Agenda item

(time limit 30 minutes)

 

Motion 1

Councillor Harkness to MOVE and Councillor Williamson to SECOND:

Council notes that:

·       Trees are a natural resource that are greatly treasured by the people of our borough      

·       Many residents would wish to do what they can to ensure that the trees around them – especially those in our public parks – are properly looked after to preserve their beauty and majesty for future generations

·       Other local authorities have established tree warden schemes

·       In Oldham, we already have members of Friends of Parks, Moors and green spaces groups who meet as a network hosted by Voluntary Action Oldham; these dedicated individuals represent a potential source of volunteers.

Council believes that establishing a tree warden scheme would:

• Represent an embodiment of the Co-operative Oldham principal in action;
• Compliment the delivery of the Get Oldham Growing Strategy, particularly in supporting the work of the newly-appointed Tree Planting project officer;
• Provide useful, interesting and accessible voluntary work activity to a wide range of people, including young people and individuals with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and mental health conditions;
• Be an educational resource for our schools when linked to the Forest Schools initiative;
• Supplement the resources of staff at a time of dwindling public finances

Council therefore resolves to ask the relevant Cabinet Member(s) to establish such a scheme for the borough of Oldham.

 

Motion 2

Councillor Sykes to MOVE and Councillor Williamson to SECOND:

Council notes that the Living Wage Foundation:

·       Exists to recognise and celebrate the leadership shown by living wage employers in raising the living standards of workers.

·       Establishes two Living Wage rates every year for employees outside and inside London.

·       Has over 1,800 employers accredited with them, with over 1,000 having registered as payers of the National Living Wage in the past year.

·       Permits accredited employers to proudly display the Living Wage Employer Mark.

Council further notes that:

·       Oldham Council first resolved to become a National Living Wage employer as a result of a motion brought to full Council in December 2013

·       The National Living Wage was introduced as the minimum pay scale for all staff in April 2015.

·       As a result five hundred and forty staff had a pay increase.

·       In his annual statement to September Council the Leader of the Council rightly highlighted the fact that this was a commendable achievement.

However despite this achievement, Oldham Council is not currently Living Wage accredited and therefore has not yet received the Living Wage Employer Mark.

Council therefore resolves to ask the Chief Executive to:

·       Seek accreditation with the Living Wage Foundation and

·       Ensure that the Living Wage Employer Mark is proudly displayed on appropriate pages within the Council’s website and in appropriate printed materials.

 

Motion 3

Councillor Heffernan to MOVE and Councillor Blyth to SECOND:

Oldham Council currently requires companies bidding for council contracts to have ethical and social policies.

Council believes that it should also require these bidders to account for their past tax record.

Council notes

·       That the UK Government has taken steps to tackle the issue of tax avoidance and evasion by requiring bidders to account for their past tax record in accordance with Procurement Policy Note 03/14 (PPN 03/14). This applies to all central government contracts worth more than £5m.

·       In early 2015 new regulations required public bodies, including councils, to ask procurement qualification questions of all companies for tenders over £173,000 for service contracts and £4m for works contracts. However, these questions are not as detailed as the PPN 03/14.

Council believes that it should require bidders for council contracts to account for their past tax record, using the standards in PPN 03/14, rather than the lower standards in the recent regulations.

Council therefore calls upon the relevant Cabinet Member to:

·       Instruct officers to revise our procurement procedures to require all companies bidding for council service contracts worth more than £173,000 and works contracts worth more than £4 million to self-certify that they are fully tax-compliant in line with central government practice using the standards in PPN 03/14.

·       Ensure that the Council publicises this policy and reports on its implementation on an annual basis.

Motion 1

 

Councillor Harkness MOVED and Councillor Williamson SECONDED the following motion:

 

“Council notes that:

·       Trees are a natural resource that are greatly treasured by the people of our borough

·       Many residents would wish to do what they can to ensure that the trees around them – especially those in our public parks – are properly look after to preserve their beauty and majesty for future generations

·       Other local authorities have established tree warden schemes

·       In Oldham we already have members of Friends of Parks, Moors and green spaces groups who meet as a network hosted by Voluntary Action Oldham; these dedicated individuals represent a potential source of volunteers.

Council believes that establishing a tree warden scheme would:

·       Represent an embodiment of the Co-operative Oldham principal in action;

·       Compliment the delivery of the Get Oldham Growing Strategy, particularly in supporting the work of the newly-appointed Tree Planting project officer;

·       Provide useful, interesting and accessible voluntary work activity to a wide range of people, including young people and individuals with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and mental health conditions;

·       Be an educational resource for our schools when linked to the Forest Schools initiative;

·       Supplement the resources of staff at a time of dwindling public finances

Council therefore resolves to ask the relevant Cabinet Member(s) to establish such a scheme for the borough of Oldham.

 

The Mayor advised the meeting that the time limit for this item had expired and without debate Council moved to the VOTE on this MOTION.

 

Without debate the Council moved to the vote on the MOTION.

 

On being put to the VOTE, the MOTION was CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

RESOLVED that Council the relevant Cabinet Member be asked to establish a tree warden scheme for the borough of Oldham.

 

The Mayor advised the meeting that the time limit for this item had expired.

 

Motion 2

 

Councillor Sykes MOVED and Councillor Williamson SECONDED the following motion to the VOTE:

 

“Council notes that the Living Wage Foundation:

·       Exists to recognise and celebrate the leadership shown by living wage employers in raising the living standards of workers.

