(time limit 30 minutes)
Motion 1 – Conductors on Trams
Councillor Sykes to MOVE and Councillor H Gloster to SECOND:
This Council notes that the Rochdale - Oldham Metrolink tram line has the highest number of acts of crime and anti-social behaviour and the highest level of fare evasion across the network. Most worryingly, several of these criminal acts have in recent months been of an extremely violent nature. As a result, passengers have become fearful of travelling on the line and resentful of fare evaders.
Council welcomes the recent crackdown on such activities during Operation Infinity when Metrolink staff, Police officers and the Council’s Youth Engagement Team worked together to apprehend offenders and deter undesirable behaviour. However the resources devoted to this operation were finite and the operation was time-limited, and there is public and elected member concern that, without ongoing enforcement, the progress made on making tram travel safer will be reversed.
Council recognises that other tram networks in the UK, such as those in Nottingham and in Wolverhampton-Birmingham, operate with on-board conductors, and that the merits of having these staff include:
· Increased Revenue Collection as conductors are able to check tickets and passes, and collect outstanding fares from passengers on-board the tram
· Improved Passenger Safety as the conductor represents a visible on-board presence to deter criminal and anti-social behaviour and can ensure that passengers are able to board or alight safely
· Better Customer Service as the conductor can respond in person to passenger queries and to requests for assistance, such as aiding passengers with disabilities or push-chairs
Council notes that these are the same reasons that the RMT trades union cites in seeking the retention of guards on trains in its ongoing dispute with Northern Rail.
Given the reasons outlined above, and in light of the estimate that £9 million in revenue is lost across the Metrolink network in fare evasion, Council believes that there is merit in introducing conductors on the Rochdale - Oldham Metrolink tram line as a pilot project, and for an evaluation to be conducted after a trial period of 12 months of its impact, with a view to making conductors permanent should the results prove favourable.
Council therefore resolves to ask the Chief Executive to write to the Chief Executives of Transport for Greater Manchester and Metrolink outlining its position and requesting the introduction of conductors on the Rochdale - Oldham line as a pilot.
Motion 2 – Tackling Dangerous Potholes
Councillor C Gloster to MOVE and Councillor Harkness to SECOND:
This Council notes that:
· Residents are greatly concerned by the unsatisfactory state of highways and the prevalence of dangerous potholes in our Borough
· Elected members are aware of these are high-level public concerns because of the many complaints they receive from their constituents on these matters.
· Poor road surfaces and footpaths also harm the reputation of Oldham Council and the Borough, and can lessen the appeal of coming into the borough by these routes.
· The guidance issued to all local authorities by the Department of Transport in October 2016 required Councils to ‘investigate’ any potholes or instances of road surface erosion of at least 40mm depth, but did not necessarily require them to repair it.
· The threshold fails to take account of circumstances in which the top surface of a road is less than 40mm in the first instance, which can lead to this surface becoming completely eroded and dangerous to pedestrians, cyclists and motorists, yet ineligible for repair by a local authority under the Department of Transport guidance.
· The threshold for the repair of public footpaths is much lower at 25mm.
· The Local Government Association has estimated that there is a £9 billion national backlog of repairs to potholes and damaged road surfaces.
This Council reaffirms its commitment to:
· Ensure that any pothole or eroded surface, whatever the level of damage, which poses a danger to pedestrians, cyclists and motorists is repaired as quickly as possible
· Fight for greater resources from Government to tackle the road repair backlog.
Council therefore resolves to:
· Repair any pothole or eroded road surface within the Borough that represents a danger to members of the public, regardless of whether the arbitrary threshold of 40mm is met
· Ask the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Transport:
o Supporting the call of the Local Government Association that a significant portion of the Road Fuel Duty raised by the UK Government be allocated to local authorities to enable them to tackle the estimated £9 billion backlog
o Requesting the guidance issued to local authorities be revised to place an emphasis upon the prompt repair of any pothole or road surface representing a danger to the public.
Motion 3 – Creating Council Bus Service
Councillor Sykes to MOVE and Councillor Heffernan to SECOND:
Council notes that:
This Council believes that:
The Council resolves to:
Minutes:
Motion 1 – Conductors on Trams
Councillor Sykes MOVED and Councillor H. Gloster SECONDED the following motion:
“This Council notes that the Rochdale – Oldham Metrolink tram line has the highest number of acts of crime and anti-social behaviour and the highest level of fare evasion across the network. Most worryingly, several of these criminal acts have in recent months been of an extremely violent nature. As a result, passengers have become fearful of travelling on the line and resentful of fare evaders.
