(1)               The following motion is being moved by Councillor Iain Sharpe and seconded by Councillor Kareen Hastrick

“Council notes that:

According to information made available to Hertfordshire County Council’s Highways and Waste Panel, the county council is intent on reducing support for bus routes so that it only supports bus services starting before 6.30 pm and withdraws funding for non-commercial Sunday services

 

Such a reduction would affect 39 services across the county, including several directly serving Watford, and approximately 200,000 passenger trips.

 

While this council recognises the county’s need to make budget savings, it believes that such a blanket approach to cutting bus services is unacceptable, and will adversely affect local bus passengers.

 

This council therefore resolves to request formally that the county not proceed with these cuts.”

 

(2)               The following motion is proposed by Councillor Anne Joynes and seconded by Councillor Seamus Williams

“This Council resolves to call on the County Council to withdraw their proposed cuts to bus services which would see funding withdrawn if the service starts after 6.30pm and the withdrawing of non-commercial Sunday services.

This would severely affect Watford residents and their quality of life, when we should surely be trying to improve a vital public service and try to encourage non-car use in and out of Watford.”

(3)               The following motion is proposed by Councillor Derek Scudder and seconded by Councillor Tim Williams

“This council notes with concern the proposals outlined as part of Hertfordshire County Council’s current consultation on household waste sites.

These include:

 - a 44% reduction in opening hours at Waterdale, including reduced hours at weekends and closure on Thursdays and Fridays

 - complete closure of the Elstree site

This council notes that when the county council closed the Wiggenhall Road household waste site, its cabinet member for waste claimed that Watford would remain ‘well-provided for’ due to the facilities at Waterdale and Elstree.

The proposed cuts and closure make a mockery of this assurance.

The council notes the Mayor wrote to the leader of Herts County Council on 14^th July expressing her concern over the changes.  Council endorses the mayor’s action and resolves to respond formally to the consultation, opposing these proposals.”

(4)               The following is a motion proposed by Councillor Nigel Bell and seconded by Councillor Matt Turmaine

“This Council resolves to write to the Coalition Government calling on them to repeal the ‘Bedroom Tax or spare room subsidy’ at the earliest opportunity.

Last week the Department of Work and Pensions published a report revealing the Bedroom Tax has been a disaster.

It found that half of affected tenants have cut back on essentials, that more than half have racked up debts, and that not much more than 1 in 20 have ‘downsized’ or moved into private accommodation.

The DWPs own analysis showed only 19% of those affected had applied to move and even fewer were able to find a smaller property.

Many disabled people and their families have had the stress of having to cope with this so-called ‘spare room’ tax.

It is the right time for Watford Council to join the many other Councils and Campaigners to show a United from in calling for the repeal of this hated and unnecessary Tax.”

 

 

Council was informed that four motions had been received.

 

1)         At the meeting Motion 1 was amended and as a result of that amendment the Proposer of Motion 2 agreed to withdraw that motion.

 

            The following motion was proposed by Councillor Sharpe and seconded by Councillor S Williams –

 

            “Council notes that:

 

            According to information made available to Hertfordshire County Council’s Highways and Waste Panel, the county council is intent on reducing support for bus routes so that it only supports bus services starting before 6.30 pm and withdraws funding for non-commercial Sunday services.

 

            Such a reduction would affect 39 services across the county, including several directly serving Watford, and approximately 200,000 passenger trips.

 

            While this council recognises that the County Council faces budgetary pressures, it believes that such a blanket approach to cutting bus services is unacceptable, and will adversely affect local bus passengers.

 

            This Council believes the County Council should be showing support for a vital public service like the bus service, especially to encourage non car use to combat congestion in and around Watford to improve the quality of life and health of our residents.

 

            This council therefore resolves to request formally that the county not proceed with these cuts.”

 

            Members debated the motion.

 

            On being put to Council the motion was AGREED.

 

            RESOLVED –

 

            Council notes that:

 

            According to information made available to Hertfordshire County Council’s Highways and Waste Panel, the county council is intent on reducing support for bus routes so that it only supports bus services starting before 6.30 pm and withdraws funding for non-commercial Sunday services.

 

            Such a reduction would affect 39 services across the county, including several directly serving Watford, and approximately 200,000 passenger trips.

 

            While this council recognises that the County Council faces budgetary pressures, it believes that such a blanket approach to cutting bus services is unacceptable, and will adversely affect local bus passengers.

 

            This Council believes the County Council should be showing support for a vital public service like the bus service, especially to encourage non car use to combat congestion in and around Watford to improve the quality of life and health of our residents.

 

            This council therefore resolves to request formally that the county not proceed with these cuts.

 

 

2)         The motion was withdrawn by the Proposer.

 

 

3)         The following motion was moved by Councillor Scudder and seconded by Councillor T Williams –

 

            “This council notes with concern the proposals outlined as part of Hertfordshire County Council’s current consultation on household waste sites.

 

            These include:

 

            - a 44% reduction in opening hours at Waterdale, including reduced hours at weekends and closure on Thursdays and Fridays.

 

            - complete closure of the Elstree site.

 

            This council notes that when the county council closed the Wiggenhall Road household waste site, its cabinet member for waste claimed that Watford would remain ‘well-provided for’ due to the facilities at Waterdale and Elstree.

 

            The proposed cuts and closure make a mockery of this assurance.

 

            This council notes the Mayor wrote to the leader of Herts County Council on 14^th July expressing her concern over the changes. Council endorses the mayor’s action and resolves to respond formally to the consultation, opposing these proposals.“

 

            The following amendment was moved by Councillor Shah and seconded by Councillor Mills –

 

            “This Council resolves to reinstate the ‘FREE’ bulky item collections that were cut by this administration years ago.

