropshire Council publicity campaign urging those eligible to fill in and submit a free school meal claim as soon as possible and so enable the children’s chosen school to receive the additional income that is on offer from government. 

 

On taking a vote the amended motion was unanimously supported.