·       Establishes two Living Wage rates every year for employees outside and inside London.

·       Has over 1,800 employers accredited with them, with over 1,000 having registered as payers of the National Living Wage in the past year.

·       Permits accredited employers to proudly display the Living Wage Employer Mark.

Council further notes that:

·       Oldham Council first resolved to become a National Living Wage employer as a result of a Motion brought to full Council in December 2013

·       The National Living Wage was introduced as the minimum pay scale for all staff in April 2015.

·       As a result five hundred and forty staff had a pay increase.

·       In his annual statement to September Council the Leader of the Council rightly highlighted the fact that this was a commendable achievement.

However, despite this achievement, Oldham Council is not currently Living Wage accredited and therefore has not yet received the Living Wage Employer Mark.

Council therefore resolves to ask the Chief Executive to:

·       Seek accreditation with the Living Wage Foundation and

·       Ensure that the Living Wage Employer Mark is proudly displayed on appropriate pages within the Council’s website and in appropriate printed materials.”

 

A vote was then taken on the MOTION. 

 

On being put to the VOTE, the MOTION was CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

RESOLVED that the Chief Executive:

1.               Seek accreditation with the Living Wage Foundation and

2.               Ensure that the Living Wage Employer Mark is proudly displayed on appropriate pages within the Council’s website and in appropriate printed materials.”

 

Motion 3

 

Councillor Heffernan MOVED and Councillor Blyth SECONDED the following motion to the VOTE:

 

“Oldham Council currently requires companies bidding for council contracts to have ethical and social policies.

Council believes that it should also require these bidders to account for their past tax record.

Council notes

·       That the UK Government has taken steps to tackle the issue of tax avoidance and evasion by requiring bidders to account for their past tax record in accordance with Procurement Policy Note 03/14 (PPN 03/14).  This applies to all central government contracts worth more than £5m.

·       In early 2015 new regulations required public bodies, including councils, to ask procurement qualification questions of all companies for tenders over £173,000 for service contracts and £4m for works contracts.  However, these questions are not as detailed as the PPN 03/14.

Council believes that it should require bidders for council contracts to account for their past tax record, using the standards in PPN 03/14, rather than the lower standards in the recent regulations. 

Council therefore calls upon the relevant Cabinet Member to:

·       Instruct officers to revise our procurement procedures to require all companies bidding for council service contracts worth more than £173,000 and works contracts worth more than £4 million to self-certify that they are fully tax-compliant in line with central government practice using the standards in PPN 03/14.

·       Ensure that the Council publicises this policy and reports on its implementation on an annual basis.

 

AMENDMENT

 

Councillor Jabbar MOVED and Councillor Wrigglesworth SECONDED the following amendment to the VOTE:

 

“Delete:

‘rather than the lower standards in the recent regulations.

Council therefore calls upon the relevant Cabinet Member to:

·       Instruct officers to revise our procurement procedures to require all companies bidding for council service contracts worth more than £173,000 and works contracts worth more than £4 million to self-certify that they are fully tax-compliant in line with central government practice using the standards in PPN 03/14.’

Insert:

‘Council therefore;

·       Commends the action of the relevant Cabinet Member who has already introduced the standards in PPN 03/14 for all council contracts in excess of £5 million, despite this is only being a mandatory requirement for central government contracts and;’

Delete:  ‘revise’

Insert:  ‘to assess the implications of revising’

Delete:

·       ‘Ensure that the Council publicises this policy and reports on its implementation on an annual basis’

Insert:

·       ‘Requests a report back to council on the findings from the review.’

 

Motion 3 to then read:

“Oldham Council currently requires companies bidding for council contracts to have ethical and social policies.

Council believes that it should also require these bidders to account for their past tax record.

Council notes

·       That the UK Government has taken steps to tackle the issue of tax avoidance and evasion by requiring bidders to account for their past tax record in accordance with Procurement Policy Note 03/14 (PPN 03/14).  This applies to all central government contracts worth more than £5m.

·       In early 2015 new regulations required public bodies, including councils, to ask procurement qualification questions of all companies for tenders over £173,000 for service contracts and £4m for works contracts.  However, these questions are not as detailed as the PPN 03/14.

 

Council believes that it should require bidders for council contracts to account for their past tax record, using the standards in PPN 03/14,

 

Council therefore;

·       Commends the action of the relevant Cabinet Member who has already introduced the standards in PPN 03/14 for all council contracts in excess of £5 million, despite this is only being a mandatory requirement for central government contracts and:

·       Instruct officers to assess the implications of revising revise our procurement procedures to require all companies bidding for council service contracts worth more than £173,000 and works contracts worth more than £4 million to self-certify that they are full tax-compliant in line with central government practice using the standards in PPN 03/14.

·       Requests a report back to council on the findings from the review.

 

Councillor Heffernan accepted the AMENDMENT.

 

A vote was then taken on the SUBSTANTIVE MOTION. 

 

On being put to the VOTE, the SUBSTANTIVE MOTION was CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

RESOLVED that:

·       The action of the relevant Cabinet Member who has already introduced the standards in PPN 03/14 for all council contracts in excess of £5 million, despite this is only being a mandatory requirement for central government contracts be commended.

·       Officers be instructed to assess the implications of revising revise our procurement procedures to require all companies bidding for council service contracts worth more than £173,000 and works contracts worth more than £4 million to self-certify that they are full tax-compliant in line with central government practice using the standards in PPN 03/14.

·       A report be brought back to council on the findings from the review.