Agenda item

1.     PROPOSED BY COUNCILLOR HAIGH

 

“This Council notes:

 

The extraordinary contribution that the Windrush generation have made to our country and the appalling treatment they have received from the British Government.

 

That British citizens, who arrived here as children, have been denied healthcare and passports, threatened with deportation and in some cases, detained in immigration centres, such as Yarl’s Wood, for not having the correct documentation.

 

That residents and Citizens of Gloucester are amongst those who have been denied their rights. They have lost jobs, been refused passports and had their access to healthcare and benefits question despite paying into the tax and National Insurance system for decades.

 

Council further notes the events organised by the community to mark the 70^th anniversary of the Windrush arriving in the UK.

 

This Council therefore resolves to:

 

Celebrate the contribution of the Windrush Generation by adding to our traditional Jamaican Independence Day celebrations on 5^th August in the following ways:

 

a.     Fly the Jamaican Flag at North Warehouse

b.     For the Mayor and Sheriff to invite members of the Windrush generation in Gloucester to visit North Warehouse and to express the City’s appreciation for the contribution then have made to the life and prosperity of the City and to invite Councillors to come and meet with them.

 

This Council further resolves

 

a.     To support the events organised by the community during the anniversary year.

b.     To fly the Jamaican flag on Windrush Day 22 June 2019 and every anniversary of that day.

c.     to write to the Home Secretary to ask that he ensure that Government act swiftly as promised to ensure that Windrush victims are granted their rights swiftly and fully compensated for any financial hardship that they may have suffered.”

 

2.     PROPOSED BY COUNCILLOR HILTON

 

“This council records its dissatisfaction with the household waste collection services operated by the council’s contractor Amey PLC.

 

This council notes that 2,000 tonnes of recyclable waste is unaccounted for with a market value of £246,000 and that there are stories of recyclable household waste being inappropriately sent to landfill.

 

This council also raises concerns about the quality of the client side management of the streetcare contract overseen by the cabinet.

 

This council, therefore, calls upon the cabinet member for the environmentto up his game and increase the frequency of meetings he holds with Amey PLC from current quarterly meetings to monthly meetings until the matter of poor performance by Amey PLC is resolved.”

 

3.     PROPOSED BY COUNCILLOR COOLE

 

“Council notes the recent decision to close the City Council’s reception on the last Wednesday of each month for staff training, in addition to the existing closure between 3-5pm each day.

 

Council also supports staff training as valuable way of meeting the needs of residents and officer development.

 

The limited hours that Council is open to the public means that many residents have to take time off work or make a special trip to resolve issues face to face. Residents, many of them, in urgent need of Council services, expect the Council to be open on normal working days in order that they can access services, make payments and seek advice.

 

During the recent closures, hundreds of people turned up expecting the Council to be open, many of whom did not have the means to use the phone line provided, or the internet.

 

Council resolves to cease the full-day closure of reception on the last Wednesday of each month, and establish an alternative means of staff training, that allows face-to-face Council services to be accessible to all residents in business hours.

 

Council resolves that during any future closure, a skeleton staff should operate at reception, and that a more effective communication strategy is put in place to target those most likely to visit the City Council’s reception.”

 

4.     PROPOSED BY COUNCILLOR WILSON

 

"This council notes that, according to the Government’s own figures, under all Brexit scenarios the UK will be considerably worse off, not only in terms of international reputation but also the negative social, environmental and economic impact it will have on the people of Gloucester.

 

This council agrees that there should be a ‘people’s vote’ on the final Brexit deal, which should include an option for the United Kingdom to remain a full member of the European Union.”

 

5.     PROPOSED BY COUNCILLOR PULLEN

 

“Council notes the statement made by Councillor Richard Cook – Cabinet member for the Environment to Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Monday 4^th June 2018 where he reported:

 

·       Amey were unable to account for 2,000 tonnes of recyclable material and this had resulted in a loss of £246,500 in expected income.

·       Amey had sold recyclable materials at below market rates at a cost to the Council of £50,000 in lost income.

 

Council further notes that Councillor Cook is on record as describing Amey as being “horrible” to work with and that the contract was “one of the worst he has ever seen”.

 

Recent allegations from two distinct ‘whistle-blowers’ have claimed that operatives were instructed by Amey management to cut up and dispose of recyclable material via landfill. If true, this is a clear breach of the contract.

 

The Amey contract has seen a litany of failures in service delivery since its inception. This includes missed collections, failures in the grass cutting programme, lack of contingency planning for adverse weather, failures in weed spraying programme and street cleaning standardsand improper handling of fly-tipped waste.

 

Council resolves:

 

1.     That urgent action is taken by the Council to investigate whether the recent allegations concerning the disposal of recyclable waste in landfill, or the returns submitted to the Council in respect of that waste, amount to fraud and whether a referral to the police is appropriate.

 

2.     That the Council’s legal representatives are instructed to advise whether sufficient grounds exist for Amey to be issued with notice to terminate the contract.

 

3.     That the Cabinet bring forward alternative arrangements for the delivery of the contract. The preference is to bring the contract back ‘in-house’ to be delivered directly by Council employed staff.

 

4.     If this is not feasible; to break the contract into smaller parts to enable local businesses to tender for the work in ways which comply with the Council’s procurement obligations.

 

5.     That consideration also be given as to whether it would be possible to join the Ubico trading company that was established by neighbouring authorities.”

Notice of motion from the Labour Group.

 

20.1    Proposed by Councillor Haigh and seconded by Councillor Hansdot.

 

            “This Council notes:

 

The extraordinary contribution that the Windrush generation have made to our country and the appalling treatment they have received from the British Government.

 

That British citizens, who arrived here as children, have been denied healthcare and passports, threatened with deportation and in some cases, detained in immigration centres, such as Yarl’s Wood, for not having the correct documentation.

 

That residents and Citizens of Gloucester are amongst those who have been denied their rights. They have lost jobs, been refused passports and had their access to healthcare and benefits question despite paying into the tax and National Insurance system for decades.

 

Council further notes the events organised by the community to mark the 70th anniversary of the Windrush arriving in the UK.

 

This Council therefore resolves to:

 

Celebrate the contribution of the Windrush Generation by adding to our traditional Jamaican Independence Day celebrations on 5th August in the following ways:

 

a.         Fly the Jamaican Flag at North Warehouse

b.         For the Mayor and Sheriff to invite members of the Windrush generation in Gloucester to visit North Warehouse and to express the City’s appreciation for the contribution then have made to the life and prosperity of the City and to invite Councillors to come and meet with them.

 

This Council further resolves

 

a.         To support the events organised by the community during the anniversary year.

b.         To fly the Jamaican flag on Windrush Day 22 June 2019 and every anniversary of that day.

 

c.         to write to the Home Secretary to ask that he ensure that Government act swiftly as promised to ensure that Windrush victims are granted their rights swiftly and fully compensated for any financial hardship that they may have suffered.”

 

20.2    Councillor Watkins, seconded by Councillor James proposed the following amendment:

 

            “This Council notes:

 

The extraordinary contribution that the Windrush generation have made to our country and the appalling treatment they have received from the British Government acknowledges the fact that the State has let some of these people down.

 

That some British citizens, who arrived here as children, have been denied healthcare and passports, threatened with deportation and in some cases, detained in immigration centres, such as Yarl’s Wood, for not having the correct documentation.

                       

That some residents and Citizens of Gloucester are amongst those who have been denied their rights. They have lost jobs, been refused passports and had their access to healthcare and benefits question despite paying into the tax and National Insurance system for decades.

 

Council further notes the events organised by the community to mark the 70^th anniversary of the Windrush arriving in the UK.

 

This Council therefore resolves to:

 

Celebrate the contribution of the Windrush Generation by adding to our traditional Jamaican Independence Day celebrations on 5^th August in the following ways:

 

1. Fly the Jamaican Flag at North Warehouse
2. For the Mayor and Sheriff to invite members of the Windrush generation in Gloucester to visit North Warehouse and to express the City’s appreciation for the contribution then have made to the life and prosperity of the City and to invite Councillors to come and meet with them.