Council welcomes the recent crackdown on such activities during Operation Infinity when Metrolink staff, Police officers and the Council’s Youth Engagement Team worked together to apprehend offenders and deter undesirable behaviour. However, the resources devoted to this operation were finite and the operation was time-limited and there is public and elected member concern that, without ongoing enforcement, the progress made on making tram travel safer will be reversed.
Council recognises that other tram networks in the UK, such as those in Nottingham and in Wolverhampton – Birmingham, operate with on-board conductors, and that the merits of having these staff include:
· Increased Revenue Collection as conductors are able to check tickets and passes, and collect outstanding fares from passengers on-board the tram
· Improved Passenger Safety as the conductor represents a visible on-board presence to deter criminal and anti-social behaviour and can ensure that passengers are able to board or alight safely
· Better Customer Service as the conductor can respond in person to passenger queries and to requests for assistance, such as aiding passengers with disabilities or push-chairs.
Council notes that these are the same reasons that the RMT trade union cites in seeking the retention of guards on trains in its ongoing dispute with Northern Rail. Given the reasons outlined above, and in light of the estimate that £9 million in revenue is lost across the Metrolink network in fare evasion, Council believes that there is merit in introducing conductors on the Rochdale – Oldham Metrolink tram line as a pilot project, and for an evaluation to be conducted after a trial period of 12 months of its impact, with a view to making conductors permanent should the results prove favourable.
Council therefore resolves to ask the Chief Executive to write to the Chief Executives of Transport for Greater Manchester and Metrolink outlining its position and requesting the introduction of conductors on the Rochdale – Oldham line as a pilot.”
Councillor Murphy spoke in support of the Motion.
Councillor Fielding spoke in support of the Motion.
Councillor Williamson spoke in support of the Motion.
Councillor C. Gloster MOVED and Councillor Murphy SECONDED the motion be put to the VOTE. The MOVE to the VOTE was AGREED.
Councillor Sykes exercised his right of reply.
On being put to the vote, the MOTION was CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
RESOLVED that the Chief Executive be asked to write to the Chief Executives of Transport for Greater Manchester and Metrolink outlining the Council’s position and request the introduction of conductors on the Rochdale – Oldham line as a pilot.
Motion 2 – Tackling Dangerous Potholes
Councillor C. Gloster MOVED and Councillor Harkness SECONDED the following motion:
“This Council notes that:
· Residents are greatly concerned by the unsatisfactory state of highways and the prevalence of dangerous potholes in our Borough
· Elected members are aware of these are high-level public concerns because of the many complaints they receive from their constituents on these matters.
· Poor road surfaces and footpaths also harm the reputation of Oldham Council and the Borough, and can lessen the appeal of coming into the borough by these routes.
· The guidance issued to all local authorities by the Department of Transport in October 2016 required Councils to ‘investigate’ any potholes or instances of at least 40mm depth, but did not necessarily require them to repair it.
· The thresholds fails to take account of circumstances in which the top surface of a road is less than 40mm in the first instance, which can lead to this surface becoming completely eroded and dangerous to pedestrians, cyclists and motorists, yet ineligible for repair by a local authority under the Department of Transport guidance.
· The threshold for the repair of public footpaths is much lower at 25mm.
· The Local Government Association has estimated that there is a £9billion national backlog of repairs to potholes and damaged road surfaces.
This Council reaffirms its commitment to:
· Ensure that any pothole or eroded surface, whatever the level of damage, which poses a danger to pedestrians, cyclists and motorists is repaired as quickly as possible.
· Fight for greater resources from Government to tackle the road repair backlog.
Council therefore resolves to:
· Repair any pothole or eroded road surface within the Borough that represents a danger to members of the public, regardless of whether the arbitrary threshold of 40mm is met
· Ask the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Transport:
o Supporting the call of the Local Government Association that a significant portion of the Road Fuel Duty raised by the UK Government be allocated to local authorities to enable them to tackle the estimated £9 billion backlog
o Requesting the guidance issued to local authorities be revised to place an emphasis upon the prompt repair of any pothole or road surface representing a danger to the public.”
AMENDMENT
Councillor Shah MOVED and Councillor A. Alexander SECONDED the following AMENDMENT:
“Delete first 3 points under ‘this Council notes that’ beginning ‘the threshold fails’.
