Agenda item

The following motions are to be debated by the Council:

 

Motion 1 – Labour – Integrated Care Strategy

 

Motion 2 – Liberal Democrat – Electoral Reform in Kent

 

Motion 3 – Conservative – ‘Family Farm Tax’

 

Motion 4 – Green & Independents – Climate and Nature Bill

Motion for Time Limited Debate 1 – Integrated Care Strategy

 

1)      Mr Brady proposed, and Ms Meade seconded the motion that

 

            “This County Council resolves to:

 

·         Agree that all decisions, where relevant, must align with the Integrated Care Strategy objectives and request that decision making documentation demonstrates this.

·         Request that decision-making documentation, where relevant, will evidence how a decision is working towards achieving the Integrated Care Strategy’s progress indicators.

·         Request that if a decision is made which does none of the above, then a reason for this must be cited within the decision-making documentation.”

             

2)      Following the debate, the Chairman put the motion set out in paragraph 1 to the vote and the voting was as follows.

 

For (15)

 

Mr Brady, Mr Campkin, Ms Dawkins, Mrs Dean, Ms Grehan, Ms Hawkins, Mr Hood, Mr Hook, Mr Lehmann, Ms Meade, Mr Passmore, Mr Sole, Mr Stepto, Mr Streatfeild, Ms Wright

 

Against (35)

 

Mr Baker, Mr Beaney, Mrs Bell, Mrs Binks, Mr Booth, Mr Bond, Mr Brazier, Miss Carey, Mr Cannon, Mrs Chandler, Mr Cole, Mrs Cole, Mr Dance, Mr Dendor, Mrs Game, Mr Gough, Mr Hill, Mr Hills, Mrs Hohler, Mr Jeffrey, Mr Kite, Mr Love, Mr Marsh, Mr McInroy, Mr Meade, Mr Murphy, Mr Oakford, Ms Parfitt, Mr Richardson, Mr Ridgers, Mr Robey, Mr Sandhu, Mr Shonk, Mr Thomas, Mr Watkins

 

Abstain (1)

 

Mr Mallon

Motion lost.

 

 

Motion for Time Limited Debate 2 – Electoral Reform in Kent

 

3)      Mr Streatfeild proposed, and Mr Hook seconded the motion that

 

          “This Council notes:

 

a.      Public trust in the UK Government and local government has sunk to its lowest-ever recorded level. In 2023, the Office for National Statistics published data from a survey of UK adults with 34% saying they trusted local government, and 27% the UK Government.

b.      The 2024 UK General Election was the most disproportionate ever, with the new Government winning 411 of the 650 available seats in the House of Commons, whilst only receiving 33.7% of the total number of votes.

c.      A majority of votes cast in the 2024 General Election were for candidates who were not elected – at 58%, the highest in seventy years.

d.      Turnout at the 2024 General Election in the South East was 64%, the lowest since 2001.

e.      Many Kent citizens have not registered to vote.

f.       In the previous Parliament, the former Conservative Government weakened the independence of the Electoral Commission, removed the right of people to express a 2^nd preference for the vote systems for mayoral elections in England, and introduced the Voter ID scheme.

g.      The work of organisations like Make Votes Matter, Unlock Democracy and the Electoral Reform Society, amongst others, in building the case for electoral reform.

h.      The new Government has not committed to reform of the voting system.

i.        Other parts of the UK, use the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system, and have done so for many years. In Northern Ireland, STV has been used in local elections since 1973, and in Scotland STV has been used for council elections since 2007.

 

This Council believes that:

 

a.        The current electoral system used in English local elections, referred to as ‘first past the post’ underpins the adversarial and divisive nature of Kent politics, and feeds public disillusion.

b.        Kent’s electoral system leaves thousands of people feeling that their votes are irrelevant and their views unrepresented.

c.         It is undemocratic that, under the electoral system in Kent, not all votes count the same, which leaves thousands of people feeling disempowered and without a proper say in how the county is run.

d.        Improving our democracy is an important end in itself, but also a necessary step to building a better county with good schools and hospitals, affordable housing and safe communities.

 

This Council resolves to:

 

Request that the Leader writes to the Prime Minister, and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, requesting the following:

 

1.      Replace the ‘first past the post’ system for Kent County Council elections, with proportional representation by the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system.

2.      Implement a system for elections for single positions such as directly elected mayors that enables voters to express an order of preference and require a winning candidate to achieve more than 50% of the vote after lower placed candidates are eliminated.

