1) Motion calling for a ban on trail hunting on council owned land
North Yorkshire Council does not allow illegal activity on our land. As cited by Chief Supt Matt Longman, the National Police Chief’s Council lead on foxhunting, the 2004 Hunting Act is not working effectively and illegal hunting is still common practice. Under the act, hunting mammals with hounds is banned but trail hunts using the scent of animals are allowed to take place. Across the country, hunts are using trail hunts as a loophole to carry on hunting foxes and other animals. So called terrier men are frequently present with shovels and terriers, while scent trails are often not present.
There have even been online sessions that tell people how to avoid being caught by using trail hunting as a smokescreen for the hunting of foxes. The Hunting Act is unworkable and leaves the police caught in the middle of the hunting debate.
Public confidence is being eroded.
A recent FOI request to NYC asking if trail hunting takes place on council owned land produced a reply stating that “we are not aware of any trail hunting activity that takes place on council owned land”.
A similar response from the Exec when asked same.
North Yorkshire is the largest county in England. There are thirteen Hunts in North Yorkshire according to “northyorkshirehorse” and the BHSA (British Hounds Sports Assoc): Derwent, Sinnington, York & Ainsty North, Bedale, Bilsdale, Cleveland, Goathland & Glaisdale, Hurworth, Middleton, Staintondale, Highmoor Bloodhounds, West of Yore, York & Ainsty South.
This council has a duty to uphold the law. We must be pro-active. In order to guarantee the safety of North Yorkshire’s wildlife I present the following motion to council.
We call upon Council:
“This council resolves to ban trail hunting, exempt hunting, hound exercise and hunt meets outright across all council land where legally possible, including any NEW tenancies where there are positive covenants attached to the land that currently require the council as owner to allow trail hunting events and formal gatherings.”
We request that the Chairman considers that the matter be debated today at Council without being referred to the Executive or a relevant committee. This is because the hunting season is September to March and therefore this motion requires debating at the July full council as to do so in November will potentially put the lives of wildlife at risk.
Proposer – Cllr Rich Maw
Seconder – Cllr Arnold Warneken.
2) Motion calling for a 20mph speed limit to be introduced across south and west Harrogate
North Yorkshire Council resolves to: implement a maximum speed of 20mph and other associated infrastructure across south and west Harrogate to protect children and other vulnerable members of the community in Oatlands, parts of Pannal, the Stray, Hookstone, St George’s and the Pannal Ash area.
a) This will be a standalone work package, separate from NYC 20mph policy (January 2022) and 20mph policy review (26 June 2023) and to note this is the first scheme of its type to address this issue which exists across the County, being a start for further schemes across the County and/or Harrogate & Knaresborough, specifically around schools
b) It will be integrated into the existing NYC Harrogate traffic management work programme and implemented with immediate effect;
c) NYC will work directly with the local campaign groups Oatlands Road Safety & Active Travel Campaign and Pannal Ash Safe Streets, the Road Safety School Group (including Head teachers & education leaders) and the Harrogate & Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee (ACC) on the detail and delivery of the package;
d) NYC will ensure this has no effect on the agreed and committed Sustainable Transport Package of road safety and infrastructure improvements in the Pannal Ash area. This will be ring-fenced and protected (and has a budget of c£565,000 from the National Productivity Investment fund).
Further notes/information:
Schools and Education Settings in area:
Oatlands area:
• Oatlands Infant School
• Oatlands Junior School
• St John Fishers CE School
• St Aidan’s CE School
• Busy Bees Nurseries (South Drive and Hornbeam Park)
• Harrogate College
• Willow Tree Primary School
Pannal Ash area:
• Harrogate Grammar School
• Rossett Acre Primary School
• Rossett School (Secondary)
• Ashville College
• Ashville Sports Centre
• Rossett Sports Centre
• Busy Bees Nursery, Otley Road
Proposer – Cllr Pat Marsh
Seconder – Cllr Arnold Warneken.
3) Motion calling for a national ban on the sale of disposable vapes
The recent increase in availability and use of disposal vapes has led to the position where it is estimated that £1.3 million of them are thrown away each week. The recycling and disposal of the vapes poses many challenges as they contain potentially dangerous metals, battery acid, and nicotine. Many of these disposable vapes are also littered in the street and pose an environmental risk as they enter the water course and soil surface. I therefore call upon Council to write to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to urge for a national ban on the sale of disposable vapes.
Proposer – Cllr Kevin Foster
Seconder - Cllr Rich Maw.
