To consider Notices of Motion.

Council debated the motions contained in the report by the Director of Law and Governance.

 

Motion – Securing Herefordshire’s Role in the UK and European Defence Industrial Strategy

 

Councillor O’Driscoll proposed and introduced the motion.

 

Councillor James seconded the motion.

 

Council debated the motion. There was support across the majority of Council for the recommendations contained in the motion but concern was expressed by some members regarding the inclusion of munition and ammunition manufacturing in Herefordshire.

 

The motion was put to the recorded vote and was carried by a simple majority.

 

FOR (38): Councillors Andrews, Baker, Bartrum, Biggs, Bramer, Carwardine, Cole, Cornthwaite, Clare Davies, Dave Davies, Durkin, Dykes, Foxton, Gandy, Hamblin, Highfield, Hurcomb, James, Kenyon, Lester, O’Driscoll, Oliver, Owens, Phillips, Dan Powell, Price, Proctor, Simmons, Spencer, Stark, Stoddart, Stone, Swinglehurst, Taylor, Thomas, Tillett, Allan Williams and Robert Williams.

 

Against (2): Councillors Harvey and Woodall.

 

Abstentions (10): Councillors Bartlett, Boulter, Engel, Fagan, Gennard, Hitchiner, Peberdy, Ivan Powell, Toynbee and Tully.

 

RESOLVED:

 

This Council notes:

 

·       The publication of the UK Government’s Strategic Defence Review 2025 – Making Britain Safer: Secure at Home, Strong Abroad, which sets out plans to make defence an engine for economic growth across the UK.

 

·       The SDR’s headline commitments, including:

 

 

·       The announcement of a defence partnership between the UK and EU enabling UK companies to access EU defence programmes, including the €150 billion SAFE initiative and wider €800 billion ReArm programme thereby potentially unlocking substantial export and inward investment opportunities.

 

            This Council further recognises:

 

• Herefordshire’s proud history in the defence sector, including its longstanding role in munitions production, Special Forces presence, and engineering excellence.

 

• The county’s strong foundations in advanced manufacturing and potential to host one of the government’s planned new munitions and energetics factories.

 

            This Council resolves to ask the executive to:

 

1. Develop a Herefordshire Advanced Manufacturing and Defence Prospectus, highlighting the county’s strategic readiness to host defence-related investment, including a munitions facility, with a focus on clean and sustainable manufacturing.

 

2. Formally write to the Secretary of State for Defence, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the Ministry for Business and Trade, urging them to consider Herefordshire as a location for one of the planned new factories and associated supply chain investment.

 

3. Call on the Government to support rural areas like Herefordshire by:

o   Prioritising infrastructure upgrades in strategic industrial zones;

o   Establishing an investment support scheme modelled on Enterprise Zones;

o   Fast-tracking planning for clean-tech and defence-linked developments.

 

4. Engage with UK defence primes and SMEs to promote supply chain expansion in the county, particularly for dual-use and green defence technologies.

 

5. Work with FE and HE providers to align training and apprenticeships with the emerging needs of the UK and European defence sector.

 

6.     Ensure that all defence-linked investment is underpinned by Herefordshire’s values of environmental responsibility, ethical governance, and community benefit.

 

 

Motion – Future of Neighbourhood Planning services

 

Councillor Dave Davies proposed and introduced the motion.

 

Councillor Rob Willams seconded the motion.

 

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

 

The motion was put to the vote and was carried by a simple majority.

 

RESOLVED:

 

Herefordshire Council acknowledges that:

 

• Neighbourhood planning empowers local communities to shape the development and growth of their areas through the creation of Neighbourhood Plans.
• The preparation of Neighbourhood Plans requires significant time, expertise, and financial resources, often placing a burden on parish and town councils.
• Neighbourhood Plans contribute to more democratic, locally-informed planning decisions and support the delivery of sustainable development aligned with community needs and aspirations.

 

Therefore it is Resolved to –

 

1. Call upon the Chief Executive to contact His Majesty’s Government to provide increased and sustained funding to support the development, review, and implementation of Neighbourhood Plans.
2. Request that the Government ensures funding is accessible to all communities, to promote inclusivity and fairness in the planning process.
3. Write to Herefordshire MPs and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government to communicate this resolution and advocate for enhanced support for neighbourhood planning.

 

 

Motion – Housing Targets

 

Councillor Harvey proposed and introduced the motion.

 

Councillor Toynbee seconded the motion.

 

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

 

The motion was put to the recorded vote and was carried by a simple majority.

 

FOR (49): Councillors Andrews, Baker, Bartlett, Bartrum, Biggs, Boulter, Bramer, Carwardine, Cole, Cornthwaite, Clare Davies, Dave Davies, Durkin, Dykes, Engel, Fagan, Foxton, Gandy, Gennard, Hamblin, Harvey, Highfield, Hitchiner, Hurcomb, James, Lester, O’Driscoll, Oliver, Owens, Peberdy, Phillips, Dan Powell, Ivan Powell, Price, Proctor, Simmons, Spencer, Stark, Stoddart, Stone, Swinglehurst, Taylor, Thomas, Tillett, Toynbee, Tully, Allan Williams, Robert Williams and Woodall.

 

Against (1): Councillor Kenyon.

 

Abstentions (0):

 

RESOLVED:

 

In July 2024 Herefordshire along with every other planning authority in the country, received a letter from the Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, in which she gave notice of the government’s intention to impose significantly increased top-down housing growth targets on all local authorities.

 

Here in Herefordshire this has meant an increase of over 11,000 houses to our already ambitious housing delivery plans. Meaning that the update of our Local Plan looking out to 2041 is being challenged to impose nearly 28,000 new homes on our rural communities and already pressed urban centres.

 

This housing target comes without justification and without consideration of local conditions. The target is not evidence based, it is not positively prepared, it is not reasonable and it is not sympathetic to the nature of our county.

 

This Notice of Motion proposes that:

 

Whilst this council will – as requested by government – “make every effort to allocate land in line with our housing need, as per the standard method”, this Council fully supports our officers and our Cabinet in their actively seeking to “justify a lower housing requirement than the figure the method sets, on the basis of local constraints on land and constraints on delivery”.