Extend final bullet point under ‘this Council notes’, after ‘damaged road surfaces’ add ‘however in the recent budget the Conservative Chancellor allocated just £420m of additional money for Councils to tackle this problem.’
Insert additional bullet point under ‘this Council notes’ to read:
· The Oldham Council administration is aware that highway conditions are a concern of our residents and have taken the following action ourselves to address this:
o A 24 hour repair promise on priority routes.
o A 3 year, £12 million capital investment programme in secondary routes to improve the quality of our highways which includes, at its’ core, the opportunity for meaningful engagement with elected members which will allow them to influence the programme.
Under ‘Council resolves to’ delete 1st and 4th bullet points.”
Amended motion to read:
“This Council notes that:
· The guidance issued to all local authorities by the Department of Transport in October 2016 required Councils to ‘investigate’ any potholes or instances of road surface erosion of at least 40mm depth, but did not necessarily require them to repair it.
· The threshold for the repair of public footpaths is much lower at 25mm.
· The Local Government Association has estimated that there is a £9 billion national backlog of repairs to potholes and damaged road surfaces however in the recent budget the Conservative Chancellor allocated just £420m of additional money for Councils to tackle this problem.
· The Oldham Council administration is aware that highway conditions are a concern of our residents and have taken the following action ourselves to address this:
o A 24 hour repair promise on priority routes.
o A 3 year, £12 million capital investment programme in secondary routes to improve the quality of our highways which includes, at its’ core, the opportunity for meaningful engagement with elected members which will allow them to influence the programme.
This Council reaffirms its commitment to:
· Ensure that any pothole or eroded surface, whatever the level of damage, which poses a danger to pedestrians, cyclists and motorists is repaired as quickly as possible.
· Fight for greater resources from Government to tackle the road repair backlog.
Council therefore resolves to:
· Ask the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Transport supporting the call of the Local Government Association that a significant portion of the Road Fuel Duty raised by the UK Government be allocated to local authorities to enable them to tackle the estimated £9 billion backlog.”
At this point in the meeting, the Mayor advised that the time limit for this item had expired.
Councillor C. Gloster exercised his right of reply.
Councillor Shah did not exercise her right of reply.
A vote was then taken on the AMENDMENT.
On being put to the vote, 44 votes were cast in FAVOUR of the AMENDMENT and 7 votes were cast AGAINST with 0 ABSTENTIONS. The AMENDMENT was therefore CARRIED.
A vote was then taken on the SUBSTANTIVE MOTION.
On being put to the vote, the SUBSTANTIVE MOTION was CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
RESOLVED that the Chief Executive be asked to write to the Secretary of State for Transport supporting the call of the Local Government Association that a significant portion of the Road Fuel Duty raised by the UK Government be allocated to local authorities to enable them to tackle the estimated £9 billion backlog.
Motion 3 – Creating Council Bus Services
Councillor Sykes MOVED and Councillor Heffernan SECONDED the following MOTION be withdrawn.
“Council notes that:
· Until the 1968 Road Transport Act created the South East Lancashire and North East Cheshire (SELNEC) Passenger Transport Executive, the Oldham Corporation ran bus services across the municipality.
· Despite hopes that promised legislation would permit local authorities to reform municipal bus companies, the Bus Services Bill before Parliament includes Clause 21 effectively ‘prohibit(ing) a local authority from forming a company for the purpose of providing a local bus service.’
· The Bill also guarantees the power to introduce ‘franchising’ of bus services for areas with Mayoral Combined Authorities (such as Greater Manchester).
· Amendments to the Bill agreed by the House of Lords would extend franchising powers to all Local Transport Authorities.
This Council believes that:
· In denying local authorities the right to decide whether they wish to provide their own bus services, Clause 21 contradicts the general powers of competence granted to Councils under the Localism Act 2011.
· Franchising powers will lead to better, more reliable and more customer responsive bus services, and that this power should be open to all Local Transport Authorities to adopt to ensure that these positive effects can be achieved as widely was possible.
The Council resolves to:
· Ask the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Transport calling for franchising powers to be extended to all Local Transport Authorities by accepting the House of Lords amendments and excluding Clause 21 from the final legislation.
· Ask the Chief Executive to write to the Mayor of Greater Manchester and the three local MPs asking them for their support for this position.”
RESOLVED that the Motion be withdrawn.