Agenda item

(a)

To consider the following notice of motion from Councillor Leaver:

“This Council reaffirms its recognition of the scale and urgency of the global challenge from climate change, as documented by the latest Special Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and declares a climate emergency; and agrees to set up a climate change working party to investigate and recommend an action plan of what further corporate approaches can be taken to facilitate stronger action through collaboration at a strategic, community and individual level.  To this end this Council will work with the County Council and partners across the county and region to implement best practice methods to limit Global Warming to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius.  Furthermore this Council calls on Westminster to provide the powers and resources to enable North Devon to work towards becoming carbon neutral as soon as possible bearing in mind the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s target of 2030.”

(b)

To consider the following notice of motion from Councillor Tucker:

“This Council expresses its dismay at the appalling position it finds itself in regarding the totally inadequate road structure in North Devon which is incapable of coping with all the new housing the government has forced us to take. Sticklepath hill roundabout, the Cedars roundabout, Pilton Causeway and the nightmare of endeavouring to get through Braunton are some examples of where the roads are not fit for purpose and yet more housing is planned which will exasperate the already serious problem. This is already an all year round problem, particularly at rush hour and not simply when thousands of holiday makers visit our area in the summer.  Air quality and the well-being of our residents is being jeopardised.  Whilst supporting the improvements which will aid safety to the North Molton,  West Buckland and Landkey junctions the proposed spending of £90 million tinkering with the A361 (link road) by primarily creating a third lane in places does little to alleviate North Devon’s traffic problems. Any marginal savings in travel time from South Molton will only serve to cause more traffic build up in Barnstaple and more frustration.  The devastating work involved to address this third lane in terms of environmental and social damage clearly outweighs the claimed benefits and undermines the financial argument.  This Council, therefore, calls on Devon County Council to set up, as a matter of urgency, a comprehensive review into connectivity in North Devon.  This council believes that much more could be achieved with the £90 million and requests that an independent scrutiny of the work being planned be undertaken by an all-party group of members.  This to include a review of the District Council’s delegated consultation response on the relevant planning applications for the A361 with advice being sought from professional highway engineers and other appropriately qualified consultants from outside Devon County Council.”

(c)

To consider the following notice of motion from Councillor Worden:

“Is deeply concerned by the grim financial outlook for schools in North Devon due to a combination of government inattention to our children, increasing and stealthy cost pressures and inadequate funding. Believes that the Government’s failure to properly fund schools is jeopardising the education, and future opportunities, of all young people in North Devon and is particularly letting down the most vulnerable children, such as those with special educational needs and disabilities, and those who need mental health support. Notes with concern reports that many schools across the country are having to ask for donations from parents, cutting back teaching hours, reducing staff numbers, significantly increasing class sizes, reducing mental health support and early help, where it is needed most.  Further notes that years of real-terms pay cuts for teachers, coupled with the pressure caused by funding cuts in schools and excessive workload, have led to a crisis in retention and recruitment in the teaching profession.  The government is failing to meet its targets for training new teachers, further undermining the quality of education in our schools.  This Council agrees to make representations to the Secretary of State for Education and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, calling for them to:

Conduct an independent assessment of the impact of these cuts on our children.

Reverse the crisis resulting from cuts to per-pupil school budgets since 2015 – meaning schools in North Devon would receive around £2.5 million in additional funding in 2020

Guarantee all teachers a pay rise which is at least in line with inflation next yearwhich will be fully funded as an additional amount, in order to reduce the number of talented teachers leaving the profession

Provide additional funding to North Devon and others across the country, to give more support to children with special educational needs and disabilities.”

RESOLVED that the following notice of motion be referred to the Policy Development Committee for consideration and that the Devon County Council Lead Officer for the North Devon Link road improvements project be invited to provide an update on the project to all Councillors as soon as possible :

“This Council expresses its dismay at the appalling position it finds itself in regarding the totally inadequate road structure in North Devon which is incapable of coping with all the new housing the government has forced us to take. Sticklepath hill roundabout, the Cedars roundabout, Pilton Causeway and the nightmare of endeavouring to get through Braunton are some examples of where the roads are not fit for purpose and yet more housing is planned which will exasperate the already serious problem. This is already an all year round problem, particularly at rush hour and not simply when thousands of holiday makers visit our area in the summer.  Air quality and the well-being of our residents is being jeopardised.  Whilst supporting the improvements which will aid safety to the North Molton,  West Buckland and Landkey junctions the proposed spending of £90 million tinkering with the A361 (link road) by primarily creating a third lane in places does little to alleviate North Devon’s traffic problems. Any marginal savings in travel time from South Molton will only serve to cause more traffic build up in Barnstaple and more frustration.  The devastating work involved to address this third lane in terms of environmental and social damage clearly outweighs the claimed benefits and undermines the financial argument.  This Council, therefore, calls on Devon County Council to set up, as a matter of urgency, a comprehensive review into connectivity in North Devon.  This council believes that much more could be achieved with the £90 million and requests that an independent scrutiny of the work being planned be undertaken by an all-party group of members.  This to include a review of the District Council’s delegated consultation response on the relevant planning applications for the A361 with advice being sought from professional highway engineers and other appropriately qualified consultants from outside Devon County Council.”

RESOLVED that this Council is deeply concerned by the grim financial outlook for schools in North Devon due to a combination of government inattention to our children, increasing and stealthy cost pressures and inadequate funding. Believes that the Government’s failure to properly fund schools is jeopardising the education, and future opportunities, of all young people in North Devon and is particularly letting down the most vulnerable children, such as those with special educational needs and disabilities, and those who need mental health support. Notes with concern reports that many schools across the country are having to ask for donations from parents, cutting back teaching hours, reducing staff numbers, significantly increasing class sizes, reducing mental health support and early help, where it is needed most.  Further notes that years of real-terms pay cuts for teachers, coupled with the pressure caused by funding cuts in schools and excessive workload, have led to a crisis in retention and recruitment in the teaching profession.  The government is failing to meet its targets for training new teachers, further undermining the quality of education in our schools.  This Council agrees to make representations to the Prime Minister and Member of Parliament, calling for them to:

Conduct an independent assessment of the impact of these cuts on our children.

Reverse the crisis resulting from cuts to per-pupil school budgets since 2015 – meaning schools in North Devon would receive around £2.5 million in additional funding in 2020

Guarantee all teachers a pay rise which is at least in line with inflation next year which will be fully funded as an additional amount, in order to reduce the number of talented teachers leaving the profession

Provide additional funding to North Devon and others across the country, to give more support to children with special educational needs and disabilities.”