Three Notices of Motion have been submitted.

NOTICE ONE:

Councillors: RJ Phillips and JP French submitted the following Notice of Motion as a matter of urgency.

“This Council affirms that the sustainable future for our City and County depends on creating more and better paid jobs, significantly increasing the number of homes, particularly affordable, improving leisure and shopping and procuring the supporting infrastructure.  This must include another bridge crossing over the Wye and relief roads for Hereford and Leominster.”

NOTICE TWO:

Councillors: MAF Hubbard, DJ Benjamin, JD Woodward and MD Lloyd-Hayes submitted the following Notice of Motion as a matter of urgency.

“In the light of the recent economic crisis and other changes to environmental, economic or social factors, Herefordshire Council calls on the Executive to suspend, defer and/or delay the implementation of the current proposals for retail development on the current cattle market site and the related link road.

The Council wishes to provide time for the development of Hereford City to be reconsidered and to determine whether the original merits of such proposals have fundamentally altered and what is possible and what is desirable.

The Council asks that the Executive urgently examines regeneration measures that will enhance the historic core of the city; support and enhance existing businesses; promote urgently needed, affordable and sustainable housing; improve public transport and the public realm; provide new and imaginative civic amenities; and encourage new leisure facilities, particularly for younger citizens.”

NOTICE THREE:

Councillors: AT Oliver and WLS Bowen submitted the following Notice of Motion as a matter of urgency.

“With reference to the Council’s objective to reduce CO2 emissions as set out in the Local Development Framework, Herefordshire Council recognises that it is a vital part of this strategy that all new buildings, whether houses, offices or industrial, should be low/zero carbon buildings, incorporating the best available technology, including renewable energy generation on site.  All new developments of 10 Houses or more should have to include energy from renewable sources on site.  As part of Herefordshire Council’s commitment to combat climate change this policy should be adopted at the earliest opportunity.

The Chairman informed Council that three notices of motion had been submitted as a matter of urgency. The first notice of motion was submitted by Councillors RJ Phillips and JP French:

This Council affirms that the sustainable future for our City and County depends on creating more and better paid jobs, significantly increasing the number of homes, particularly affordable, improving leisure and shopping and procuring the supporting infrastructure.  This must include another bridge crossing over the Wye and relief roads for Hereford and Leominster.

The Chairman ruled that the motion was urgent as it related to matters that had generated much public interest.

The second notice of motion has been submitted by Councillors MAF Hubbard, DJ Benjamin, JD Woodward and MD Lloyd-Hayes:

Herefordshire Council calls on the Executive to suspend, defer and/or delay the current proposals for retail development on the cattle market and the related link road, to provide time for the council to reconsider the development of Hereford city.

We believe that whatever the original merits of such proposals, the economic crisis has fundamentally altered what is possible and what is desirable.

We ask the Executive to urgently examine regeneration measures that will enhance the historic core of the city; support and enhance existing businesses; promote urgently needed, affordable and sustainable housing; improve public transport and the public realm; provide new and imaginative civic amenities; and encourage new leisure facilities, particularly for younger citizens.

The Chairman ruled urgency on the Motion as, similar to the first Motion; the issues had generated recent public interest.  As Council had been invited to suspend, delay or defer a current proposal, the motion should be considered as a matter of urgency.

The third notice of motion was submitted by Councillors AT Oliver and WLS Bowen

With reference to the Council’s objective to reduce CO2 emissions as set out in the Local Development Framework, Herefordshire Council recognises that it is a vital part of this strategy that all new buildings, whether houses, offices or industrial, should be low/zero carbon buildings, incorporating the best available technology, including renewable energy generation on site.  All new developments of 10 Houses or more should have to include energy from renewable sources on site.  As part of Herefordshire Council’s commitment to combat climate change this policy should be adopted at the earliest opportunity.

The Chairman ruled that the notice was not urgent, although its contents would be noted in order for a debate to take place when the Local Development Framework is considered in the future.  The Chairman added

The Leader rose to speak on the first Notice of Motion and made the following points:

·        Important issue for the city and county.

·        Unanimous support that Herefordshire needs to have investment in its city and market towns with leisure facilities, shops and affordable housing and for residents to be loyal to the county and not shop out of county.

·        There are 5,000 people on the housing waiting list.

·        Average pay is low at £20k per annum, which is not reflected in the cost of housing in the county.

·        If the ESG is delayed Herefordshire will loose funding not only for the link road but for flood alleviation projects.  An outer distributor road and additional river crossing are essential to future investors in the county.

·        Government has identified Herefordshire as a growth centre.  It is important Herefordshire maintains its status alongside neighbouring counties and retains its place as the capital of the Welsh Marches region.

·        There are only 20 major investment projects in the West Midlands and Herefordshire has two of them with the ESG and Affordable Housing.

• The upgrade of the retail on offer is essential and the upgrade of the Butter market was a key pivotal point.

·        Without the growth agenda the county would not be able to put forward a strong case for higher education and make the county viable and sustainable.

Councillor French reserved her right to speak until later.  Several Members spoke in support of the motion and made the following points:

·        The need for the development and infrastructure to support a more vibrant and sustainable county. 

·        Herefordshire, as a retail shopping centre, was described as average and ranked 113 and without the ESG would fall even further. 

·        Currently a number of residents shopped outside of the county. 

·        Herefordshire is one of six growth centres in the UK. 

·        Members were reminded that in a time of tight public expenditure it was essential that everyone supported the proposal.  If the development were delayed funding would be lost and it would be a long time before there was another opportunity for the county.

Councillor Hubbard stated that he felt that all were in agreement with the motion proposed and moved that the motion be put, this was seconded by Councillor Woodward and a named vote was taken.

On the first Notice of Motion Members’ voted:

For 47, Against 1, Abstentions 3.

On the second notice of motion Councillor Hubbard spoke and asked Members to do the right thing for the city and referred to the following points:

·        The problems caused in Wrexham were due to a shopping centre on the edge of the city, Hereford would be the same.

·        Agree need for improvements to the city and up grades to shops in centre, but believe way proposed would be disadvantageous to the city centre.

·        Need genuine extensive consultation with residents, shopkeepers / butter market stall holders.

·        Most agree no need for additional supermarket, believe a civic quarter would be a better option.

·        Need greater commitment to provide leisure facilities to include a new library.

·        Should provide car free housing in city centre.

·        Should find existing sites within the city centre and extend the ESG proposals to include the city centre.

·        Need to match the development to the ancient cathedral city that Hereford has.

·        A referendum should be held on ESG proposals alongside the May 2010 elections.

·        This is a 20 year project, do not believe that a short delay will loose all the funding or jeopardise the project.

·        ESG is stopping investors investing in Herefordshire as waiting to see what is going to happen.

It was felt by some Members’ that there was a certain amount of agreement regarding both Notices of Motion but disagreement lay with the proposal to ‘suspend, defer and/or delay’ on implementing the current proposals for the livestock market site and the related link road.  Members agreed that the scheme needed to be refined/amended and be more flexible to the current economic climate and to include the butter market development and design of New Market and Blueschool Streets.  However, it was essential to address traffic issues.

On the second Notice of Motion Members’ voted:

For 8, Against 31, Abstentions 12

The first Notice of Motion was carried.