3.      The UK adopts an automatic system of inclusion on the electoral register.

4.      Scrap the Voter ID requirement.

5.      Lower the age of universal suffrage to 16.

6.      Extend the right to full participation in civic life, including the ability to stand for office or vote in UK referendums, local elections and general elections, to all EU citizens with settled status, and to anyone else who has lived in the UK for at least five years and has the right to stay permanently.    

7.      Extend political education in Kent secondary schools, to prepare future citizens to participate in public life.

 

4)      Following the debate the Chairman put the motion set out in paragraph 3 to the vote and the voting was as follows:

 

For (14)

 

Mr Brady, Mr Campkin, Ms Dawkins, Mrs Dean, Ms Grehan, Ms Hawkins, Mr Hood, Mr Hook, Mr Lehmann, Ms Meade, Mr Passmore, Mr Sole, Mr Stepto, Mr Streatfeild

 

Against (37)

 

Mr Baker, Mr Beaney, Mrs Bell, Mrs Binks, Mr Booth, Mr Bond, Mr Brazier, Miss Carey, Mr Cannon, Mrs Chandler, Mr Cole, Mrs Cole, Mr Dance, Mr Dendor, Mrs Game, Mr Gough, Mr Hill, Mr Hills, Mrs Hohler, Mr Jeffrey, Mr Kite, Mr Love, Mr Mallon, Mr McInroy, Mr Meade, Mr Murphy, Mr Oakford, Ms Parfitt, Mr Rayner, Mr Richardson, Mr Ridgers, Mr Robey, Mr Sandhu, Mr Shonk, Mr Thomas, Mr Watkins, Ms Wright

 

Abstain (0)

Motion lost.

 

Motion for Time Limited Debate 3 – ‘Family Farm Tax’

 

5)      Mr Meade proposed, and Mr Cannon seconded the motion that

 

“The County Council resolves;

 

1.      To declare our complete solidarity with the farmers of Kent in opposing the Government’s decision to change the long-established Inheritance Tax Relief for Agricultural Land as announced in the Government’s October Budget.

2.      To recognise the monumental importance of farming to the local economy of Kent, which contributes in excess of £405m annually to our local economy and supports over 13,250 jobs across the County.

3.      To commend the hard work and resilience of Kent’s farmers and to acknowledge the important contribution that Kent farms make to the overall food security of the United Kingdom.

4.      To request that the Leader of the Council writes to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to outline the Council’s dismay at this decision, and further to call on the Government to reverse this decision, noting the detrimental impact that the Family Farm Tax will have on Kent’s farmers and our local economy.

5.      To request that the Executive calls upon all Kent MPs to protect the Kentish rural way of life by supporting their farming constituents, and more widely the residents and businesses of Kent, by proactively opposing the Government’s decision to tax family farms in this way.

6.      To request that the Cabinet Member for Economic Development engages with Kent’s farmers and community representatives to better understand the difficulties faced by the farming sector at this time and to explore what further written support the County Council can provide to assist their campaigns.”

 

6)        Following points raised during the debate in relation to paragraphs 4 and 5 of the motion, the General Counsel advised that the drafting of the letter to government could incorporate the points raised and be agreed by the Leader outside of the meeting.

 

7)      Following the debate, the Chairman put the motion set out in paragraph 5 to the vote and the voting was as follows.

 

For (35)

 

Mr Baker, Mrs Bell, Mrs Binks, Mr Booth, Mr Bond, Miss Carey, Mr Cannon, Mr Cole, Mr Dance, Mrs Dean, Mr Dendor, Mrs Game, Mr Gough, Mr Hill, Mr Hills, Mr Hook, Mrs Hohler, Mr Jeffrey, Mr Kite, Mr Love, Mr Mallon, Mr McInroy, Mr Meade, Mr Murphy, Mr Oakford, Ms Parfitt, Mr Passmore, Mr Robey, Mr Sandhu, Mr Sole, Mr Shonk, Mr Streatfeild, Mr Thomas, Mr Watkins, Ms Wright

 

Against (0)

 

 

Abstain (9)

 

Mr Brady, Mr Campkin, Ms Dawkins, Ms Grehan, Ms Hawkins, Mr Hood, Mr Lehmann, Ms Meade, Mr Stepto

 

Motion carried.

 

8)        RESOLVED that the County Council resolves:

 

1.      To declare our complete solidarity with the farmers of Kent in opposing the Government’s decision to change the long-established Inheritance Tax Relief for Agricultural Land as announced in the Government’s October Budget.

