It was
noted that four motions had been received in accordance with
Council Procedure Rule 10:
(a)
By Cllrs Pearce and
Hopwood
“We
ask that the Council Payroll Department sets up and publicises a
‘Give as You Earn’ scheme, so that anyone on the
payroll is able to establish regular giving to a charity or
charities of their choice.”
In her introduction, the proposer
advised that, having sought advice from the Section 151 Officer,
she had slightly altered her motion from that contained in the
published agenda papers.
In support of her motion, the proposer
advised that there were tax incentives from such a scheme that also
enhanced a corporate sense of social responsibility.
In discussion, the following points
were raised:-
(i)
The Council was informed that the
scheme was applicable to all registered charities;
(ii)
Whilst wholeheartedly supporting the
motion, a Member did wish to make the point that a number of
Members already donated to a number of charities.
It was then:
RESOLVED
This Council asks that its Payroll
Department set up and publicise a ‘Give as You Earn’
scheme, so that anyone on the payroll is able to establish regular
giving to a charity or charities of their choice.
(b)
By Cllrs Birch and
Baldry
“That the Council, as from the start of the
2020/21 Financial Year, increase the Council Tax premium on
properties that have been empty for over two years from 50% to 200%
thus resulting in the Council Tax on such properties being
300%.”
The proposer quoted Council Procedure
Rule 12.7(a) ‘Alteration of Motion’ and PROPOSED the following revised motion to that contained
within the published agenda papers:-
‘Subject to a
recommendation from the Executive to Council in February 2020 on
timing and staggered increases, the Council, as from the start of
the 2020/21 Financial Year, increases the Council Tax premium on
properties that have been empty for over two years from its current
level to the maximum amount allowed by Government
regulations.’
Once SECONDED, the
proposer made the following comments:
-
15 homes had been empty for over 5
years, with 4 being empty for over 10 years;
-
Whilst the purpose of his motion was
not financially driven, the proposer felt that approval would now
be timely when considering that the Council was about to start
drafting a new Housing Strategy; and
-
His altered motion requested that the
Executive take a detailed look at the mechanisms of the
process.
During the subsequent debate, the
following points were raised:
(a)
In preparing the report for the
Executive, a request was made that reference be included to a
recent publication entitled: ‘Action on Empty
Homes’;
(b)
The motion was important in order to
increase the housing stock in the South Hams;
(c)
A Member hoped that the Housing
Strategy would include the provision for Compulsory Purchase Orders
to be used for those homes that had been empty for a long period of
time.
It was then:
RESOLVED
Subject to a recommendation
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the full minutes text for item 63/19