Agenda item

To consider the following motion submitted by Councillors Frea and Clifford:-

“This Council acknowledges;

·                the historic commitments made at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris toward the future of renewable energy;

·                our responsibility to help secure an environmentally sustainable future for our residents and in relation to the global effects of anthropogenic climate change.

 This Council subsequently notes that;

·                despite the Paris Agreement placing no binding commitments upon Local Government institutions, we as a Council can still play our part in the global movement towards a sustainable energy future;

·                additional benefits of the development of green industries include the potential for create well-paid, high-skilled employment locally, regionally and nationally;

·                the UK100 Agreement pledge outlines the ambition for the UK regions to exceed the Paris Climate targets through achieving 100% ‘clean energy’ usage by 2050.

 In light of this, this Council, therefore, resolves to;

·                match the ambitions of the UK100 Agreement by pledging to achieve 100% clean energy across Lancaster City Council’s Council’s full range of functions by 2050.

·                work in partnership with our residents and business community to deliver against the commitments made nationally and internationally at the 2015 Paris Summit;

·                turn these commitments into reality through developing a ‘route map’ to a sustainable future, working together with the business, educational and residential communities of Lancaster and Morecambe as part of an integrated approach to a shared sustainable future”.

An officer briefing note is attached.

The following motion of which notice had been given to the Chief Executive in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15 was moved by Councillor Frea and seconded by Councillor Clifford:-

“This Council acknowledges;

·                the historic commitments made at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris toward the future of renewable energy;

·                our responsibility to help secure an environmentally sustainable future for our residents and in relation to the global effects of anthropogenic climate change.

 This Council subsequently notes that;

·                despite the Paris Agreement placing no binding commitments upon Local Government institutions, we as a Council can still play our part in the global movement towards a sustainable energy future;

·                additional benefits of the development of green industries include the potential for create well-paid, high-skilled employment locally, regionally and nationally;

·                the UK100 Agreement pledge outlines the ambition for the UK regions to exceed the Paris Climate targets through achieving 100% ‘clean energy’ usage by 2050.

 In light of this, this Council, therefore, resolves to;

·                match the ambitions of the UK100 Agreement by pledging to achieve 100% clean energy across Lancaster City Council’s Council’s full range of functions by 2050.

·                work in partnership with our residents and business community to deliver against the commitments made nationally and internationally at the 2015 Paris Summit;

·                turn these commitments into reality through developing a ‘route map’ to a sustainable future, working together with the business, educational and residential communities of Lancaster and Morecambe as part of an integrated approach to a shared sustainable future”.

An officer briefing note had been prepared to accompany the motion.

After a short debate, an amendment to the motion was moved by Councillor Hamilton-Cox, to change the date of 2050 to 2030. He asked that this be considered as a friendly amendment. Councillor Frea was happy to accept this as a friendly amendment, however Councillor Clifford, his seconder, was not.

A vote was taken on the motion, which was clearly carried.

Resolved:-

This Council acknowledges;

·                the historic commitments made at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris toward the future of renewable energy;

·                our responsibility to help secure an environmentally sustainable future for our residents and in relation to the global effects of anthropogenic climate change.

 This Council subsequently notes that;

·                despite the Paris Agreement placing no binding commitments upon Local Government institutions, we as a Council can still play our part in the global movement towards a sustainable energy future;

·                additional benefits of the development of green industries include the potential for create well-paid, high-skilled employment locally, regionally and nationally;

·                the UK100 Agreement pledge outlines the ambition for the UK regions to exceed the Paris Climate targets through achieving 100% ‘clean energy’ usage by 2050.

 In light of this, this Council, therefore, resolves to;

·                match the ambitions of the UK100 Agreement by pledging to achieve 100% clean energy across Lancaster City Council’s Council’s full range of functions by 2050.

·                work in partnership with our residents and business community to deliver against the commitments made nationally and internationally at the 2015 Paris Summit;

·                turn these commitments into reality through developing a ‘route map’ to a sustainable future, working together with the business, educational and residential communities of Lancaster and Morecambe as part of an integrated approach to a shared sustainable future.

At this point in the meeting, with the time at 10.20pm, the Mayor called for an adjournment until Wednesday 25th July at 6pm, when the rest of the business on the agenda would be considered.

The meeting adjourned at 10.20pm on 18 July 2018 and

 re-convened at 6pm on 25 July 2018 with the Deputy Mayor in the Chair.

The Deputy Mayor informed Members that a number of Councillors had contacted Democratic Services to give their apologies for the reconvened meeting. Councillors Brown, Cooper, Kershaw, Knight, Mills, Reynolds, Warriner, Wild and Wilkinson were not able to attend.

At this point, the Deputy Mayor permitted Councillor Mace to make a personal statement to Council. Councillor Mace said:

“Some of you may know, following an interview last week, I have been advised that my application to be placed on the approved list of Conservative Local Government candidates for the City Council elections next May was not successful.

I am submitting an appeal against this decision.

In the meantime, I can assure my electorate that this unexpected decision does not affect my duty as a Councillor to serve the local electorate of my ward. My Conservative principles are unchanged: I remain a member of the Conservative party and I intend to continue to represent the electorate in my ward to the best of my ability.”