1. The following motion has been proposed by Councillor Crout and seconded by Councillor Rindl:

 

“This council values the role played in our community by local pharmacists and is concerned by Government plans that could lead to the closure of chemist shops throughout our town.

 

It asks our MP Richard Harrington to call on the Government to shelve these plans and protect this vital and highly valued service.

Council also feels that such attacks on the very fabric of our health system give a lie to Prime Minister David Cameron’s statement that the NHS is “Safe in Our Hands.””

 

2. The following motion has been proposed by Councillor Bell

 

“This Council notes that;

 

1/The 5^th May will be the 14^th anniversary of the election of the Mayor and the date the Liberal Democrats took responsibility for the administration of the Council.

 

2/The Council notes that after 14-years,the Liberal Democrats continue to blame the former Labour administration rather than accept responsibility for their own failures and mistakes.

 

This Council believes that;

 

3/The Liberal Democrats have put their party interests above those of the residents of Watford by supporting the coalition with the Conservatives and this has led to the imposing of such massive cuts to Local Government finance and cuts to vital services, implementing cuts to housing benefit, applying the detested and unnecessary bedroom tax, and failing to campaign for the proper funding of a new hospital for Watford.

 

4/Millions of pounds have been wasted by the Liberal Democrats resulting in Watford still having the highest Council Tax in Hertfordshire despite the Mayor’s original promise to reduce it to the County average back in 2002.

 

This Council calls upon the Mayor to acknowledge her party’s responsibility for these failures, to retire to the House of Lords and invites the electorate of Watford to vote for a change for the better on May 5^th by electing a Labour Council.”

 

3. The following motion has been proposed by Councillor Silver and seconded by Councillor Mehta:

 

“This Council notes the importance of Watford's historical position within the print industry and that Watford has a proud heritage as a printing hub, which continues to this day with the production of noteworthy literature.

 

We also recognise the contribution of Watford-based libraries to the promotion of books and reading within Watford. Schemes to improve the commercial viability of libraries such as introducing coffee shops into public libraries and the creation of more attractive reading areas to encourage visits and reading has proved successful elsewhere.

 

We also believe that as a proud print town, the lack of a specialist bookshop in the town centre should be remedied. Whilst this Council cannot demand that a private company sets up a shop in Watford, we should do more to attract the investment and demonstrate the viability of such an enterprise by showing the virtues of our town.

 

This Council therefore calls on Hertfordshire County Council to guarantee the future of Watford's libraries and work to enhance the facilities available to readers and to promote them as community hubs and centres of learning.

 

Additionally, we call on the Mayor’s Office to facilitate relationships with the necessary public bodies, as well as Richard Harrington MP and the Town's commercial partners, to actively attract a specialist book store to Watford’s town centre and support the further development of public library facilities.”

 

4. The following motion has been proposed by Councillor S Williams and seconded by Councillor Turmaine:

 

"With a deepening housing crisis and homeless crisis.

 

We call upon the council to carry out a mid way review of the current homeless and housing strategy to ensure that we are doing all that we can to support those in need"

 

 

 

 

Council was informed that four motions had been received. The Chairman indicated that she intended to reorder the motions as set out in the agenda and take motion 2 last.

 

1)       The following motion was proposed by Councillor Crout and seconded by  

      Councillor Rindl -

 

“This council values the role played in our community by local pharmacists and is concerned by Government plans that could lead to the closure of chemist shops throughout our town.

 

It asks our MP Richard Harrington to call on the Government to shelve these plans and protect this vital and highly valued service.

 

Council also feels that such attacks on the very fabric of our health system give a lie to Prime Minister David Cameron’s statement that the NHS is “Safe in Our Hands.”

 

Members debated the motion. Councillor Mehta requested that the last sentence of the motion be removed. The Managing Director advised that this amendment had already been ruled to be out of order. Councillor Dhindsa asked for an officer opinion as to why it was out of order.  The Managing Director outlined the requirements of the Constitution in these circumstances.

 

Councillor Mehta requested a point of order in that the motion related to pharmacies and not to government policy.  The Managing Director explained the rationale for not removing the wording and how removal would negate the subject matter of the motion.

 

The amendment was not put.

On being put to the Council the motion was AGREED.

 

RESOLVED –

 

This council values the role played in our community by local pharmacists and is concerned by Government plans that could lead to the closure of chemist shops throughout our town.

 

It asks our MP Richard Harrington to call on the Government to shelve these plans and protect this vital and highly valued service.

 

Council also feels that such attacks on the very fabric of our health system give a lie to Prime Minister David Cameron’s statement that the NHS is “Safe in Our Hands”.

