Full Council Meetings only happen five times a year (the next full Council meeting is November 18th), and it looks like the Tories are once again hell-bent on blocking any meaningful debate.
At Full Council meetings, Councillors can propose a topic of public interest to be debated and voted on; called Notices of Motion. They are one of the few chances councillors have to debate a new policy or idea in full council, but due to time restraints, only three Notices of Motion are allowed per meeting.
Way back in September the Tories had already proposed two Notices of Motion, being:
1. “The Council commits to continue to develop strategy and policy that reduces the threat of rural isolation”
(Conservative Notice of Motion)
2. “This Council Supports a Can Do Attitude”
(Conservative Notice of Motion)
Concerned that a third piece of Tory propaganda was about to go in, It’s Our County quickly submitted their own:
3. “This Council resolves that all sustainable transport options for Hereford City are implemented and integrated with improved traffic management systems prior to any work commencing on the outer distributor road.”
(It’s Our County Notice of Motion)
It’s Our County leader, Mark Hubbard, said:
“The Tories’ “we support a ‘can-do’ attitude” Notice of Motion is no more than a blocking tactic. It shows their lack of vision for the county. Is this really the best they can manage for Herefordshire? It is a waste of council time and public money to use the debate in this way.”
At the July meeting It’s Our County used NoMs to propose altering the Scrutiny Committee so it is Chaired by an opposition member and not by the ruling Conservative party. They supported an Independent NoM to lower highly paid Council Officers’ pay. Both motions were narrowly defeated due to all Conservatives voting against. The Conservatives have a majority of one in the Council Chamber.
It’s Our County are using the November 18th meeting to debate the very important issue of transport strategy in the county. Said Mark Hubbard:
“The Conservative policy is to alter the whole of Herefordshire by vastly expanding housing into the countryside, in order to get the developer money to build a bypass around Hereford. It is a daft policy because congestion will be just as bad after all the house and road building as it is now.”
Notes for Editors
It’s Our County is the largest opposition political party in Herefordshire. It has nine Councillors plus one Green member in its political group in the Council.
It’s Our County stands for independence, openness, accountability, fairness and sustainability. While recognising Herefordshire is part of a global economy it rejects fashions in national political and works on local solutions for local problems. For more information go to www.itsourcounty.org
The sustainable transport options are set out in the Place Shaping Paper at www.herefordshire.gov.uk/housing/planning/43195.asp, second file, Section 6, page29-30 (as shown on the actual document) Option 3.
The notices of motion for November 18 2011 are published on the council website http://councillors.herefordshire.gov.uk/documents/g3557/Agenda%20frontsheet,%20Friday%2018-Nov-2011%2010.30,%20Council.pdf?T=0
For More Information please contact:
Cllr. Mark Hubbard – 01432 272684 / 07753 397260
Cllr. Liz Harvey – 01531 631718 / 07909 753259
Rebecca Roseff (IOC Publicity Officer) – 01684 541408 / 07971 135292; rebeccaroseff@aol.com