To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 18 September 2023 as a correct record.

The minutes of the meetings held on 18 September 2023 were agreed as a correct record.

The following declarations of interest were made by councillors in accordance with the code of conduct in respect of items under consideration at the meeting -

The Assistant Chief Executive will submit a schedule of vacancies on committees, outside bodies etc and of changes notified to us.  

There were no changes or appointments to committees, outside bodies etc. which required the consideration of Council.

To receive questions from and provide answers to the public in relation to matters which are about something the council is responsible for or something that directly affects people in the city, in accordance with Part B, paragraph 11 of the Constitution.

Questions, of no longer than 50 words, can be submitted to the Democratic Support Unit, Plymouth City Council, Ballard House, West Hoe Road, Plymouth, PL1 3BJ, or email to democraticsupport@plymouth.gov.uk. Any questions must be received at least five complete working days before the meeting.

(a)        To receive announcements from the Lord Mayor, Chief Executive, Service Director for Finance or Head of Legal Services;

(b)        To receive announcements from the Leader, Cabinet Members or Committee Chairs.

Councillor Mark Shayer (The Lord Mayor of Plymouth) made the following announcements:

a)    Reported with sadness the passing of the former Lord Mayor and former Labour Councillor, Alderman Michael Wright, who passed away on Saturday 28 October 2023.? Alderman Michael Wright served as a Councillor for 18 years and called for one minute of silence in remembrance.

b)    Reported with sadness the untimely death of Carol Blackburn (A.K.A Carol Toms) and called for one minute of silence in remembrance. Carol Blackburn was a past Councillor for the St Budeaux ward of the city and served on the Council between 2000-2006.

c)    Congratulated City College Plymouth. The institution had been awarded the prestigious Queen's Anniversary Prize; recognised as the highest national honour in the sector, the Queen’s Anniversary Prizes are part of the UK’s national Honours system, acknowledging the outstanding work of UK colleges and universities which show excellence, innovation and the delivery of real benefits to the wider world.  

d)    Congratulated apprentice Molly Blagden, who had been crowned Level 2 Autocare Apprentice of the Year by Exeter College.

e)    Congratulated Social Worker Charlie Mason who had won the Silver Award in the Team Leader of the Year, Adult Services category of Social Worker of the Year Awards award in recognition of her extraordinary practice and leadership. 

f)     Announced that The Platinum Parkway (Forder Valley Link Road) had been named ‘New Build Project of the Year’ in the ‘over £8m’ category of 2023’s Institute of Civil Engineering South-West Civil Engineering Awards, which recognised outstanding achievement, innovation, and ingenuity. 

Councillor Tudor Evans OBE (The Leader of the Council) made the following announcements:

g)    A letter had been received provisionally awarding £19 946 417 in ‘Levelling- Up “3” funding’. The funds would be allocated towards marine innovation, including “innovation barns” and “Ocean’s Gate” projects as well as the modernisation of port infrastructure at Millbay. This would include a move towards ‘shore power’ with the aim for the PCC to attain ‘net zero’ carbon emissions by 2026 instead of 2030. This money would need to be spent by 2026 and would enable greater access for jobs and raise the aspirations of young people to enter into marine employment.

h)    During the week commencing 12^th November 2023, a £7.5 Million bid had been won for Innovate UK’s “national innovation launchpad” through a partnership of Plymouth City Council, Plymouth University and the Freeport.   

i)     The Economic Development team, working with Plymouth University, had organised, and had successfully convened, the “FLOW Conference”- Plymouth’s first ever offshore floating wind conference on 30^th October. This builds on the work Plymouth City Council had conducting on the city’s port strategy to make Plymouth a centre for decarbonisation.

j)     The National Heritage Fund Lottery ‘round two visit’ had taken place during the week commencing 12^th November 2023. Further funds would be applied for in the future on the advice of the aforementioned Lottery.

k)    A deal with “Live Nation”, The UKs biggest outdoor live music promoter, had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50.

The report was introduced by Councillor Lowry (Cabinet Member for Finance) and seconded by Councillor Evans (The Leader of the Council).

Following contributions from Councillors Lugger, Briars-Delve, Noble, Nicholson the Council agreed to:

1.    Approve the Capital Monitoring Report.

For (49)

Councillors Allen, Mrs Beer, Bingley, Blight, Briars-Delve, Mrs Bridgeman, Carlyle, Coker, Cresswell, Dann, Dingle, Evans OBE, Gilmour, Goslin, Harrison, Haydon, Hendy, Holloway, Hulme, Krizanac, Loveridge, Lowry, Lugger, Dr Mahony, McLay, McNamara, Moore, Murphy, Nicholson, Noble, Partridge, Patel, Penberthy, Penrose, Poyser, Raynsford, Reilly, Rennie, Ricketts, Salmon, Smith, Sproston, Stephens, Stevens, Stoneman, Tippetts, Tuffin, Tuohy, Wakeham and Watkin.

Abstain (1)

Councillor Ricketts

Against (0)

Absent/Did Not Vote (5)

Councillors Aspinall, Dr Cree, Finn, Tofan and Shayer.

Councillors Finn and Tofan left the meeting at 14:54 and returned at 15:07.

The withdrawal notice was introduced by Councillor Evans OBE (The Leader of the Council) and seconded by Councillor Lowry (Cabinet Member for Finance).

Following one contribution from Councillor Lugger, the Council agreed to:

1)    Withdraw from the Committee.

For (52)

Councillors Allen, Mrs Beer, Bingley, Blight, Briars-Delve, Mrs Bridgeman, Carlyle, Coker, Cresswell, Dann, Dingle, Evans OBE, Finn, Gilmour, Goslin, Harrison, Haydon, Hendy, Holloway, Hulme, Krizanac, Loveridge, Lowry, Lugger, Dr Mahony, McLay, McNamara, Moore, Murphy, Nicholson, Noble, Partridge, Patel, Penberthy, Penrose, Poyser, Raynsford, Reilly, Rennie, Ricketts, Salmon, Smith, