Agenda item

To consider the following Motion submitted by Councillors Tim Hamilton-Cox, Jon Barry and Dave Brookes ;

 “This Council notes that the coalition government is making disproportionate cuts to funding of local government, and calls on it to reverse this policy.

This Council advocates that Britain should join the 11 European countries that have pledged to introduce a transaction tax on all financial exchanges, including shares, bonds and derivatives, in the process targeting those who precipitated the financial crisis and going some way to paying off the national debt.

It should be part of a wider programme that proceeds with the urgent reform of the banks, separating the high-street and investment arms, a crackdown on high-earners’ and corporate tax avoidance, and proper regulation of the markets.

Further, the revenue raised should be used, among other things, to reverse cuts in funding to local government.

Council resolves to ask the Chief Executive to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government informing them of council’s resolution.”

An officer briefing note is attached.

Councillor Hamilton-Cox proposed the following motion having given the required notice to the Chief Executive in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 16:-

“This Council notes that the coalition government is making disproportionate cuts to funding of local government, and calls on it to reverse this policy.

This Council advocates that Britain should join the 11 European countries that have pledged to introduce a transaction tax on all financial exchanges, including shares, bonds and derivatives, in the process targeting those who precipitated the financial crisis and going some way to paying off the national debt.

It should be part of a wider programme that proceeds with the urgent reform of the banks, separating the high-street and investment arms, a crackdown on high-earners’ and corporate tax avoidance, and proper regulation of the markets.

Further, the revenue raised should be used, among other things, to reverse cuts in funding to local government.

Council resolves to ask the Chief Executive to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government informing them of council’s resolution.”

An officer briefing note was attached which included the executive summary from the Government’s Spending Review and the Local Government Association’s briefing published on 26 June 2013.

Councillor Brookes seconded the motion.

An amendment to the motion was moved by Councillor Newman-Thompson to replace the words “to local government” at the end of paragraph four with “of public services.”

With the agreement of his seconder, Councillor Hamilton-Cox accepted this as a friendly amendment.

At the conclusion of the debate there was a request for a recorded vote in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 20.4 and Members voted as follows:-

29 for the motion: Councillors Anderson, Ashworth, Bancroft, Bevan, Blamire, Brookes, Bryning, Coates, Dixon, Forrest, Gardner, Hall, Hamilton-Cox, Hanson, Caroline Jackson, Kennedy, Leytham, Metcalfe, Newman-Thompson, Ian Pattison, Margaret Pattison, Price, Redfern, Sands, Scott, Sherlock, David Smith, Taylor and Whitaker.

13 against the motion: Councillors Burns, Dennison, Graham, Helme, Hill, Joan Jackson, Mace, Parkinson, Rogerson, Rollins, Sowden, Thomas and Woodruff.

4 abstentions: Councillors Greenall, Histed, Johnson and Marsland.

The Mayor declared the motion carried.

Resolved:-

(1)           This Council notes that the coalition government is making disproportionate cuts to funding of local government, and calls on it to reverse this policy.

(2)           This Council advocates that Britain should join the 11 European countries that have pledged to introduce a transaction tax on all financial exchanges, including shares, bonds and derivatives, in the process targeting those who precipitated the financial crisis and going some way to paying off the national debt.

               It should be part of a wider programme that proceeds with the urgent reform of the banks, separating the high-street and investment arms, a crackdown on high-earners’ and corporate tax avoidance, and proper regulation of the markets.

               Further, the revenue raised should be used, among other things, to reverse cuts in funding of public services.

(3)           That the Chief Executive write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government informing them of council’s resolution.

(Council adjourned at this point for a ten minute break in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.1, reconvening at 4.40pm.)