To consider Notices of Motion.

Motion – Evening Meetings

Councillor Hitchiner proposed and introduced the motion.

Councillor Crockett seconded the motion.

Councillor Hurcomb proposed an amendment to the motion as below:

Statutory Council meetings to which the public have access are held during the normal working day. This limits the ability of members of the public who are in full time employment to attend in person. It is also a discouragement for members of the public who may consider standing for election as they must take time off from their work to attend these meetings.

During the previous administration some Cabinet meetings were held outside Hereford (in Leominster and Ewyas Harold) and on one occasion in the evening. This was discontinued because Covid made it so difficult and it does indicate that making such arrangements is practical.

This motion is intended to be one small step towards opening up meetings to more members of the public and enable younger councillors to come forward for election. This notice of motion proposes that:

The Executive be asked to consider how practical, and review the cost implications, of holding statutory Council meetings (including Full Council, Cabinet and Scrutiny* meetings) in the evenings and also in Market Towns and report back to Full Council.

In broad terms the request is that one or two Full Council meetings each year should be held in the evenings and the times and locations of Cabinet meetings shall ensure that at least one third are held at locations other than Hereford (but in Herefordshire) and at least one third are held in the evening.

The times and locations of all meetings of the Planning and Regulatory Committee, Scrutiny Committees and the Audit and Governance Committee be considered by each Committee.

* text in bold – additional text in the amendment to the original motion

Councillor Rob Williams seconded the amendment.

Council debated the amendment for which there was wide support. The proposer and seconder of the original motion provided consent for its alteration in line with the amendment proposed above. Council signified its consent for the alteration.

The motion, as altered above, was put to the vote and was carried by a simple majority.

RESOLVED – that:

Statutory Council meetings to which the public have access are held during the normal working day. This limits the ability of members of the public who are in full time employment to attend in person. It is also a discouragement for members of the public who may consider standing for election as they must take time off from their work to attend these meetings.

During the previous administration some Cabinet meetings were held outside Hereford (in Leominster and Ewyas Harold) and on one occasion in the evening. This was discontinued because Covid made it so difficult and it does indicate that making such arrangements is practical.

This motion is intended to be one small step towards opening up meetings to more members of the public and enable younger councillors to come forward for election. This notice of motion proposes that:

The Executive be asked to consider how practical, and review the cost implications, of holding statutory Council meetings (including Full Council, Cabinet and Scrutiny meetings) in the evenings and also in Market Towns and report back to Full Council.

Motion – Agricultural Water Security in Herefordshire

Councillor O’Driscoll proposed and introduced the motion.

Councillor Tillett seconded the motion.

Council debated the motion. There was support across the chamber for the motion.

The motion was put to the vote and the motion was carried unanimously.

RESOLVED – that:

Council notes the significant challenges faced by Herefordshire farmers and growers following the prolonged periods of extreme heat and dry weather this summer, highlighting the importance of reliable access to water for the resilience of our farming sector and the food it produces. Council recognises that increasing on-farm water storage can improve resilience, but that the cost and complexity of planning, regulation and construction can present significant barriers.

Council therefore resolves to request the Executive:

1.              Convene a Herefordshire Agricultural Water Security Roundtable, bringing together a representative group of local farmers and growers, the NFU, CLA, Herefordshire Rural Hub, the Environment Agency, water companies and relevant Council services, to identify the principal barriers to improving agricultural water resilience and where the Council and its partners can most effectively assist.

2.              Review recent agricultural reservoir and water-storage applications in Herefordshire to identify unnecessary costs, delays, uncertainty or complexity and learn from schemes which have successfully progressed through the planning system.

3.              Explore the creation of a clearly signposted farm-reservoir planning pathway, providing farmers with greater clarity about planning and environmental requirements at an early stage and helping appropriate schemes navigate the process as efficiently as possible.

4.              Explore opportunities to reduce the financial barriers faced by farmers developing water-storage schemes, including identifying available national or external funding, grants and support, and considering whether earlier or better coordinated planning advice and other practical assistance could help reduce the costs associated with bringing appropriate schemes forward.

5.              Ensure agricultural water resilience informs the emerging Herefordshire Local Plan, taking account of the evidence and recommendations arising from this work.

6.         Report the findings and recommendations of this work to Full Council no later than 5 March 2027, including actions that can reasonably be taken locally and any changes which require representations to Government, regulators or other bodies.