 

This Council further resolves

 

1. To support the events organised by the community during the anniversary year.
2. To fly the Jamaican flag on Windrush Day 22 June 2019 and every anniversary of that day.
3. to write to the Home Secretary Richard Graham MP on behalf of those constituents affected to ask that he ensure that Government act swiftly as promised to ensure that Windrush victims are granted their rights swiftly and fully compensated for any financial hardship that they may have suffered.”

 

 

20.3    The mover and seconder of the amendment indicated their acceptance of the amendment which became the substantive motion and was carried.

 

20.4    RESOLVED that:

 

      “This Council notes:

 

The extraordinary contribution that the Windrush generation have made to our country and acknowledges the fact that the State has let some of these people down.

 

That some British citizens, who arrived here as children, have been denied healthcare and passports, threatened with deportation and in some cases, detained in immigration centres, such as Yarl’s Wood, for not having the correct documentation.

 

That some residents and Citizens of Gloucester are amongst those who have been denied their rights.

 

Council further notes the events organised by the community to mark the 70^th anniversary of the Windrush arriving in the UK.

 

This Council therefore resolves to:

 

Celebrate the contribution of the Windrush Generation by adding to our traditional Jamaican Independence Day celebrations on 5^th August in the following ways:

 

a.    Fly the Jamaican Flag at North Warehouse

b.    For the Mayor and Sheriff to invite members of the Windrush generation in Gloucester to visit North Warehouse and to express the City’s appreciation for the contribution then have made to the life and prosperity of the City and to invite Councillors to come and meet with them.

 

This Council further resolves

 

a.    To support the events organised by the community during the anniversary year.

b.    To fly the Jamaican flag on Windrush Day 22 June 2019 and every anniversary of that day.

c.    to write to Richard Graham MP on behalf of those constituents who have been affected to ask that he ensure that Government act swiftly as promised to ensure that Windrush victims are granted their rights swiftly and fully compensated for any financial hardship that they may have suffered.”

 

 

Notice of motion from the Liberal Democrat Group.

 

20.5    Proposed by Councillor Hilton and seconded by Councillor Wilson that:

 

“This council records its dissatisfaction with the household waste collection services operated by the council’s contractor Amey PLC.

 

This council notes that 2,000 tonnes of recyclable waste is unaccounted for with a market value of £246,000 and that there are stories of recyclable household waste being inappropriately sent to landfill.

 

This council also raises concerns about the quality of the client side management of the streetcare contract overseen by the cabinet.

 

This council, therefore, calls upon the cabinet member for the environment to up his game and increase the frequency of meetings he holds with Amey PLC from current quarterly meetings to monthly meetings until the matter of poor performance by Amey PLC is resolved.”

 

20.6    Councillor Cook, seconded by Councillor James proposed the following amendment:

 

“This council records its dissatisfaction with the household waste collection services operated by the council’s contractor Amey PLC.

 

This council notes that 2,000 tonnes of recyclable waste is unaccounted for with a market value of £246,000 and that there are stories of recyclable household waste being inappropriately sent to landfill an account has been given to explain a significant proportion of the  identified discrepancy of 2000 tonnes of recyclable household waste but there is a considerable gap between Amey’s offer and the Council’s expectation of appropriate compensation.

 

This council also raises concerns about the quality of the client side management of the streetcare contract overseen by the cabinet. This council also thanks officers who identified the discrepancy in the figures supplied by Amey and are working hard to resolve the situation.

 

This council therefore, calls upon the cabinet member for the environmentto up his game and increase the frequency of meetings he holds with Amey PLC from current quarterly meetings to monthly meetings until the matter of poor performance by Amey PLC is resolved.notes that the cabinet member for the environment and officers are meeting representatives of Amey on a frequent basis and will continue to do so until this matter is resolved.

