Issue - meetings

Motions of Members

Meeting: 30/01/2019 - Council (Item 9)

9 MOTIONS OF MEMBERS pdf icon PDF 41 KB

A notice of motion, under Appendix 7 – paragraph 12 other than those listed in Appendix 7 – paragraph 10 of the Constitution must reach the Chief Executive at least ten clear days before the relevant Meeting of the Council.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Two Motions were received:

 

1.    ‘Ethical Debt Collection’, proposed by Councillor Gardner and seconded by Councillor Pickup.

 

An amendment to the Motion, proposed by Councillor Holland and seconded by Councillor Simon Tagg was submitted, as follows:

 

This Council believes: 

 

That it is incumbent on all local authorities to show care and consideration to its residents and not cause additional stress and debt burden to those in financial difficulty in pursuit of council tax arrears.

 

That bailiff should not be used in the collection of council tax owed by individual residents.

 

This Council resolves:

 

To review its debt collection policies and implement an ethical debt collection approach by asking the Finance, Assets and Performance Scrutiny Committee to review the Council’s debt collection policies and procedures and to make any recommendations.

 

To  endorse the council's policy of not using bailiffs for the collection of council tax arrears.

 

To ask the Leader to write to the Secretary of State for Justice supporting the Citizens Advice call for an independent regulator for the debt collection sector.

 

The amendment was accepted by Councillor Gardner.

 

Members discussed the Motion all welcoming its contents.  Councillor Simon Tagg stated that it needed to go to the appropriate scrutiny committee for further work. 

 

Councillor Kearon suggested that the Council’s website needed to be updated to clarify the issue regarding the use of bailiffs.

 

Resolved:     That the Motion, as amended, be carried.

 

 

 

2.    ‘The Future of our Local Health Services (North Staffordshire)’, proposed by councillor Gardner and seconded by Councillor Fox-Hewitt.

 

Members debated the Motion, all welcoming its contents.   Councillor Gardner paid tribute to a particular campaigner for this, who, despite being very ill, continued to give her support to the cause.

Resolved:                       That the motion be Carried.