Agenda item

To consider the motion to be proposed by Councillor Philip Black. Seconded by Councillors Oliver Robinson, Jack O'Dwyer Henry, Jean Parr and Sandra Thornberry.

 

“This council notes that;

The UK is scheduled to leave the European Union on 31^st of October 2019.

 

Parliamentary legislation has been passed that seeks to diminish the likelihood of a No-Deal Brexit.  

 

Despite this the Government is determined that we should exit the EU by any means, regardless of consequences, therefore a No-Deal Brexit remains a very real possibility.

 

Preparations for the impact of a No-Deal Brexit in this authority area are being conducted by the disaster and emergency planning body – the Lancashire Resilience Forum.

 

According to The Institute for Government, advice from the Local Government Association, and crucially the Government’s own publicly available guidance papers - residents in our district can anticipate difficulty and disruption affecting:

·         Heysham Port (as part of the UK border, customs and movement of people)

·         Higher Education Institutions (research funding, income from EU students’ fees)

·         Nuclear Power Stations (importing plutonium & uranium radioactive fuel products)

·         NHS Services (availability of medicines, staffing and waiting times for procedures)

·         Businesses in the following sectors: Food and Drink (including school meals), Manufacturing, Farming, Agriculture, Animals, Fisheries, Forestry, Legal & Professional Services, Charities & Voluntary Organisations, Construction, Environmental, Defence, Energy, Entertainment, Arts, Culture & Heritage, Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Health & Social Care, Telecoms and Information Services, Chemicals, Mining, Public Administration, Retail, Tourism & Hospitality, Couriers and Shipping Services. Especially where these businesses import/export, hire staff from the EU or have employees who need to travel or work in the EU.

 

This Council believes that;

 

Taken as a whole, and based on the Government’s own advice papers, it reasonable to infer that a No-Deal Brexit will have a detrimental impact on our authority district, its businesses, communities and residents.

 

A No-Deal Brexit is highly likely to expose the Council to additional challenges, costs and pressures.

 

Opposing a No-Deal Brexit is the right and proper stance for this authority to adopt.

 

The Government should respect the will of Parliament and rule out the possibility of a no-deal Brexit.

 

This Council resolves that;

 

The Chief Executive of the Council will write to the Brexit Minister, the Minister for Local Government and the Prime Minister.  The letter will outline our concerns, explain our position and call for the Government to take whatever steps are necessary to categorically rule out the possibility of a No-Deal Brexit.”

 

An officer briefing note to follow.

 

 

Having previously declared an interest, Councillor Geoff Knight left the Council chamber for the duration of the following item.

 

The following motion had been submitted to the Chief Executive, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15, by Councillor Black (proposer), and Councillors Robinson, O’Dwyer-Henry, Parr and Thornberry (seconders).

 

The proposer of the motion and the Leader of the Council both responded to questions about the motion from Members, before it was moved by Councillor Black and seconded by Councillor Robinson:-

 

“This council notes that;

The UK is scheduled to leave the European Union on 31^st of October 2019.

 

Parliamentary legislation has been passed that seeks to diminish the likelihood of a No-Deal Brexit.  

 

Despite this the Government is determined that we should exit the EU by any means, regardless of consequences, therefore a No-Deal Brexit remains a very real possibility.

 

Preparations for the impact of a No-Deal Brexit in this authority area are being conducted by the disaster and emergency planning body – the Lancashire Resilience Forum.

 

According to The Institute for Government, advice from the Local Government Association, and crucially the Government’s own publicly available guidance papers - residents in our district can anticipate difficulty and disruption affecting:

·         Heysham Port (as part of the UK border, customs and movement of people)

·         Higher Education Institutions (research funding, income from EU students’ fees)

·         Nuclear Power Stations (importing plutonium & uranium radioactive fuel products)

·         NHS Services (availability of medicines, staffing and waiting times for procedures)

·         Businesses in the following sectors: Food and Drink (including school meals), Manufacturing, Farming, Agriculture, Animals, Fisheries, Forestry, Legal & Professional Services, Charities & Voluntary Organisations, Construction, Environmental, Defence, Energy, Entertainment, Arts, Culture & Heritage, Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Health & Social Care, Telecoms and Information Services, Chemicals, Mining, Public Administration, Retail, Tourism & Hospitality, Couriers and Shipping Services. Especially where these businesses import/export, hire staff from the EU or have employees who need to travel or work in the EU.

