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Issue - meetings

NOTICE OF MOTIONS

 

 

Meeting: 04/12/2025 - Council (Item 60)

60 NOTICE OF MOTIONS pdf icon PDF 53 KB

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

Additional documents:

Decision:

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

 

(A)  Motion of No Confidence in the Leader of the Council

 

RESOLVED: That the current Leader of the Council was removed.

 

(B)  The Local Government Pension Scheme & Responsible Investment

 

RESOLVED: That Council:

 

(1)   Instructed the Acting Leader of the Council to write formally to the Pensions Committee of Hertfordshire County Council to:

 

  1. Express our concerns above, and request that under its fiduciary duty, it takes action to divest from all pension fund investments in companies that profit from the manufacture of weapons and military technology used contrary to international law, and from any companies found to be profiting from business activity which is illegal under international law.

 

  1. Request the Hertfordshire Pension Fund to apply Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards to not just directly held managed funds but also pension fund assets pooled with ACCESS.

 

  1. Request that the Hertfordshire Pension Committee will regularly disclose details of all holdings (including directly managed and those pooled with ACCESS) annually for the public to see that the fund is complying with International Law.

 

(2)   Instructed that at the next scheduled review of North Hertfordshire District Council’s own Investment Strategy; the review specifically considers how to align with the above investment principles.

 

Minutes:

Audio recording – 25 minutes 15 seconds

 

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

 

Before motions were considered, Councillor Keith Hoskins, as Chair, proposed that Standing Orders 4.8.12(d) and 4.8.12(e) be suspended for the item ‘Notice of Motions’. This was seconded by Councillor Sadie Billing and, following a vote, it was:

 

RESOLVED: That Standing Orders 4.8.12(d) and 4.8.12(e) be suspended for the duration of Agenda Item 9 – Notice of Motions.

 

(A)  Motion of No Confidence in the Leader of the Council

 

Councillor Ruth Brown proposed the motion as follows:

 

‘This Council no longer has confidence in the Leader of the Council.

 

As such Council resolves:

 

That the current Leader of the Council is removed.’

 

Councillor David Chalmers seconded the motion Councillors Dominic Griffiths, Matt Barnes and Paul Ward confirmed that they were the three further signatories required for such a motion.

 

The following Members took part in the Debate:

 

·         Councillor Dominic Griffiths

·         Councillor Ralph Muncer

·         Councillor Donna Wright

·         Councillor Daniel Wright-Mason

·         Councillor Matt Barnes

·         Councillor Laura Williams

·         Councillor Tamsin Thomas

·         Councillor Steven Patmore

·         Councillor David Chalmers

·         Councillor Sadie Billing

·         Councillor Joe Graziano

·         Councillor Val Bryant

·         Councillor Emma Fernandes

·         Councillor Claire Strong

·         Councillor Paul Ward

·         Councillor Amy Allen

·         Councillor Nigel Mason

·         Councillor Ian Albert

·         Councillor Mick Debenham

·         Councillor Dave Winstanley

·         Councillor Vijaiya Poopalasingham

·         Councillor Claire Winchester

·         Councillor Daniel Allen

 

N.B. During the debate Councillor Dominic Griffiths left the Chamber and returned at 20:27, Councillor Joe Graziano left the Chamber and returned at 20:38, Councillor Ruth Clifton left the Chamber and returned at 20.41, Councillor Tina Bhartwas left the Chamber and returned at 20:45, Councillor Alistair Willoughby left the Chamber and returned at 20:45, Councillor Sean Nolan left the Chamber and returned at 20:46, Councillor Steven Patmore left the Chamber and returned at 20:47, Councillor Sean Prendergast left the Chamber and returned at 20:47.

 

Points raised during the Debate included that:

 

·         Redebating the points of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) debate was not the point of this motion.

·         Trust had been broken between the Leader of the Council and members of the opposition.

·         The process of removing the current leader and electing a new leader would cost time and resources which was unnecessary.

·         Of the eleven Hertfordshire councils, six of chose to submit the 4 unitary model on LGR to National Government.

·         Regardless of the decision of the Council, the Government had the final say on LGR, so the decision taken at Cabinet was redundant.

·         The Leader of the Council has given lots to the community in his time as Leader.

·         Without an elected Leader, certain decisions cannot be made which would slow down all processes, including any decisions relating to LGR.

·         The argument that four Unitary Authorities was the preference of the public was not relevant, given only 587 responses were received to the consultation, out of a population of 133,000 in the district.

·         Under this Leadership the council has made strides towards being net zero by 2030.

·         Difficult decisions had to be made as part  ...  view the full minutes text for item 60