| Item | Description | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| PART 1 - PUBLIC | ||
| MATTERS FOR RECOMMENDATION TO THE CABINET | ||
| CD 06/003 |
Notice of Motion Submitted Pursuant to Council Procedure Rule No 5.17 |
A Notice of Motion in respect of the Sustainable Communities Bill submitted to the Council meeting on 13 December 2005 was remitted to the Advisory Board for consideration. The Board considered the Motion together with an alternative proposal which supported the principles of the Sustainable Communities Bill but not the totality of the detail of the Motion. RECOMMENDED: That (1) 'Local Works' be informed that (i) the Council supports the concept of sustainable communities; (ii) the Council considers that the Sustainable Communities Bill is flawed, through complexity and unrealistic provisions and processes and is unlikely to achieve the legitimate aspirations of local people for sustainable communities; (iii) it should note the concern of the Council about the effect on local people, in particular the elderly and those on low incomes and local communities resulting from unsustainable services and facilities and the consequential impact on employment, pollution, exclusion and involvement in those communities; (iv) it should acknowledge the Council's Community Strategy, its leadership of the West Kent Partnership and its involvement with the Kent County Council's Vision, which all contribute to addressing issues of concern to local communities within the Borough and note that the process suggested in the Sustainable Communities Bill may lead to duplication of effort; (v) it should support the comments made by the Council in the Vision for Kent consultation process; (vi) it should urge the return of Business Rates to the control of the Council; (vii) it should note the Council's regret that the Sustainable Communities Bill does not provide an appropriate or achievable mechanism for the realisation of its laudable underlying objectives as it fails to recognise that some elements of increasing unsustainability are the consequence of, or are worsened by, Government actions, either directly or through unelected, unaccountable and undemocratic Regions; (viii) the Council reasserts its view that Regional Government should be abolished and powers returned to directly elected local government; (ix) the Council believes that the market will determine the provision, availability and sustainability of commercial services, but that the Government should, through the grant system, enable local government and the private sector to ameliorate detrimental impacts for vulnerable individuals and local communities; and (x) it should note and consider the content of a measure enacted by the Irish parliament aimed at achieving sustainable communities; and (2) the Council's observations to Local Works on the Sustainable Communities Bill and, therefore, Early Day Motion 641, be forwarded to local Members of Parliament for their information. *Referred to Cabinet |