 

20.7    The mover and seconder of the motion indicated their acceptance of the amendment which became the substantive motion and was carried.

 

20.8    RESOLVED that:

 

“This council records its dissatisfaction with the household waste collection services operated by the council’s contractor Amey PLC.

 

This council notes that an account has been given to explain a significant proportion of the  identified discrepancy of 2000 tonnes of recyclable household waste but there is a considerable gap between Amey’s offer and the Council’s expectation of appropriate compensation.

 

This council also thanks officers who identified the discrepancy in the figures supplied by Amey and are working hard to resolve the situation.

 

This council notes that the cabinet member for the environment and officers are meeting representatives of Amey on a frequent basis and will continue to do so until this matter is resolved.”

 

Notice of Motion from the Labour Group

 

20.9    Proposed by Councillor Coole and seconded by Councillor Haigh that:

 

“Council notes the recent decision to close the City Council’s reception on the last Wednesday of each month for staff training, in addition to the existing closure between 3-5pm each day.

 

Council also supports staff training as valuable way of meeting the needs of residents and officer development.

 

The limited hours that Council is open to the public means that many residents have to take time off work or make a special trip to resolve issues face to face. Residents, many of them, in urgent need of Council services, expect the Council to be open on normal working days in order that they can access services, make payments and seek advice.

 

During the recent closures, hundreds of people turned up expecting the Council to be open, many of whom did not have the means to use the phone line provided, or the internet.

 

Council resolves to cease the full-day closure of reception on the last Wednesday of each month, and establish an alternative means of staff training, that allows face-to-face Council services to be accessible to all residents in business hours.

 

Council resolves that during any future closure, a skeleton staff should operate at reception, and that a more effective communication strategy is put in place to target those most likely to visit the City Council’s reception.”

 

20.10  The motion was put to the vote and was lost.

 

            Notice of motion from the Liberal Democrat Group.

 

20.11  Proposed by Councillor Wilson and seconded by Councillor Hilton that:

 

"This council notes that, according to the Government’s own figures, under all Brexit scenarios the UK will be considerably worse off, not only in terms of international reputation but also the negative social, environmental and economic impact it will have on the people of Gloucester.

 

This council agrees that there should be a ‘people’s vote’ on the final Brexit deal, which should include an option for the United Kingdom to remain a full member of the European Union.”

 

20.12  The motion was put to the vote and was lost.

 

Notion of Motion from the Labour Group

 

20.13  Proposed by Councillor Pullen and seconded by Councillor Stephens that:

 

“Council notes the statement made by Councillor Richard Cook – Cabinet member for the Environment to Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Monday 4^th June 2018 where he reported:

 

·         Amey were unable to account for 2,000 tonnes of recyclable material and this had resulted in a loss of £246,500 in expected income.

·         Amey had sold recyclable materials at below market rates at a cost to the Council of £50,000 in lost income.

 

Council further notes that Councillor Cook is on record as describing Amey as being “horrible” to work with and that the contract was “one of the worst he has ever seen”.

 

Recent allegations from two distinct ‘whistle-blowers’ have claimed that operatives were instructed by Amey management to cut up and dispose of recyclable material via landfill. If true, this is a clear breach of the contract.

 

The Amey contract has seen a litany of failures in service delivery since its inception. This includes missed collections, failures in the grass cutting programme, lack of contingency planning for adverse weather, failures in weed spraying programme and street cleaning standardsand improper handling of fly-tipped waste.

 

 

 

Council resolves:

 

1.    That urgent action is taken by the Council to investigate whether the recent allegations concerning the disposal of recyclable waste in landfill, or the returns submitted to the Council in respect of that waste, amount to fraud and whether a referral to the police is appropriate.

 

2.    That the Council’s legal representatives are instructed to advise whether sufficient grounds exist for Amey to be issued with notice to terminate the contract.

 

3.    That the Cabinet bring forward alternative arrangements for the delivery of the contract. The preference is to bring the contract back ‘in-house’ to be delivered directly by Council employed staff.