 

This Council believes that;

 

Taken as a whole, and based on the Government’s own advice papers, it reasonable to infer that a No-Deal Brexit will have a detrimental impact on our authority district, its businesses, communities and residents.

 

A No-Deal Brexit is highly likely to expose the Council to additional challenges, costs and pressures.

 

Opposing a No-Deal Brexit is the right and proper stance for this authority to adopt.

 

The Government should respect the will of Parliament and rule out the possibility of a no-deal Brexit.

 

This Council resolves that;

 

The Chief Executive of the Council will write to the Brexit Minister, the Minister for Local Government and the Prime Minister.  The letter will outline our concerns, explain our position and call for the Government to take whatever steps are necessary to categorically rule out the possibility of a No-Deal Brexit.”

 

An officer briefing note had been supplied with the agenda.

 

A lengthy debate followed.

 

Councillor Caroline Jackson proposed moving to the vote. This procedural motion was seconded by Councillor Mumford and was carried when the Mayor called for a vote.

 

A recorded vote on the motion was called for in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 19.4.

 

Votes ‘for’ the motion were recorded as follows:

Councillors Bannon, Biddulph, Black, Brookes, Bryning, Carrington, Clifford, Frea, Hamilton-Cox, Hanson, Hartley, Caroline Jackson, King, Lewis, Mills, Mumford, O’Dwyer-Henry, Parr, Penny, Pritchard, Redfern, Reynolds, Robinson, Stubbins, Thornberry, Whearty, Whitaker, Whitehead, Yates and Young (30).

 

Votes ‘against’:

Councillors Barber, Boyd-Power, Cleet, Evans, Firth, Guilding, Heath, Joan Jackson, Scothern, Smith, Whitworth, Wild and Wood (13).

 

Abstentions:

Councillors Anderson, Dennison, Duggan, Goodwin, Greenall and Sarah Knight (6).

 

Resolved:-

 

This council notes that;

The UK is scheduled to leave the European Union on 31^st of October 2019.

 

Parliamentary legislation has been passed that seeks to diminish the likelihood of a No-Deal Brexit.  

 

Despite this the Government is determined that we should exit the EU by any means, regardless of consequences, therefore a No-Deal Brexit remains a very real possibility.

 

Preparations for the impact of a No-Deal Brexit in this authority area are being conducted by the disaster and emergency planning body – the Lancashire Resilience Forum.

 

According to The Institute for Government, advice from the Local Government Association, and crucially the Government’s own publicly available guidance papers - residents in our district can anticipate difficulty and disruption affecting:

·         Heysham Port (as part of the UK border, customs and movement of people)

·         Higher Education Institutions (research funding, income from EU students’ fees)

·         Nuclear Power Stations (importing plutonium & uranium radioactive fuel products)

·         NHS Services (availability of medicines, staffing and waiting times for procedures)

·         Businesses in the following sectors: Food and Drink (including school meals), Manufacturing, Farming, Agriculture, Animals, Fisheries, Forestry, Legal & Professional Services, Charities & Voluntary Organisations, Construction, Environmental, Defence, Energy, Entertainment, Arts, Culture & Heritage, Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Health & Social Care, Telecoms and Information Services, Chemicals, Mining, Public Administration, Retail, Tourism & Hospitality, Couriers and Shipping Services. Especially where these businesses import/export, hire staff from the EU or have employees who need to travel or work in the EU.

 

This Council believes that;

 

Taken as a whole, and based on the Government’s own advice papers, it reasonable to infer that a No-Deal Brexit will have a detrimental impact on our authority district, its businesses, communities and residents.

 

A No-Deal Brexit is highly likely to expose the Council to additional challenges, costs and pressures.

 

Opposing a No-Deal Brexit is the right and proper stance for this authority to adopt.

 

The Government should respect the will of Parliament and rule out the possibility of a no-deal Brexit.

 

This Council resolves that;

 

The Chief Executive of the Council will write to the Brexit Minister, the Minister for Local Government and the Prime Minister.  The letter will outline our concerns, explain our position and call for the Government to take whatever steps are necessary to categorically rule out the possibility of a No-Deal Brexit