1. Electric Vehicle Charging Points
Proposed by Mr Hook and seconded by Mr Bird
“This council calls for:
1. Government and manufacturers to continue to work to make electric vehicles more affordable for ordinary working families and small businesses, and to support alternatives to car use altogether,
2. Kent to lead the UK in conversion to greener technology, such as electric vehicles, over the years ahead,
3. The Cabinet Member for Planning, Highways, Transport and Waste to amend the Kent Design Guide, a Supplementary Planning Document, to refer to the incorporation of charging and other facilities in all new car parking for all forms of public and commercial development; and new homes to be built with a presumption in favour of having car charging points,
4. An Action Plan to be drawn up to support and encourage the conversion to electric vehicles in Kent, in particular creating access to charging points for existing homes without off-street parking. “
Background information provided by Mr Hook and Mr Bird in support of the motion
1. The UK Government and the EU is committed to reduce polluting vehicle emissions and, in particular the UK Government will end the sale of new diesel and petrol cars in England by 2040.
2. There was an 11% increase in UK electric car sales in 2017, many of them being taken up by people in Kent.
3. Many more people in Kent want, and will want in future, to move to cleaner electric vehicles but feel prevented from doing so by cost and lack of infrastructure, especially residents who do not have off-street parking.
4. Air Quality is a serious danger to the lives and health of residents across Kent with many Air Quality Management Plans in place and Air Quality found to be above legal limits in several areas of Kent.
5. In January 2018 it was reported to the Environment & Transport Cabinet Committee that:
“1,000 early deaths [per year] across Kent and Medway [were] attributed to poor air quality in 2013.” And
“transport emissions remain stubbornly static and are currently the same as they were in 2009. Emerging digital technologies and the growth in the use of electric vehicles present Kent with an exciting opportunity to lead [change].”
The National Planning Policy Framework, states:
‘Plans should protect and exploit opportunities for the use of sustainable
transport modes for the movement of goods or people. Therefore,
developments should be located and designed where practical to:
· incorporate facilities for charging plug-in and other ultra-low emission
vehicles’
2. Pollinator Action Plan
Proposed by Mr Whybrow and seconded by Mr Holden
“This council supports the setting up of a cross-party working group to work with officers to produce a Pollinator Action Plan for submission to the County Council for approval in six months’ time. The council recognises the vital importance to Kent’s rural economy of pollinators and the fact that local authorities are well placed to make a significant contribution to reversing their decline, including through land and verge management, development control, and leadership and education across local communities.
Among areas for consideration would be using the planning system to protect and increase pollinator-friendly habitat; managing council-owned and council-managed land to benefit bees and other pollinators including more pollinator-friendly cutting cycles; reduced use of bee-harming pesticides; and planting more wildflowers and other bee-friendly plants in our country parks and community spaces.
This would directly align with our Kent Environment Strategy and with national legislation under which local authorities have a duty to conserve biodiversity.”
Minutes:
(1) Mr Hook moved, and Mr Bird seconded the following motion:
“The County Council is asked to agree the following:
(a) Government and
manufacturers to continue to work to make electric vehicles more
affordable for ordinary working families and small businesses, and
to support alternatives to car use altogether;
(b) Kent to lead the UK
in conversion to greener technology, such as electric vehicles,
over the years ahead;
(c) The Cabinet
Member for Planning, Highways, Transport and Waste to amend
the Kent Design Guide, a Supplementary
Planning Document, to refer to the incorporation of charging and
other facilities in all new car parking for all forms of public and
commercial development; and new homes to be built with a
presumption in favour of having car charging points; and
(d) An Action Plan to be drawn up to support and encourage the conversion to electric vehicles in Kent, in particular creating access to charging points for existing homes without off-street parking.”
(2) Mr Payne proposed, and Ms Carey seconded the following amendment:
“This council calls for:
(a) Government to continue to encourage manufacturers to develop electric vehicles that are more affordable and to support other low carbon alternatives to car use,
(b) Kent County Council to develop strategies that reflect the government’s lead toward more sustainable and greener technology, over the years ahead,
(c) Kent County
Council to continue to work with its partners such as Kent’s
District and Borough Councils to incorporate best practice in low
carbon technology such as electric car charging points in our built
environment, and
(d) For the Kent Environment Strategy Informal Members Group to consider electric charging as part of any proposed Energy & Low Emissions Strategy and refresh of the Kent Design Guide.”
