Issue - meetings

To consider any motions, due notice of which have been given in accordance with Standing Orders 4.8.12 and 4.8.15.

There was one motion submitted in accordance with Standing Order 4.8.15 and there were three motions submitted in accordance with Standing Order 4.8.12.

(A)  Motion Similar to One Previously Rejected

RESOLVED: That Full Council would consider the report and recommendations on the North of Stevenage Masterplan at its meeting on 28 November 2024, following reconsiderations by the Project Board and any similar referral motions from Cabinet.

(B)  Hitchin industrial Estate Fires

RESOLVED: That Council

(1)   Instructed the Leader of the Council and the Executive Member for Housing and Environmental Health to write promptly to the Environment Agency, to express North Herts Council’s serious concerns about the safety of recycling sites on the Hitchin industrial estate, and request that their operators’ licences be reviewed urgently.

(2)   Work proactively to instigate a system of air quality monitoring in the residential areas closest to the industrial estate.

(3)   Further instructed the Executive Member for Housing and Environmental Health to report back to Council within six months with details of any action that has been taken by the competent authorities in the intervening period to monitor pollution and mitigate the risks of future fires.

(C)  A1(M) Junction 6 (Welwyn) to 8 (Hitchin and Stevenage) Upgrade

RESOLVED:

(1)   That the Leader of the Council writes to the Secretary of State for Transport calling on the Government to reinstate plans to upgrade the A1(M) between Junction 6 (Welwyn) to Junction 8 (Hitchin and Stevenage) that were cancelled by the prior Conservative government.

(2)   That the Leader of the Council writes to the Member of Parliament for Hitchin, the Member of Parliament for North East Hertfordshire and the Member of Parliament for Stevenage, urging them to call on the Secretary of State for Transport to reinstate plans to upgrade the A1(M) between Junction 6 (Welwyn) to Junction 8 (Hitchin and Stevenage) and mitigate the impact of needed housing growth for North Hertfordshire residents living near the A602, B197 and B656

(D)  Impact of Family Farm Tax on Rural Communities in North Hertfordshire

The Chair advised that due to the time already taken to determine the business on the agenda this item would be deferred to the Extraordinary meeting of Full Council in December 2024.

Audio recording – 17 minutes 20 seconds

There was one motion submitted in accordance with Standing Order 4.8.15.

(A)  Motion Similar to One Previously Rejected

Councillor Daniel Allen proposed the motion as follows:

The following motion has been submitted to consider a motion previously rejected, due notice of which has been given in accordance with Standing Order 4.8.15(b).

In accordance with paragraph 4.8.15(b) of the Council’s Constitution, we the undersigned twelve members support the following motion being considered by Full Council at its meeting on 28 November 2024:

“That Full Council considers a report and recommendations on the North of Stevenage Masterplan at its meeting on 28 November 2024, following reconsiderations by the Project Board.”

It is noted that the land to the north of Stevenage is allocated for development in the Council’s Local Plan (NS1 Policy SP16), as a strategic site. The Council’s adopted Local Plan polices requires preparation of such a Masterplan.

The motion of 11 July 2024 was lost, as per the debate, on the basis that there would be further examination by the Council’s Local Plan Project Board of issues raised during debate.

The Project Board has considered these matters, and therefore the Masterplan has been referred for approval. There is no reason to delay reconsideration of the matter by Full Council.

The Council therefore resolves to consider any similar referral motions from Cabinet / motion.

Councillor Val Bryant stated that it was important to carefully review Masterplans, and that Officers had met with the developer after which detailed amendments and clarifications had been presented to Members and the Strategy Group.

Councillor Stewart Willoughby seconded the motion and, following a vote, it was:

RESOLVED: That Full Council would consider the report and recommendations on the North of Stevenage Masterplan at its meeting on 28 November 2024, following reconsiderations by the Project Board and any similar referral motions from Cabinet.

Audio recording – 2 hours 50 minutes 20 seconds

N.B. Councillors Cathy Brownjohn and Sarah Lucas left the Chamber at 22:27 and did not return. Councillor Sadie Billing left the Chamber at 22:30 and returned at 22:43.

There were three motions submitted in accordance with Standing Order 4.8.12. 

(B) Hitchin industrial Estate Fires

Councillor Jon Clayden proposed the motion as follows:

The Hitchin area has recently been plagued by a series of industrial fires associated with metal recycling facilities within the industrial area to the north of the town. Most recently, a fire broke out on the industrial estate on the 8th of November 2024 at around 2:30am, producing a plume of smoke and steam that was visible across a wide area for much of the day, and affected local residents including children on their way to school. Fires also occurred in the same area in September 2024, July 2024, February 2024 and December 2023.

In response to these fires, there have been multiple calls for action in the press from Hitchin and Ickleford councillors, and the MP for Hitchin, across political parties and over several months.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59