To consider motions from councillors in accordance with Council procedure rule 38.
(1) Motion to be proposed by Councillor Robb, seconded by Councillor Filipova-Rivers:
Council’s Pay Policy Statement approved on 16 February 2023, ensures that all directly employed staff receive at least the Real Living Wage as annually defined by the Living Wage Foundation. The Real Living Wage is currently £10.90 an hour and will be updated on 24 October of this year.
The payment of at least the Real Living Wage to our employees is one way of ensuring that all our suppliers and residents are aware that we recognise the importance of the Real Living Wage in helping to reduce in-work poverty.
However, Council is currently unable to become accredited as a Real Living Wage employer as it does not have a clear commitment, or plan in place, to ensure that all the contracts it awards to third parties require that those companies are committed to paying, as a minimum, the Real Living Wage.
All our major contracts are joint arrangements between Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire District Councils.
Whilst Council recognises that it cannot simply change existing contracts, requiring payment of at least the Real Living Wage is something we are able to address in future procurements and contracts.
To demonstrate its commitment to the Real Living Wage and secure accreditation as a Real Living Wage employer, Council confirms its belief that:
• no Council employee, or employee of its third party contractors, should be employed on less than the Real Living Wage.
Council therefore asks:
1. The Chief Executive to continue to engage with Unison, as the Council’s recognised trade union, to ensure that this position is maintained going forward in respect of all employees.
2. The Chief Executive to prepare a report for Cabinet, outlining the steps that are required for our Council to secure accreditation as a Real Living Wage accredited employer.
3. The Chief Executive to include, within this report, proposals to implement a requirement on all future contracted providers to pay at least the Real Living Wage to all their staff throughout the duration of the contract, identifying any likely costs associated with this.
4. Cabinet to consider the report when prepared and, should its recommendations be approved by both South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse, authorise the Chief Executive to work with colleagues to implement its recommendations as soon as practicable.
5. The Chief Executive to bring to the attention of all existing third parties who currently provide services directly on behalf of the Council, our view that all employers should, as a minimum, pay the Real Living Wage to their staff and seek an update on their companies’ position in relation to this matter.
6. The Chief Executive to update Council on progress towards its Accreditation as a Real Living Wage Employer when the next Annual Pay Policy Statement is brought before it.
(2) Motion to be proposed by Councillor Giles, seconded by Councillor Van Mierlo:
Council notes:
1. That in 2019 it declared a ‘climate emergency’ along with the ambition of becoming a net zero council by 2025, and a net zero district by 2030, in anticipation of a concerted national response to the climate emergency, and in 2021 declared an ‘ecological emergency’, following ongoing global heating and drastic declines in biodiversity, concerns which seriously harm the natural environment and place additional burdens on local communities.
2. That Pathways to a Zero Carbon Oxfordshire (PaZCO) stated in its 2021 report that ‘all net-zero pathways will involve’…‘a major programme of retrofit for existing homes and non domestic buildings’…and ‘the phase out of gas boilers and fossil-fuelled modes of transport’.
3. That the UK Government has now regrettably reduced its climate targets - delayed the ban on installing oil, LPG and solid fuel boilers by nine years, delayed the phase out of sales of new internal combustion engine cars by five years, and abandoned the energy efficiency requirements on private landlords - which will make it incredibly difficult for the district to reach its ambition of becoming net zero by 2030.
4. That net zero initiatives can save residents money, for instance the upfront costs of home insulation can be returned to consumers in lower energy bills within a very short timeframe.
5. That delaying net zero targets harms business and industry certainty, and therefore impacts investment in green technology, skills, and infrastructure.
Council resolves to:
1. Ask CEEAC to consider the impact of the UK Government’s u-turn on net zero on the council and district, and to review the 2025 and 2030 net zero ambitions and the climate action plan during the process of reviewing the CAP and in the production of the next Climate and Nature Recovery Action Plan in 2024, and to make recommendations to Cabinet in this regard.
2. Ask the Leader to write to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, requesting a regulatory impact assessment of the outcome of their policy changes, and to seek an assurance and rationale for how they consider these policy changes to be compliant with their statutory obligations to meet current and future carbon budgets.
Minutes:
(1) Councillor Robb moved, and Councillor Filipova-Rivers seconded, the
motion as set out on the agenda at item 11(1)
Following debate and being put to the vote the motion was declared carried.
RESOLVED:
That Council’s Pay Policy Statement approved on 16 February 2023, ensures that all directly employed staff receive at least the Real Living Wage as annually defined by the Living Wage Foundation. The Real Living Wage is currently £10.90 an hour and will be updated on 24 October of this year.
The payment of at least the Real Living Wage to our employees is one way of ensuring that all our suppliers and residents are aware that we recognise the importance of the Real Living Wage in helping to reduce in-work poverty.
However, Council is currently unable to become accredited as a Real Living Wage employer as it does not have a clear commitment, or plan in place, to ensure that all the contracts it awards to third parties require that those companies are committed to paying, as a minimum, the Real Living Wage.
All our major contracts are joint arrangements between Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire District Councils.
Whilst Council recognises that it cannot simply change existing contracts, requiring payment of at least the Real Living Wage is something we are able to address in future procurements and contracts.
To demonstrate its commitment to the Real Living Wage and secure accreditation as a Real Living Wage employer, Council confirms its belief that:
• no Council employee, or employee of its third party contractors, should be employed on less than the Real Living Wage.
Council therefore asks:
1. The Chief Executive to continue to engage with Unison, as the Council’s recognised trade union, to ensure that this position is maintained going forward in respect of all employees.
2. The Chief Executive to prepare a report for Cabinet, outlining the steps that are required for our Council to secure accreditation as a Real Living Wage accredited employer.
3. The Chief Executive to include, within this report, proposals to implement a requirement on all future contracted providers to pay at least the Real Living Wage to all their staff throughout the duration of the contract, identifying any likely costs associated with this.
4. Cabinet to consider the report when prepared and, should its recommendations be approved by both South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse, authorise the Chief Executive to work with colleagues to implement its recommendations as soon as practicable.
5. The Chief Executive to bring to the attention of all existing third parties who currently provide services directly on behalf of the Council, our view that all employers should, as a minimum, pay the Real Living Wage to their staff and seek an update on their companies’ position in relation to this matter.
6. The Chief Executive to update Council on progress towards its Accreditation as a Real Living Wage Employer when the next Annual Pay Policy Statement is brought before it.
(2) Councillor Giles moved, and Councillor Barlow seconded, the
motion as set out on the agenda at item 11(2)
Following debate and being put to the vote the motion was declared carried.
RESOLVED: To note:
1. That in 2019 it declared a ‘climate emergency’ along with the ambition of becoming a net zero council by 2025, and a net zero district by 2030, in anticipation of a concerted national response to the climate emergency, and in 2021 declared an ‘ecological emergency’, following ongoing global heating and drastic declines in biodiversity, concerns which seriously harm the natural environment and place additional burdens on local communities.
2. That Pathways to a Zero Carbon Oxfordshire (PaZCO) stated in its 2021 report that ‘all net-zero pathways will involve’…‘a major programme of retrofit for existing homes and non domestic buildings’…and ‘the phase out of gas boilers and fossil-fuelled modes of transport’.
3. That the UK Government has now regrettably reduced its climate targets - delayed the ban on installing oil, Liquid Petroleum Gas and solid fuel boilers by nine years, delayed the phase out of sales of new internal combustion engine cars by five years, and abandoned the energy efficiency requirements on private landlords - which will make it incredibly difficult for the district to reach its ambition of becoming net zero by 2030.
4. That net zero initiatives can save residents money, for instance the upfront costs of home insulation can be returned to consumers in lower energy bills within a very short timeframe.
5. That delaying net zero targets harms business and industry certainty, and therefore impacts investment in green technology, skills, and infrastructure.
Council resolves to:
1. Ask the Climate and Ecological Emergencies Advisory Committee to consider the impact of the UK Government’s u-turn on net zero on the council and district, and to review the 2025 and 2030 net zero ambitions and the climate action plan during the process of reviewing the Climate Action Plan and in the production of the next Climate and Nature Recovery Action Plan in 2024, and to make recommendations to Cabinet in this regard.
2. Ask the Leader to write to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, requesting a regulatory impact assessment of the outcome of their policy changes, and to seek an assurance and rationale for how they consider these policy changes to be compliant with their statutory obligations to meet current and future carbon budgets.