4) Motion regarding Northern Powergrid and calls for increased network capacity
This Council confirms its commitment to:
(1) become carbon neutral in its own operations as soon as is practical.
(2) play a leading role in assisting individuals, communities, businesses and other organisations to dramatically reduce their carbon emissions.
This Council notes that:
(1) delivering many of the proposed projects to reduce carbon emissions in North Yorkshire will require significant additional capacity and connections to the electricity distribution network.
(2) Northern Powergrid, the monopoly supplier of electricity distribution in North Yorkshire, seems unable to deliver the required capacity and connections in a timely or affordable way.
This Council asks Northern Powergrid to:
(1) explain how and when it intends to increase its capacity to enable North Yorkshire to achieve its climate change goals.
(2) increase its investment in the electricity network, including in smart grids, to ensure that the residents and organisations that invest in generating energy locally benefit from higher economic and environmental returns.
(3) outline any barriers that might prevent or delay it increasing network capacity and investment.
(4) explore how this Council might assist it to overcome such barriers.
Proposer – Cllr Richard Foster
Seconder – Cllr Nigel Knapton
5) Motion calling for support for a bathing water application for the River Nidd
This council supports a bathing water application to the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) for the Lido on the River Nidd in Knaresborough.
This Council notes that the Nidd Action Group (a group dedicated to improving the water quality in the whole of the River Nidd) is working with other individuals and organisations on a bathing water application for the River Nidd in Knaresborough and that this application requires the support of the local authority which is North Yorkshire Council.
This council believes:
1) That the River Nidd is an important resource for the people of Knaresborough and the wider North Yorkshire area.
2) That improving the quality of the River Nidd would have significant benefits for the environment, public health, recreation, and the local economy.
3) That supporting the bathing water application for the River Nidd is in the best interests of the people of Knaresborough and North Yorkshire.
This Council resolves:
To express its support for the bathing water application for the Lido at the River Nidd in Knaresborough.
Proposer – Cllr Paul Haslam
Seconder – Cllr Nathan Hull.
6) Motion regarding water quality and associated improvements in, health, wildlife, biodiversity and economy
This Council resolves to:
1) Recognise it has a role to protect the rivers, watercourse and seas in North Yorkshire and precious habitats these support as far as possible from the cumulative impacts of pollution, including in line with its local planning policy and the National Planning Policy Framework.
2) Be aware that there is evidence of deterioration of water quality due to the cumulative impact of nitrates phosphates, micro-plastics, pharmaceuticals, historical metal mining activities, and multiple sewage discharge events from diffuse and point source pollution including private and statutory waste treatment systems and seek to better understand the impact on our local rivers, wildlife and the health of our residents.
3) Draw on relevant evidence that assesses the cumulative impact of pollution so that this is appropriately factored into the emerging North Yorkshire plan, including the overall level of future development
4) Ask the Transport, Economy, Environment and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee to invite senior representatives from Yorkshire Water, the Environment Agency, Yorkshire Dales River Trust, Nidd Action Group, Natural England, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and other interested groups to attend a meeting to allow for a better understanding of the current levels of pollution and remedial action being taken in this regard.
5) Ask Yorkshire Water, from this date onwards, in its planning consultation responses for major developments, to clarify which treatment works will be managing the sewage; confirm that these treatment works have the additional capacity to take waste from agreed developments and whether it has the information available to assess the impact on the number or duration of sewage discharges into local rivers or seas, and if it does have this information to share it (noting that this can only be requested not required).
6) Request that planning assessments, from now onwards, include in all reports on major developments appropriate coverage of the impact on watercourses, including the potential for the development to affect sewage outflow into watercourses, so that this information is clearly and transparently set out. related to this is reducing the impact of surface water and encouraging the installation of Sustainable Urban Drainage systems (SUDs) on new developments. whether this could be a standard for North Yorkshire
7) Ask the Leader and appropriate Executive Members to collaborate with other Local Authorities facing similar water quality problems in order to best understand how we can use our influence to reduce and mitigate the damage done to our watercourses.
8) This Council plays its part in securing bathing water status for the Lido on the River Nidd in Knaresborough and any other applications in North Yorkshire
This motion has been endorsed by the: Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust; River Ure Conservation Trust.
Proposer – Cllr Arnold Warneken
Seconder – Cllr Mike Schofield.
Minutes:
The Chair, Councillor David Ireton, advised that six Notices of Motion had been submitted. The proposer and seconder of the motion relating to trail hunting on Council owned land be debated on the day of Council and not referred to the Executive or relevant Committee, for the reasons given on page 5 of the agenda pack. The Chair confirmed that he had ruled as follows on each of the submitted motions:
(1) Ban on trail hunting on NYC land – motion to be referred to the Corporate and Partnerships Overview and Scrutiny Committee
(2) A 20mph speed limit in the south and west of Harrogate – motion withdrawn by proposer
(3) Council support for a national ban on the sale of disposable vapes – motion withdrawn by proposer
(4) Northern Powergrid and calls for increased network capacity – motion to be debated at the meeting
(5) Bathing water application for the River Nidd – motion to be debated at the meeting
(6) Water quality and the role that the Council has to play – motion to be referred to the Transport, Economy, Environment and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee
(1) Motion calling for a ban on trail hunting on council owned land
North Yorkshire Council does not allow illegal activity on our land. As cited by Chief Supt Matt Longman, the National Police Chief’s Council lead on foxhunting, the 2004 Hunting Act is not working effectively and illegal hunting is still common practice. Under the act, hunting mammals with hounds is banned but trail hunts using the scent of animals are allowed to take place. Across the country, hunts are using trail hunts as a loophole to carry on hunting foxes and other animals. So called terrier men are frequently present with shovels and terriers, while scent trails are often not present.
There have even been online sessions that tell people how to avoid being caught by using trail hunting as a smokescreen for the hunting of foxes. The Hunting Act is unworkable and leaves the police caught in the middle of the hunting debate.
Public confidence is being eroded.
A recent FOI request to NYC asking if trail hunting takes place on council owned land produced a reply stating that “we are not aware of any trail hunting activity that takes place on council owned land”.
A similar response from the Exec when asked same.
North Yorkshire is the largest county in England. There are thirteen Hunts in North Yorkshire according to “northyorkshirehorse” and the BHSA (British Hounds Sports Assoc): Derwent, Sinnington, York & Ainsty North, Bedale, Bilsdale, Cleveland, Goathland & Glaisdale, Hurworth, Middleton, Staintondale, Highmoor Bloodhounds, West of Yore, York & Ainsty South.
This council has a duty to uphold the law. We must be pro-active. In order to guarantee the safety of North Yorkshire’s wildlife I present the following motion to council.
We call upon Council:
“This council resolves to ban trail hunting, exempt hunting, hound exercise and hunt meets outright across all council land where legally possible, including any NEW tenancies where there are positive covenants attached to the land that currently require the council as owner to allow trail hunting events and formal gatherings.”
We request that the Chairman considers that the matter be debated today at Council without being referred to the Executive or a relevant committee. This is because the hunting season is September to March and therefore this motion requires debating at the July full council as to do so in November will potentially put the lives of wildlife at risk.
Proposer – Councillor Rich Maw
Seconder – Councillor Arnold Warneken
The motion was moved and seconded and referred to the Corporate and Partnerships Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
(2) Motion calling for a 20mph speed limit to be introduced across south and west Harrogate
North Yorkshire Council resolves to: implement a maximum speed of 20mph and other associated infrastructure across south and west Harrogate to protect children and other vulnerable members of the community in Oatlands, parts of Pannal, the Stray, Hookstone, St George’s and the Pannal Ash area.
a) This will be a standalone work package, separate from NYC 20mph policy (January 2022) and 20mph policy review (26 June 2023) and to note this is the first scheme of its type to address this issue which exists across the County, being a start for further schemes across the County and/or Harrogate & Knaresborough, specifically around schools
b) It will be integrated into the existing NYC Harrogate traffic management work programme and implemented with immediate effect;
c) NYC will work directly with the local campaign groups Oatlands Road Safety & Active Travel Campaign and Pannal Ash Safe Streets, the Road Safety School Group (including Head teachers & education leaders) and the Harrogate & Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee (ACC) on the detail and delivery of the package;
d) NYC will ensure this has no effect on the agreed and committed Sustainable Transport Package of road safety and infrastructure improvements in the Pannal Ash area. This will be ring-fenced and protected (and has a budget of c£565,000 from the National Productivity Investment fund).
Further notes/information:
Schools and Education Settings in area:
Oatlands area:
Pannal Ash area:
Proposer – Councillor Pat Marsh
Seconder – Councillor Arnold Warneken
The motion was withdrawn by the proposer and seconder as the Executive decision relating to the review of the 20 mph speed limit and zone policy was now the subject of a call-in.
(3) Motion calling for a national ban on the sale of disposable vapes
The recent increase in availability and use of disposal vapes has led to the position where it is estimated that £1.3 million of them are thrown away each week. The recycling and disposal of the vapes poses many challenges as they contain potentially dangerous metals, battery acid, and nicotine. Many of these disposable vapes are also littered in the street and pose an environmental risk as they enter the water course and soil surface. I therefore call upon Council to write to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to urge for a national ban on the sale of disposable vapes.
Proposer – Councillor Kevin Foster
Seconder – Councillor Rich Maw
The motion was withdrawn by the proposer and seconder as the Leader had committed to make representation to the Secretary of State on this matter.
(4) Motion regarding Northern Powergrid and calls for increased network capacity
The Notice of Motion was moved by Councillor Richard Foster and seconded by Councillor Bryn Griffiths.
The motion was then debated.
An amendment to the motion was moved by Councillor Neil Swannick and seconded by Councillor Jack Proud that
Third paragraph.delete the line “This Council asks Northern Powergrid to:” and replace with:
“This Council instructs its Chief Executive to write to the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) about Northern Powergrid’s apparent failure to address the implications of the Government’s policy commitment to a fully decarbonised power system by the year 2035; and to ask Ofgem to require Northern Powergrid or any successor Distribution Network Operator (DNO) to:”
The amendment was then debated. It was moved and seconded that Council move to the vote, and on a vote being taken 61 Members voted for the motion, 14 voted against and there was 1 abstention.
On a vote being taken on the amendment 28 Members voted for the amendment, 47 voted against and there was 1 abstention. The amendment therefore fell.
A further amendment was moved by Councillor Steve Mason and seconded by Councillor Sam Cross that the words “as soon as is practical” be deleted from line two. On a vote being taken on the amendment 34 Members voted for the amendment and 46 voted against, there were no abstentions. The amendment therefore fell.
It was moved and seconded that the Council move to the vote on the Notice of Motion as submitted and on a vote being taken the motion to move to the vote was carried.
On a vote being taken on the substantive motion 75 Members voted for the motion, there were no votes against and there was one abstention and therefore the Chair declared the motion carried.
Resolved –
This Council confirms its commitment to:
(1) become carbon neutral in its own operations as soon as is practical.
(2) play a leading role in assisting individuals, communities, businesses and other organisations to dramatically reduce their carbon emissions.
This Council notes that:
(1) delivering many of the proposed projects to reduce carbon emissions in North Yorkshire will require significant additional capacity and connections to the electricity distribution network.
(2) Northern Powergrid, the monopoly supplier of electricity distribution in North Yorkshire, seems unable to deliver the required capacity and connections in a timely or affordable way.
This Council asks Northern Powergrid to:
(1) explain how and when it intends to increase its capacity to enable North Yorkshire to achieve its climate change goals.
(2) increase its investment in the electricity network, including in smart grids, to ensure that the residents and organisations that invest in generating energy locally benefit from higher economic and environmental returns.
(3) outline any barriers that might prevent or delay it increasing network capacity and investment.
(4) explore how this Council might assist it to overcome such barriers.
Proposer – Councillor Richard Foster
Seconder – Councillor Nigel Knapton
(5) Motion calling for support for a bathing water application for the River Nidd
The Notice of Motion was moved by Councillor Paul Haslam and seconded by Councillor Nathan Hull.
The motion was then debated.
It was moved and seconded that the Council move to the vote on the Notice of Motion as submitted and on a vote being taken the motion to move to the vote was carried.
On a vote being taken on the substantive motion the Chair declared the motion carried unanimously.
Resolved –
This council supports a bathing water application to the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) for the Lido on the River Nidd in Knaresborough.
This Council notes that the Nidd Action Group (a group dedicated to improving the water quality in the whole of the River Nidd) is working with other individuals and organisations on a bathing water application for the River Nidd in Knaresborough and that this application requires the support of the local authority which is North Yorkshire Council.
This council believes:
1) That the River Nidd is an important resource for the people of Knaresborough and the wider North Yorkshire area.
2) That improving the quality of the River Nidd would have significant benefits for the environment, public health, recreation, and the local economy.
3) That supporting the bathing water application for the River Nidd is in the best interests of the people of Knaresborough and North Yorkshire.
This Council resolves:
To express its support for the bathing water application for the Lido at the River Nidd in Knaresborough.
Proposer – Councillor Paul Haslam
Seconder – Councillor Nathan Hull
(6) Motion regarding water quality for improvements in, health, wildlife, biodiversity and economy
This Council resolves to:
This motion has been endorsed by the: Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust; River Ure Conservation Trust.
Proposer – Councillor Arnold Warneken
Seconder – Councillor Mike Schofield
The motion was moved and seconded and referred to the Transport, Economy, Environment and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee.