Glasgow City Council Agenda - 27 June 2019, 13:00 Help

A meeting to be held at City Chambers, Glasgow at 13:00 on 27 June 2019.

Number Item
1Minutes of Council meeting of 16th May 2019 (Print 2, pages 75 to 91). View Papers
2Print 2 - Committees' minutes - Submitted for information and approval as a correct record only (page 92 onwards). View Papers
3Proposed Amendments to Council and Committee Standing Orders and Terms of Reference of Committees - Report by Council Business Manager. View Papers
4Changes to committee etc. View Papers
5Representation on outside bodies. View Papers
6Correspondence - Letter from Shirley-Anne Sommerville MSP in response to Council motion on Child Poverty. View Papers
7Questions. View Papers
8Notices of motions:-
(a)By Councillor Susan Aitken:-

"Council welcomes the publication of the Referendums (Scotland) Bill on 29th May and notes that it is expected to complete its parliamentary progress by the end of 2019. Council notes that the bill provides a legal framework for holding referendums on matters that are now, or in future, within the competence of the Scottish Parliament.

Council recalls that, in the 2016 EU Referendum, 67% of the electorate in Glasgow and 62% in Scotland voted to remain in the EU. As such, it condemns the UK Government's continual bypassing of the views of the Scottish Government and the interests of the people of Scotland; demonstrating that, far from being an equal partner within the UK, Scotland is acknowledged, even on such a critical matter, only if it aligns with that of the UK government.

Council notes with concern the number of candidates vying to succeed Theresa May as UK Prime Minister who are planning for the UK to leave the EU with no deal; an outcome which, it has been estimated by the UK Trade Observatory, would cost Glasgow over 11,000 jobs. Council expressly condemns suggestions that parliament be suspended until after October 31, the date the UK is scheduled to exit the EU.

Council recognises that, as Scotland is dragged towards the exit door of the EU by a Conservative Government for which we did not vote, and that the promises made by the No Campaign in the 2014 Independence Referendum lie in tatters, citizens in Glasgow and across Scotland are entitled to exercise their right to reject this future through a further referendum on independence.

Council agrees that a future independence referendum should be under the control of the Scottish Parliament and, under the guidance of the Electoral Commission, be fair and open, in line with established best practice, and command public confidence, and instructs the Leader of the Council to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Government Business and Constitutional Relations in support of these principles and of the aims of the Referendums (Scotland) Bill." View Papers
(b)By Councillor Martin McElroy:-

"Council notes that there are over 1,000 closes in this city that have alternative arrangements for presenting bins at the kerbside, agreed between Housing Associations and the Council. These arrangements generally involve private contractors, contracted by the Housing Association, performing the job previously performed by Glasgow City Council employees. Council further notes that these arrangements have been dubbed the Tenement Tax, including in the campaign by the GMB union.

Council believes that the use of innovative solutions to long standing problems should be explored. In some cases, it is entirely appropriate that the Council protect the health and safety of staff involved in collecting refuse.

However, Council believes that, in the majority of cases, this practice simply passes on the cost of presentation to Housing Associations and their residents, who already pay Council Tax in expectation of this service being provided.

Therefore, the Tenement Tax amounts to privatisation by the 'close' door, and is the result of ever growing pressures on staff time and resources, exacerbated by the Scottish Government's continued real-terms cuts to Glasgow City Council's core budget.

Council therefore resolves that the Tenement Tax should be scrapped." View Papers
(c)By Councillor Thomas Kerr:-

"Council notes the importance of social mobility and equality of opportunity in removing the barriers to aspiration and achievement faced by those from our deprived communities.

Council appreciates the work of Justine Greening MP in launching the Social Mobility Pledge, which represents a commitment from businesses and other employers to improve social mobility by signing up to the following three steps:-

a. partner with schools or colleges to provide coaching through quality careers advice, enrichment experience and/or mentoring to people from disadvantaged backgrounds or circumstances;

b. provide structured work experience and/or apprenticeship opportunities to people from disadvantaged backgrounds or circumstances;

c. adopt open employee recruitment practices which promote a level playing field for people from disadvantaged backgrounds or circumstances.

Council notes that Glasgow is already undertaking significant work which aligns with the aims of the Social Mobility Pledge. Council recognises that, by committing to the Pledge and becoming an accredited organisation, it will seek to continue this work and further demonstrate the Council's commitment to accessing and progressing talent from all backgrounds.

