(time limit 30 minutes)
Motion 1
Councillor Shah to MOVE and Councillor Chauhan to SECOND:
Kashmir
This Council notes with concern
(i) the Indian Government’s decision to remove Article 370 and 35A from the Indian Constitution, which grants special status to Indian-controlled Kashmir, the recent movement of troops into Kashmir and the imposition of travel restrictions and a communications blackout affecting landlines, mobile phones and the internet.
(ii) The Human Rights abuses in both Indian and Pakistani administered Kashmir as detailed in the United Nations Human Rights Commission reports of 2018 and 2019
This Council recognises that this unilateral action affects many Oldham residents with family and friends living in Kashmir who are concerned for their safety and well being.
This Council believes that the UK Government and international community should use all diplomatic and economic measures at their disposal to influence the Indian and Pakistan Governments to:
1.Ensure that democracy is respected and that the Kashmiri people are at the heart of any negotiation or settlement of this issue
2.Ensure that United Nations Security Council resolutions on Kashmir are respected, including UNSCR 47 which refers to the people of Jammu and Kashmir having the right to self-determination.
3. Respect the 1972 Simla Agreement which refers to the future of Jammu and Kashmir being determined by peaceful means.
4. Ensure that the rule of law is upheld and human rights are protected by lifting the telecommunications black out and allowing independent, international observers to the region.
5. Support the assistance of a United Nations Special Envoy for Kashmir in facilitating a peaceful and sustainable future for Kashmir and all its peoples.
Council resolves to ask the Chief Executive to write to
Motion 2
Councillor Jabbar to MOVE and Councillor Hulme to SECOND:
Oldham’s Urban Forest
This Council notes the following results from the i-Tree eco projects as detailed in the report “Valuing Oldham’s Urban Forest”:
- There are over 465,000 trees in the Borough of Oldham.
- The Borough’s trees remove around 65 tonnes of pollution from Oldham’s air each year.
- Oldham’s trees store more than 65,000 tonnes of Carbon and sequester a further 3000 tonnes per annum.
- Trees in Oldham help cause 200,000m3 of stormwater runoff to be avoided.
Council further notes that Oldham is located in the proposed Northern Forest, an area spanning the whole of the North of England where it is proposed to plant 50 million new trees to increase tree cover from 7.6%, a figure which is well below the European average.
Recognising the benefits of trees to our Borough and our location in the proposed Northern Forest, Council therefore resolves to:
- Sign the Charter for Trees, Woods and People.
- Appoint a Councillor to join the Woodland Trust’s active network of Tree Champions.
Minutes:
Motion 1 – Kashmir
The Chief Executive had been notified of a change to the Mover and Seconder to the Motion.
Councillor Shah MOVED and Councillor Chauhan SECONDED the following MOTION:
In moving the Motion the MOVER requested an alteration to the motion to add the following at paragraph 3:
“6. Allow essential aid such as food and medicine to be provided to residents of Jammu and Kashmir under the supervision of the United Nations and international charities.”
“This Council notes with concern
(i) The Indian Government’s decision to remove Article 370 and 35A from the Indian Constitution, which grants special status to Indian-controlled Kashmir, the recent movement of troops into Kashmir and the imposition of travel restrictions and a communications blackout affecting landlines, mobile phones and the internet.
(ii) The Human Rights abuses in both Indian and Pakistani administered Kashmir as detailed in the United Nations Human Rights Commission reports of 2018 and 2019
This Council recognises that this unilateral action affects many Oldham residents with family and friends living in Kashmir who are concerned for their safety and well being. This Council believes that the UK Government and international community should use all diplomatic and economic measures at their disposal to influence the Indian and Pakistan Governments to:
1. Ensure that democracy is respected and that the Kashmiri people are at the heart of any negotiation or settlement of this issue.
2. Ensure that United Nations Security Council resolutions on Kashmir are respected, including UNSCR 47 which refers to the people of Jammu and Kashmir having the right to self-determination.
3. Respect the 1972 Simla Agreement which refers to the future of Jammu and Kashmir being determined by peaceful means.
4. Ensure that the rule of law is upheld and human rights are protected by lifting the telecommunications black out and allowing independent, international observers to the region.
5. Support the assistance of a United Nations Special Envoy for Kashmir in facilitating a peaceful and sustainable future for Kashmir and all its peoples.
6. Allow essential aid such as food and medicine to be provided to residents of Jammu and Kashmir under the supervision of the United Nations and international charities.”
Council resolves to ask the Chief Executive to write to
1. The Prime Minister registering the Council’s concern at the action of the Indian Government and urging the UK Government to press for a resolution of the crisis based on the principles outlined in this motion.
2. the Borough’s three MPs thanking them for the action that they have already taken and ask them to use all parliamentary measures at their disposal to support the principles outlined in this motion.”
Councillor Mushtaq spoke in support of the Motion.
Councillor Akhtar spoke in support of the Motion.
Councillor Sykes spoke in support of the Motion.
Councillor Chauhan exercised his right of reply.
On being put to the vote, the MOTION was therefore CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
RESOLVED that:
1. The Chief Executive be asked to write to the Prime Minister registering the Council’s concern at the action of the Indian Government and urging the UK Government to press for a resolution of the crisis based on the principles outlined in this motion.
2. The Chief Executive asked to write to the Borough’s three MPs thanking them for the action that they had already taken and ask them to use all parliamentary measures at their disposal to support the principles outlined in this motion.
Motion 2 – Oldham’s Urban Forest
Councillor Jabbar MOVED and Councillor Hulme SECONDED the following MOTION:
“This Council notes the following results from the i-Tree eco projects as detailed in the report ‘Valuing Oldham’s Urban Forest’:
- There are over 465,000 trees in the Borough of Oldham.
- The Borough’s trees remove around 65 tonnes of pollution from Oldham’s air each year.
- Oldham’s trees store more than 65,000 tonnes of Carbon and sequester a further 3000 tonnes per annum.
- Trees in Oldham helps cause 200,0003 of stormwater runoff to be avoided.
Council further notes that Oldham is located in the proposed Northern Forest, an area spanning the whole of the North of England where it is proposed to plant 50 million new trees to increase tree cover from 7.6%, a figure which is well below the European average.
Recognising the benefits of trees to our Borough and our location in the proposed Northern Forest, Council therefore resolved to:
- Sign the Charter for Trees, Woods and People.
- Appoint a Champion to join the Woodland Trust’s active network of Tree Champions.”
Councillors Judd spoke in support of the Motion.
Councillor Jabbar exercised his right of reply.
On being put to the vote, the MOTION was therefore CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
RESOLVED that:
1. Oldham Council sign the Charter for Trees, Woods and People.
2. A Councillor be appointed to join the Woodland’s Trust active network of Tree Champions.