Agenda item

To consider motions proposed by Councillors Adams-King, Coole and Gwynne.

1.  Councillor Adams-King proposed and Councillor Bundy seconded the following motion;

That the Council supports the principle of a South Hampshire Green Belt designation for the countryside surrounding the cities of Southampton and Portsmouth, and continues to support the Partnership for South Hampshire in its work on investigating the rationale and justification for an appropriate Green Belt designation or other forms of protection for the countryside to prevent coalescence of our towns and villages.

Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried.

2.  Councillor Coole proposed and Councillor Ecclestone seconded the following motion;

That for the 2021/22 budget, Precept and Levy and in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992, Council Resolves to:

Remove Grounds Maintenance as a Special Item and that only grounds maintenance incomes and expenses arising from the maintenance of the Special Items, are charged to the appropriate Special Items.

Upon being put to the vote the Motion was lost.

3.  Councillor Coole proposed and Councillor Ecclestone seconded the following motion;

That in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992, Council Resolves to:

Apologise to both past and current residents of the Parish of Andover for subjecting them to double taxation since the formation of Andover Town Council in 2010.

Ensure that from 2022/23, both the current and future residents of the Parish of Andover are no longer subjected to double taxation by terminating the Andover Special Expenses Levy, by means of either transferring the Special Items to the Borough Budget or transferring them to Andover Town Council.

Upon being put to the vote the motion was lost.

4.  Councillor Coole proposed and Councillor Ecclestone seconded the following motion;

That for the 2021/22 budget, Precept and Levy and in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992, Council Resolves to confirm the list of items set out in the agenda are Special Items and that their incomes and expenses are duly charged to the Andover Special Expenses Levy:

It was suggested that the Andover Levy be discussed as an Overview and Scrutiny round table discussion and confirmed by the Chairman of Overview and Scrutiny Committee and therefore Councillor Coole agreed to withdraw this motion.

5.  Councillor Coole withdrew the motion;

That in accordance with the amended Constitution adopted in April 2019, the Council:

Instructs the Section 151 Officer to effect the retrospective payment of the SRA allowance due to the Minority Opposition Group Leader since May 2019 and in accordance with Council Resolutions passed since January 2019 and the amended Constitution adopted in April 2019.

6.  Councillor Coole withdrew the motion

Approves that Part Six Section Two of the Constitution be amended from Minority Opposition Group Leader to "Opposition Group Leaders".

Adopts the Role Description for all Opposition Group Leaders as set out in the agenda.

7.  Councillor Coole withdrew the motion:

In response to the UK Government's commitment to the British National (Overseas) residents of Hong Kong, Council Resolves to:

Write to the Secretaries of State for the Home Office and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, informing them that Test Valley Borough Council both invites and welcomes Hong Kong British National (Overseas) residents who wish to take up residency in Test Valley and contribute towards its multicultural and economic development.

Promote and support the multicultural and economic opportunities this immigration will bring to Test Valley.

The UK Government has recognised the political and security turmoil in the former British Colony of Hong Kong, following the Chinese imposition of its national security legislation, which constitutes a clear breach of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, undermining the “one country, two systems” framework. The UK Government has responded with its "path to citizenship" initiative, which is open to more than five million Hong Kong residents. Anyone holding a British National (Overseas) Visa and their dependents, have the right to move to the Britain and eventually apply for permanent residency.

8.  Councillor Gwynne proposed and Councillor Burnage seconded the motion as follows:

This Council notes: The stated intention of the Government to amend Building Regulations such that new builds will lower their carbon footprint by between 21% and 30% (compared to the standards in operation in 2020) and between 75% and 80% in 2025 (compared to the standards in operation in 2020) via the Future Homes Standard.

This Council also notes:

The Council were planning to move towards a reduced carbon footprint as part of planning policy, as far back as 2015. But were advised by Government not to take this action, in anticipation of Government tightening Building Regulations in 2016.

·  The planned Building Regulations change did not happen in 2016 and they have not been updated, in regard to carbon footprint, since then.

·  Other Councils have, as a result, required more stringent carbon reductions targets on new builds than the national measures, for example a 35% reduction in emissions as well as carbon offsetting in some London boroughs.

·  Since 2015 the size of the task re Climate Change has become even more clearly understood, and the Council has accordingly announced a Climate Emergency and established a Climate Emergency Action Plan.

Accordingly this Council commits to write to the Minister of State for Housing and Planning on the following basis:

1.  That the targets under consideration for Building Regulations in 2022 and the Future Homes Standard in 2025 are not sufficient.

2.  That the targets should be amended by way of a Planning Briefing from which a detailed, informed and ambitions response to the Minister of State for Housing and Planning will be prepared and that any agreed targets be applied on a plot-by-plot basis (not on the basis of date of planning permission, as at present).

Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried.