Meeting Details

Up to eight members of the public may make representations to Full Council meetings on any item on the agenda or any other matter relating to the business of Council. Each representation may be no more than three minutes. Members of the public wishing to address Cabinet must register their wish to address the meeting by e-mailing democratic.services@colchester.gov.uk by 12.00 noon on the working day before the meeting. In addition, a written copy of the representation should be supplied.

Councillors will be asked to say if there are any items on the agenda about which they have a disclosable pecuniary interest which would prevent them from participating in any discussion of the item or participating in any vote upon the item, or any other registerable interest or non-registerable interest.

A... Motion that the minutes of the meeting held on 16 October 2024 be confirmed as a correct record.

B... Motion that the recommendation in the draft minute from the Cabinet meeting of 27 November 2024 be approved and adopted (to follow).

C... Motion that the recommendation contained in the draft minute of the Cabinet meeting of 27 November 2024 be approved and adopted (to follow).

D... Motion that the recommendation contained in the draft minute of the Cabinet meeting of 27 November 2024 be approved and adopted (to follow).

E... Motion that the Governance and Audit Committee Annual Report 2023-24 be approved and adopted (see minute 449 of the Governance and Audit Committee meeting of 10 September 2024).

Council will consider the following Motions:-

(Note: The maximum length of time for the consideration of all such motions shall be 80 minutes. In the event that a motion is still being debated when the 80 minutes have elapsed the Mayor shall invite the proposer of the motion to respond to the debate and then move straight to the vote.)

Motion F

Proposer: Councillor J. Young,  Seconder: Councillor Goacher

This Council
 
a. Supports the 20s Plenty for Colchester campaign.

b. Calls upon Essex County Council to implement 20mph in Colchester; 

c. Resolves to write to Essex County Council to request 20mph speed limits on streets throughout the authority where people live, work, play or learn, and that 30mph speed limits only be used as the exception and only after full consideration of the needs of vulnerable road users.

Motion G

Proposer: Councillor Sunnucks

This Council notes that

1. Colchester built 19,817 dwellings in the last 20 years , more than any other town in Essex.  Its population grew by 23%  over a similar period without proportionate improvements to its transport and other infrastructure

2. As a result Colchester bears a disproportionate share of the Essex-wide £11billion deficit in transport infrastructure.

3. Colchester’s housebuilding target has increased by 40%, implying an acceleration in its annual population growth to 1.6% per annum.

4. Developers can reasonably be expected to fund directly related infrastructure, but funding for major roads must come from other sources because their costs are so high and their benefits so widespread.

5. Residents will resist development if they see that their lives will be impacted by congestion and too few schools, GPs and other services.

This Council therefore resolves that:

1. It will write to MHCLG explaining that Colchester cannot meet its new housing targets without Government funding for the necessary infrastructure.  In particular we need the promised A12 upgrade to three lanes from Chelmsford to Marks Tey, the A120 dualling from Braintree to the A12 and the full A1331 Link Road between the A133 and A120 at Tendring-Colchester Borders, without which our residents will experience gridlock

2. The infrastructure audit commissioned in 2022 will be completed in advance of the Local Plan review and we will plan new housing on an ‘infrastructure first’ basis.
 

Motion H

Proposer: Councillor Çufoglu

This Council notes:

• That all residents, no matter their nationality, bring significant value to the area.
• One in six usual residents of England and Wales were born outside the UK.
• 14.51% of Colcestrians were born abroad and 6.75% are from Europe, 4.26% are from Middle East and Asia, 2.28% are from Africa, 0.96% is from the Americas and the Caribbean, and 0.26% Antarctica and Oceania (including Australasia) and Other.
• One in four usual residents of Castle ward were born outside the UK.
• Around one in four residents of Greenstead Ward and Mile End Ward were born outside the UK.
• Over 1 million residents across England and Northern Ireland do not have a right to vote. 
• Scotland and Wales have extended the franchise to allow all residents with lawful immigration status to vote.
• A poll conducted by Number Cruncher showed that 63% of people agree that all residents should have the right to vote in local elections in England and Northern Ireland.
• The current complexity in voting eligibility causes confusion and will reduce voter turnout in local elections amongst migrant voters, a group which already has a disproportionately lower voter registration rate compared to British voters.
• 15 local authorities across England have passed motions asking for the right to vote to be extended to all residents in local elections. 

This Council commits to:

• Write to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and the relevant shadow frontbenchers requesting that the franchise for local elections be extended to all qualifying foreign nationals in England and Northern Ireland in line with eligibility criteria in Scotland and Wales. 
• Write to the local Members of Parliament asking for their support in Parliament to see the right to vote extended to all residents in local elections.
• Deliver training to councillors and relevant officers on the changes brought by the Elections Act so that residents can be accurately informed about their voting rights. 
• Work collaboratively with voluntary sector organisations in our city area to reach residents about voter eligibility rules and how to vote. 
• Continue promoting voter registration and photo ID requirements to residents at, events, and other communication channels, and expand it to citizenship ceremonies as well.

Cabinet members and Committee/Panel Chairs will receive and answer pre-notified questions in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10(1) followed by any oral questions (not submitted in advance) in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10(3).

(Note: a period of up to 60 minutes is available for pre-notified questions and oral questions by Members of the Council to Cabinet Members and Chairs (or in their absence Deputy Chairs)).

(i) Councillor Harris to Councillor Goss, Portfolio Holder for Waste, Neighbourhoods and Leisure

Can I bring to the attention of the Portfolio Holder for Waste, Neighbourhoods and Leisure that in my neighbourhood are a few residents who do not have gardens but whose homes border Council (Essex County Council and Colchester City Council) open space, which have trees on.

These residents do not wish to partake of the garden waste wheeled bin scheme.

But they band together and gather up fallen leaves that litter the footpath and roads . 

What arrangements does City Council offer such community minded people in making their locality tidy looking and indeed safer with no wet slippery leaves on paths and kerbs?

"I have had complaints from residents in bed and breakfast temporary accommodation who are reporting the mould and poor conditions in some temporary accommodation that City Council uses.

I have notified you of one particular premises in Clacton.  Pictures sent to me by some residents placed there concerned me, as these pictures looked nothing like the web site. 
 
Could I ask what checks on condition of properties are made and what survey of residents we locate there take place. Additionally crime was reported to me from two people. They reported drug dealing in the location and said they were scared about the situation they were put in."

Full Council is invited to note the schedule of portfolio holder decisions for the period 9 October 2024 - 26 November 2024.