(3) Following the debate, the Chairman put to the vote the amendment set out in paragraph (2) above and the voting was as follows:
For (45)
Mrs A Allen, Mr M Angell, Mr M Balfour, Mr P Barrington-King, Mrs C Bell, Mrs P Beresford, Mrs R Binks, Mr D Brazier, Miss S Carey, Mr P Carter, Mrs S Chandler, Mrs P Cole, Mr A Cook, Mrs M Crabtree, Mr M Dance, Miss E Dawson, Mrs L Game, Mr G Gibbens, Mr R Gough, Ms S Hamilton, Mr M Hill, Mr T Hills, Mr S Holden, Mr P Homewood, Mr E Hotson, Mrs L Hurst, Mr J Kite, Mr P Lake, Mr R Long, Mr R Love, Mr G Lymer, Mr A Marsh, Mr J McInroy, Mr P Messenger, Mr M Northey, Mr P Oakford, Mr D Pascoe, Mr M Payne, Mr K Pugh, Miss C Rankin, Mr C Simkins, Mrs P Stockell, Mr I Thomas, Mr M Whiting, Mr J Wright.
Against (10)
Mr R Bird, Ms K Constantine, Mr D Daley, Mrs T Dean, Mr T Dhesi, Mr D Farrell Mr A Hook, Ida Linfield, Dr L Sullivan, Mr M Whybrow.
Abstained (0)
Amendment carried
(4) The substantive motion was agreed without a formal vote
(5) RESOLVED that:
(a) the Council calls for the Government to continue to encourage manufacturers to develop electric vehicles that are more affordable and to support other low carbon alternatives to car use,
(b) strategies be developed to reflect the government’s lead towards more sustainable and greener technology, over the years ahead,
(c) work continues
with KCC’s partners such as Kent’s District and Borough
Councils to incorporate best practice in low carbon technology such
as electric car charging points in our built
environment,
and
(d) the Kent Environment Strategy Informal Members Group be requested to consider electric charging as part of any proposed Energy & Low Emissions Strategy and refresh of the Kent Design Guide.
Pollinator Action Plan
(6) Mr Whybrow moved, and Mr Holden seconded the following motion:
“The County Council is asked to agree the following:
(a) To support the
setting up of a cross-party working group to work with officers to
produce a Pollinator Action Plan for submission to the County
Council for approval in six months’ time;
(b) To recognise the
vital importance to Kent’s rural economy of pollinators and
the fact that local authorities are well placed to make a
significant contribution to reversing their decline, including
through land and verge management, development control, and
leadership and education across local communities; and
(c) To use the planning system to protect and increase pollinator-friendly habitat; managing council-owned and council-managed land to benefit bees and other pollinators including more pollinator-friendly cutting cycles; reduced use of bee-harming pesticides; and planting more wildflowers and other bee-friendly plants in our country parks and community spaces.”
(7) Following the debate, the Chairman put to the vote the motion set out in paragraph (6) above and the voting was as follows:
For (54)
Mrs A Allen, Mr M Angell, Mr M Balfour, Mr P Barrington-King, Mrs C Bell, Mrs P Beresford, Mrs R Binks, Mr R Bird, Mr D Brazier, Miss S Carey, Mr P Carter, Mrs S Chandler, Mrs P Cole, Ms K Constantine, Mr A Cook, Mrs M Crabtree, Mr D Daley, Mr M Dance, Miss E Dawson, Mrs T Dean, Mr T Dhesi, Mr D Farrell, Mrs L Game, Mr G Gibbens, Mr R Gough, Ms S Hamilton, Mr M Hill, Mr T Hills, Mr S Holden, Mr P Homewood, Mr A Hook, Mr M Horwood, Mr E Hotson, Mrs L Hurst, Mr J Kite, Mr P Lake, Mr R Long, Mr R Love, Mr G Lymer, Mr A Marsh, Mr J McInroy, Mr M Northey, Mr P Oakford, Mr D Pascoe, Mr M Payne, Mr K Pugh, Miss C Rankin, Mr C Simkins, Mrs P Stockell, Dr L Sullivan, Mr I Thomas, Mr M Whiting, Mr M Whybrow, Mr J Wright.
Against (0), Abstained (0)
Motion Carried
(8) RESOLVED that the County Council agrees:
(a) To support the
setting up of a cross-party working group to work with officers to
produce a Pollinator Action Plan for submission to the County
Council for approval in six months’ time;
(b) To recognise the vital importance to Kent’s rural economy of pollinators and the fact that local authorities are well placed to make a significant contribution to reversing their decline, including through land and verge management, development control, and leadership and education across local communities; and
(c) To use the planning system to protect and increase pollinator-friendly habitat; managing council-owned and council-managed land to benefit bees and other pollinators including more pollinator-friendly cutting cycles; reduced use of bee-harming pesticides; and planting more wildflowers and other bee-friendly plants in our country parks and community spaces.