Minutes:
The Council had before it a Notice of Motion set out in the agenda papers standing in the names of Mr P M McDonald, Mr R M Udall, Mr R C Lunn, Mr P Denham, Mr C J Bloore and Mr L C R Mallett.
The motion was moved by Mr P M McDonald and seconded by Ms C M Stalker who both spoke in favour of it.
The Council agreed to deal with the motion on the day.
The following amendment was moved by Mr M E Jenkins and seconded by Mrs F M Oborski who both spoke in favour of it:
"That this Council asks Cabinet to join others in the battle against single-use plastics by introducing a programme to stop providing plastic cups, bottles, cutlery and straws at all its buildings, cafes, and public events by the end of the year."
The mover and seconder accepted the amendment which became the substantive motion as altered.
Those in favour of the motion made the following comments:
· Bearing in mind the damage to the natural environment, this Council should take the lead in banning the use of single use plastics. Efforts should be made to ensure that any form of pollutant, including plastic be banned and a sustainable alternative be found to reduce global warning and protect wildlife. This motion cost the Council little or nothing but helped create a cleaner environment for the future
· The reduction in the use of single use plastics would lower the amount of rubbish sent to landfill, create less litter in public places and do less harm to wildlife
· Some of the Council's contractors might already have ordered their products and therefore it was more realistic to introduce a programme to reduce the use of single-use plastics rather than vow to stop their use by the end of the year.
The following amendment was moved by Mr A P Miller and seconded by Mr M J Hart:
"That this Council asks Cabinet to join others in the battle against single-use plastic by encouraging the use of alternative materials for cups, bottles, cutlery and straws at all its buildings, cafes and public events."
Those in favour of the amendment made the following comments:
· The Cabinet Member for the Environment commented that the Council was already doing a considerable amount in terms of education. In addition, negotiations had begun with contractors to cease the use of single use plastics. The Council should seek to influence and take people along with its proposals to engender a better response. The time limit set out in the substantive motion was unnecessarily restrictive
· The Leader of the Council indicated that the Council needed to engage with the public about the benefits of using different types of material. A detailed report would be considered at the meeting of Cabinet in April in response to Notice of Motion 1
· It was not possible to prohibit the use of single-use plastics in all circumstances.
Those against the amendment made the following comments:
· A Point of Order was raised that the proposed amendment removed the timescale for the programme and therefore should be considered to be a separate motion. The Head of Legal and Democratic Services advised that the constitution stated that it was possible to change the wording of the original motion through an amendment as long as it did not directly negate it. He concluded that the proposed amendment was not a negation of the original motion and was therefore constitutionally proper
· The Council did not have the time to wait to see if people were prepared to change their ways of working
· If a contractor was unwilling to respond to the Council's requests to refrain from using single-use plastics, the Council needed to have the power to direct that organisation
· The amendment was a do-nothing amendment. The Council should be taking a lead to show its concern about the environment
· The smoking ban and charge on the use of plastic bags showed that positive intervention worked.
On being put to the vote the amendment was agreed. The substantive motion was then unanimously agreed.
Council RESOLVED "That this Council asks Cabinet to join others in the battle against single-use plastic by encouraging the use of alternative materials for cups, bottles, cutlery and straws at all its buildings, cafes and public events."