 

4.    If this is not feasible; to break the contract into smaller parts to enable local businesses to tender for the work in ways which comply with the Council’s procurement obligations.

 

5.    That consideration also be given as to whether it would be possible to join the Ubico trading company that was established by neighbouring authorities.”

 

 

20.14  Councillor Cook, seconded by Councillor James proposed the following amendment:

 

“Council notes the statement made by Councillor Richard Cook – Cabinet member for the Environment to Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Monday 4^th June 2018 where he reported:

 

·         Amey were unable to account for 2,000 tonnes of recyclable material and this had resulted in a loss of £246,500 in expected income.

·         Amey had sold recyclable materials at below market rates at a cost to the Council of £50,000 in lost income.

 

Council further notes that Councillor Cook is on record as describing Amey as being “horrible” to work with and that the contract was “one of the worst he has ever seen”.

 

Recent allegations from two distinct ‘whistle-blowers’ have claimed that operatives were instructed by Amey management to cut up and dispose of recyclable material via landfill. If true, this is a clear breach of the contract.

 

The Amey contract has seen a litany of failures in service delivery since its inception. This includes missed collections, failures in the grass cutting programme, lack of contingency planning for adverse weather, failures in weed spraying programme and street cleaning standards and improper handling of fly-tipped waste.

 

Council resolves notes that:

 

1.    That uUrgent action is has been taken by the Council to investigate whether the recent allegations concerning the disposal of recyclable waste in landfill, or the returns submitted to the Council in respect of that waste, amount to fraud and whether a referral to the police is appropriate to establish why there is a discrepancy in the figures supplied by Amey in relation to volumes of recyclable waste and to recover the shortfall in income to the Council as a result of it.

 

2.    That tThe Council’s legal representativesare have been instructed to advise whether sufficient grounds exist for Amey to be issued with notice to terminate the contract.

 

3.    That tThe Cabinet will bring forward alternative arrangements for the delivery of the contract, including providing services in-house, breaking the contract into smaller elements and. The preference is to bring the contract back ‘in-house’ to be delivered directly by Council employed staff.

 

4.    If this is not feasible; to break the contract into smaller parts to enable local businesses to tender for the work in ways which comply with the Council’s procurement obligations.

 

That consideration also be given as to whether it would be possible to joining the Ubico trading company that was established by neighbouring authorities.”

 

20.15  The mover and seconder of the motion indicated their acceptance of the amendment which became the substantive motion and was carried.

 

20.16  RESOLVED that:-

 

“Council notes the statement made by Councillor Richard Cook – Cabinet member for the Environment to Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Monday 4^th June 2018 where he reported:

 

·         Amey were unable to account for 2,000 tonnes of recyclable material and this had resulted in a loss of £246,500 in expected income.

·         Amey had sold recyclable materials at below market rates at a cost to the Council of £50,000 in lost income.

 

Council further notes that Councillor Cook is on record as describing Amey as being “horrible” to work with and that the contract was “one of the worst he has ever seen”.

 

Recent allegations from two distinct ‘whistle-blowers’ have claimed that operatives were instructed by Amey management to cut up and dispose of recyclable material via landfill. If true, this is a clear breach of the contract.

 

The Amey contract has seen a litany of failures in service delivery since its inception. This includes missed collections, failures in the grass cutting programme, lack of contingency planning for adverse weather, failures in weed spraying programme and street cleaning standards and improper handling of fly-tipped waste.

 

Council notes that:

 

1.    Urgent action has been taken by the Council to establish why there is a discrepancy in the figures supplied by Amey in relation to volumes of recyclable waste and to recover the shortfall in income to the Council as a result of it.

 

2.    The Council’s legal representatives have been instructed to advise whether sufficient grounds exist for Amey to be issued with notice to terminate the contract.

 

The Cabinet will bring forward alternative arrangements for the delivery of the contract, including providing services in-house, breaking the contract into smaller elements andjoining the Ubico trading company that was established by neighbouring authorities.”