2.      To recognise the monumental importance of farming to the local economy of Kent, which contributes in excess of £405m annually to our local economy and supports over 13,250 jobs across the County.

3.      To commend the hard work and resilience of Kent’s farmers and to acknowledge the important contribution that Kent farms make to the overall food security of the United Kingdom.

4.      To request that the Leader of the Council writes to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to outline the Council’s dismay at this decision, and further to call on the Government to reverse this decision, noting the detrimental impact that the Family Farm Tax will have on Kent’s farmers and our local economy.

5.      To request that the Executive calls upon all Kent MPs to protect the Kentish rural way of life by supporting their farming constituents, and more widely the residents and businesses of Kent, by proactively opposing the Government’s decision to tax family farms in this way.

6.     To request that the Cabinet Member for Economic Development engages with Kent’s farmers and community representatives to better understand the difficulties faced by the farming sector at this time and to explore what further written support the County Council can provide to assist their campaigns.

 

9)        The Chairman proposed that Council resolve to extend the meeting beyond 4.30pm and it was agreed unanimously.

 

 

Motion for Time Limited Debate 4 – Climate and Nature Bill

 

 

10)    Jenni Hawkins proposed, and Mr Stepto seconded the motion that

 

“County Council notes that:

 

The Climate and Nature Bill (formerly, the Climate and Ecology Bill) has been introduced in the UK Parliament on four occasions since 2020, including most recently in the House of Commons on 16 October 2024 by Dr Roz Savage MP. Its second reading will take place on 24 January 2025, and it is now progressing through the UK Parliament with cross-party support. The Bill is backed by [250] cross-party MPs and Peers; [372] local authorities and the London Assembly; [1,240] scientists, such as Prof Sir Partha Dasgupta and Prof Sir David King; NGOs, like The Wildlife Trusts, Doctors’ Association UK, Friends of the Earth, The W.I., The Climate Coalition and CPRE; businesses, including The Co-operative Bank, Arup, JLL, SUEZ UK and Ecotricity; and 53,000 members of the public. The Bill would require the UK Government to develop and deliver an integrated climate and nature strategy, as part of:

 

1.      Tackling the intertwined crises in climate and nature in a joined-up way;

2.      Reducing emissions fairly and rapidly for the highest chance of meeting the UK’s obligation to limiting global warming to 1.5°C;

3.      Halting and reversing the decline in biodiversity by setting nature measurably on the path to recovery by 2030;

4.      Taking responsibility for the UK’s overseas emissions and ecological footprints;

5.      Prioritising nature in decision-making, and ending fossil fuel imports and production as rapidly as possible;

6.      Ensuring that no-one and no community is left behind in the just transition by providing retraining for those currently working in fossil fuel industries; and

7.      Involving citizens in finding a fair way forward via an independent, representative and temporary ‘Climate and Nature Assembly’, in order to bring public opinion along with the pace of change required.

 

This Council resolves to request that the Cabinet Member for Environment:

 

1.      Ensures that its policies align with the relevant sections of the Climate and Nature Bill;

2.      Inform local residents, and local press/media, of our motion;

3.      Write to all elected MPs in Kent to inform them that our motion has been passed, urging them to sign up to support the Bill, and requesting that they vote for the Bill at its second reading on 24 January 2025.

4.      Write to Zero Hour, the organisers of the cross-party campaign for the Bill, expressing our official support (councils@zerohour.uk).”

 

11)    Following the debate, the Chairman put the motion set out in paragraph 10 to the vote and the voting was as follows.

 

For (15)

 

Mr Booth, Mr Brady, Mr Campkin, Ms Dawkins, Mrs Dean, Ms Grehan, Ms Hawkins, Mr Hood, Mr Hook, Mr Lehmann, Ms Meade, Mr Passmore, Mr Sole, Mr Stepto, Mr Streatfeild

 

Against (23)

 

Mr Baker, Mrs Bell, Mr Bond, Mr Cannon, Mrs Chandler, Mr Cole, Mr Dance, Mr Dendor, Mr Gough, Mr Hills, Mrs Hohler, Mr Jeffrey, Mr Kite, Mr Love, Mr McInroy, Mr Meade, Mr Murphy, Mr Oakford, Mr Rayner, Mr Robey, Mr Sandhu, Mr Shonk, Mr Thomas

 

Abstain (0)

Motion lost.