Council therefore resolves to join with Wandsorth Borough Council and Milton Keynes Council, as well as employers ranging from Morrisons to ITV and Manchester United FC, in committing to the Social Mobility Pledge and becoming a Pledge accredited employer. It further calls on other Glasgow employers, as well as local authorities throughout Scotland, to join this Council in signing up to the Social Mobility Pledge."  View Papers
(d)By Councillor Jon Molyneux:-

"Council notes that its strategic plan aims to support inclusive economic growth and understands that work is underway to develop ways of measuring and articulating that better.

Council believes this work is urgent in light of the recent Poverty and Inequality Commission report which concluded that 'very little has changed in how the inclusive economic growth agenda is being delivered since it became national policy four years ago.

Council understands there is growing consensus that GDP and other economic output measures are inherently inadequate due to their failure to reflect economic inequality, human wellbeing or environmental impacts, and their prioritisation of private riches over public wealth.

Council commends the work of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance and others who are advancing alternatives to GDP and notes that New Zealand - one of the comparator economies for Scotland highlighted in the Growth Commission report - has started to embrace wellbeing economics and has published what has been described as the world's first wellbeing budget.

Council further understands that the climate and ecological crises highlight the urgent need for economies to adapt so they function within finite planetary limits.

Council believes there is a compelling case to consider how concepts of wellbeing economics and degrowth can inform the city's future economic strategy and therefore resolves to create a cross party working group to take evidence from appropriate experts and report back to an appropriate committee within the current calendar year." View Papers
(e)By Councillor Rhiannon Spear:-

"Council welcomes Glasgow's first ever Social Enterprise Action Plan created in partnership with Glasgow's Social Enterprise Network and the city's Social Enterprise Board.

Council acknowledges the immense value that social enterprises bring to Glasgow with a net worth of over £1.6 billion and welcomes that over 84% of Glasgow's social enterprises pay at least the Scottish Living Wage.

Council commits to stimulating the social enterprise sector, developing stronger organisations by building capacity and promoting sustainability, as well as realising the market opportunities for social enterprises.

Council endorses the vision set out in the action plan that by championing social enterprise, where economic activity works for people and profit, and profit is used for social and environmental change, Glasgow will be recognised as the social enterprise capital of Scotland by 2028.

Council welcomes the step change in the relationship between the city and its social enterprises and welcomes a new commitment to partnership working which will build on the collaborative approach underpinned by the city's Third Sector Concordat and the Scottish Government's national Social Enterprise Action Plans."  View Papers
(f)By Councillor Feargal Dalton:-

"Glasgow City Council is a member of the Nuclear Free Local Authorities and the Hiroshima-led Mayors for Peace; both of which have been working for over 3 decades to promote multilateral nuclear disarmament.

NFLA and Mayors for Peace work with the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), which received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017 for its work in encouraging over two thirds of United Nations members to agree to the International Treaty to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). Council regrets that the Governments of the existing nuclear weapon states, including the UK, refuse to support the Treaty. Council fully supports the TPNW as one of the most effective ways to bring about long-term and verifiable multilateral nuclear disarmament.

The Council also calls on the United Kingdom Government to lead a global effort to prevent nuclear war by:

Renouncing the option of using nuclear weapons first;

Cancelling the plan to replace its entire Trident nuclear arsenal with enhanced weapons; and

Actively pursuing a verifiable agreement among nuclear-armed states to eliminate their nuclear arsenals by supporting the Treaty to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons and the 'Good Faith' Protocols within the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The Council will ask the Chief Executive to write to the UK Government to inform them of this resolution and urge them to take account of it." View Papers
9Emergency motion by Councillor Matt Kerr:-

"Council notes widespread concern about provision of bus services; the recent announcement by First Group to put its Scottish operations on sale; notes that Aberdeen City Council has instructed its officers to explore options including purchase of First's Aberdeen bus assets.

Council further notes the petition launched by Get Glasgow Moving on Wednesday, 19th June which has received over 3,500 signatures.

Council therefore instructs the Administration and the Chief Executive to engage with neighbouring local authorities, through the regional transport partnership, and First Group with a view to preparing an appraisal of options relating to purchase of local bus operational assets; instructs that support is sought from central Government for these proposals; and that a report be provided to the Council's Transport Delivery Steering Group as soon as practical after recess."
 View Papers