 

 

3)     The following motion was proposed by Councillor Silver and seconded by Councillor Mehta -

 

“This Council notes the importance of Watford's historical position within the print industry and that Watford has a proud heritage as a printing hub, which continues to this day with the production of noteworthy literature.

 

We also recognise the contribution of Watford-based libraries to the promotion of books and reading within Watford. Schemes to improve the commercial viability of libraries such as introducing coffee shops into public libraries and the creation of more attractive reading areas to encourage visits and reading has proved successful elsewhere.

 

We also believe that as a proud print town, the lack of a specialist bookshop in the town centre should be remedied. Whilst this Council cannot demand that a private company sets up a shop in Watford, we should do more to attract the investment and demonstrate the viability of such an enterprise by showing the virtues of our town.

 

This Council therefore calls on Hertfordshire County Council to guarantee the future of Watford's libraries and work to enhance the facilities available to readers and to promote them as community hubs and centres of learning.

 

Additionally, we call on the Mayor’s Office to facilitate relationships with the necessary public bodies, as well as Richard Harrington MP and the Town's commercial partners, to actively attract a specialist book store to Watford’s town centre and support the further development of public library facilities.”

 

Councillor Sharpe moved the following amendment, seconded by Mayor Dorothy Thornhill.

 

Delete “do more to attract” and replace with “continue to seek”.

 

After “virtues of our town”, add -

 

“This council therefore regrets Hertfordshire County Council’s decisions in recent years to cut library opening hours in Watford and abolish the mobile library service, thereby depriving vulnerable users of access to library resources.

 

This Council reiterates its support for existing partnership working with the Hertfordshire Libraries Service, for example via the Cultural Leaders Group, the BIG Wordfest, and collaboration between the Museum and Local Studies Centre.”

 

Councillor Silver accepted the amendment for inclusion in the original motion but asked that the wording “to cut library opening hours in Watford” in the fourth paragraph be deleted.  Councillor Sharpe declined to remove that wording from the proposed amendment.

 

Members debated the motion and the amendment and the Chair invited Councillor Silver to reply.  Councillor Silver explained that, following the debate, he was content to accept Councillor Sharpe’s amendment as written.

 

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

 

RESOLVED –

 

This Council notes the importance of Watford's historical position within the print industry and that Watford has a proud heritage as a printing hub, which continues to this day with the production of noteworthy literature.

 

We also recognise the contribution of Watford-based libraries to the promotion of books and reading within Watford. Schemes to improve the commercial viability of libraries such as introducing coffee shops into public libraries and the creation of more attractive reading areas to encourage visits and reading has proved successful elsewhere.

 

We also believe that as a proud print town, the lack of a specialist bookshop in the town centre should be remedied. Whilst this Council cannot demand that a private company sets up a shop in Watford, we should continue to seek the investment and demonstrate the viability of such an enterprise by showing the virtues of our town.

 

This council therefore regrets Hertfordshire County Council’s decisions in recent years to cut library opening hours in Watford and abolish the mobile library service, thereby depriving vulnerable users of access to library resources.

 

This Council reiterates its support for existing partnership working with the Hertfordshire Libraries Service, for example via the Cultural Leaders Group, the BIG Wordfest, and collaboration between the Museum and Local Studies Centre.

 

This Council therefore calls on Hertfordshire County Council to guarantee the future of Watford's libraries and work to enhance the facilities available to readers and to promote them as community hubs and centres of learning.

 

Additionally, we call on the Mayor’s Office to facilitate relationships with the necessary public bodies, as well as Richard Harrington MP and the Town's commercial partners, to actively attract a specialist book store to Watford’s town centre and support the further development of public library facilities.

 

 

4) The following motion was proposed by Councillor S Williams and seconded by Councillor Turmaine -

 

"With a deepening housing crisis and Homeless crisis.

 

We call upon the council to carry out a mid way review of the current Homeless and housing strategy to ensure that we are doing all that we can to support those in need."

 

Members debated the motion; and a report on the Council’s Housing and Homeless Strategy Action Plans was introduced by Councillor Johnson and circulated to the Mayor and to Councillors.

 

On being put to the Council the motion was LOST

 

WAIVING OF COUNCIL PROCEDURE RULE 8.0

 

During the previous debate the Chairman moved that Council Procedure Rule 8.0 be waived to allow the meeting to finish later than 10.30pm

 

On being put to the meeting the motion was declared to be LOST.

 

2)       The motion, proposed by Councillor Bell as set out in the agenda as item 10(2), was not debated as the meeting ran out of time. As the Chairman did not set a date for the remaining business to be dealt with this item will be considered at the next Ordinary meeting of the Council in accordance with procedure rule 8.