 

            At a time when the County Council is proposing to cut the hours of opening of our recycling centres, which could lead to even more ‘fly-tipping’, Watford Council should lead by example in reinstating this service to ease the pressure not only on the streets of West Watford but across our Town.”

 

            Members debated the motion and the amendment.

 

            On being put to Council the amendment to the motion was LOST.

 

            On being put to Council the original motion was AGREED.

 

            RESOLVED –

 

            This council notes with concern the proposals outlined as part of Hertfordshire County Council’s current consultation on household waste sites.

 

            These include:

 

            - a 44% reduction in opening hours at Waterdale, including reduced hours at weekends and closure on Thursdays and Fridays.

 

            - complete closure of the Elstree site.

 

            This council notes that when the county council closed the Wiggenhall Road household waste site, its cabinet member for waste claimed that Watford would remain ‘well-provided for’ due to the facilities at Waterdale and Elstree.

 

            The proposed cuts and closure make a mockery of this assurance.

 

            This council notes the Mayor wrote to the leader of Herts County Council on 14^th July expressing her concern over the changes. Council endorses the mayor’s action and resolves to respond formally to the consultation, opposing these proposals.

 

 

4)         The following motion was moved by Councillor Turmaine and seconded by Councillor Bell –

 

            “This Council resolves to write to the Coalition Government calling on them to repeal the “Bedroom Tax or spare room subsidy” at the earliest opportunity.

 

            Last week the Department of Work and Pensions published a report revealing the Bedroom Tax has been a disaster.

 

            It found that half of affected tenants have cut back on essentials, that more than half have racked up debts, and that not much more than 1 in 20 have ‘downsized’ or moved into private accommodation.

 

            The DWPs own analysis showed only 19% of those affected had applied to move and even fewer were able to find a smaller property.

 

            Many disabled people and their families have had the stress of having to cope with this so-called ‘spare room‘ tax.

 

            It is the right time for Watford Council to join the many other Councils and Campaigners to show a United front in calling for the repeal of this hated and unnecessary Tax. “

 

            Councillor Johnson moved the following amendment to the motion which was seconded by Councillor Watkin –

 

            “Delete

 

            ‘This Council resolves…disaster’ and replace with:

 

            ‘This Council resolves to write to the Coalition Government calling on them to repeal or reform at the earliest opportunity elements of the ‘spare room subsidy’ that were identified as problematic by a Department of Work and Pensions Report published last week.’

 

            Delete ‘so-called ‘spare room’ tax’ and replace with ‘loss of housing benefit for spare room(s).’ Then insert

 

            ‘Council recognises that:

 

            There are 1.7 million households waiting for housing in the social rented sector and 240,000 households already in the social rented sector are overcrowded.

 

            There are almost 1 million spare rooms being paid for by Housing Benefit for working-age, social rented sector tenants, which isn’t affordable when others are living in overcrowded accommodation.

 

            Under-occupancy is therefore a serious problem which needs to be tackled, for example through incentives for housing providers.

 

            Therefore council calls on the government to change the rules so that:

 

            - existing tenants are not penalised when they cannot move into smaller accommodation (i.e. unless they have turned down at least one reasonable offer of smaller accommodation).

 

            - there is a permanent exemption in both Housing Benefit and  Local Housing Allowance to exempt people with specially adapted properties or those who need a spare bedroom for medical reasons. This would mirror the existing exemption for severely disabled children who need an extra room due to their disability.’

 

            Delete ‘It is the right time… tax’ “

 

            Councillor Khan raised a point of order following the amendment being moved and seconded.  He said that he considered the amendment substantially changed the original motion and therefore should not be accepted.

 

            The Chairman responded that he had discussed the matter with the Monitoring Officer and it was considered that the amendment did not negate the motion.  He stated that he would accept the amendment as being valid.

 

            Members debated the motion and amendment.

 

            On being put to Council the amendment was AGREED.

 

            On being put to Council the substantive motion as amended was AGREED.

 

            RESOLVED –

 

            This Council resolves to write to the Coalition Government calling on them to repeal or reform at the earliest opportunity elements of the ‘spare room subsidy’ that were identified as problematic by the Department of Work and Pensions report published last week.

 

            It found that half of affected tenants have cut back on essentials, that more than half have racked up debts and that not much more than 1 in 20 have ‘downsized’ or moved into private accommodation.

 

            The DWP’s own analysis showed only 19% of those affected had applied to move and even fewer were able to find a smaller property.

 

            May disabled people and their families have had the stress of having to cope with this loss of housing benefit for spare rooms.

 

            ‘Council recognises that:

 

            There are 1.7 million households waiting for housing in the social rented sector and 240,000 households already in the social rented sector are overcrowded.

 

            There are almost 1 million spare rooms being paid for by Housing Benefit for working-age, social rented sector tenants, which isn’t affordable when others are living in overcrowded accommodation.

 

            Under-occupancy is therefore a serious problem which needs to be tackled, for example through incentives for housing providers.

 

            Therefore council calls on the government to change the rules so that:

           

            - existing tenants are not penalised when they cannot move into smaller accommodation (i.e. unless they have turned down at least one reasonable offer of smaller accommodation).

 

            - there is a permanent exemption in both Housing benefit and Local Housing Allowance to exempt people with specially adapted properties or those who need a spare bedroom for medical reasons. This would mirror the existing exemption for severely disabled children who need an extra room due to their disability.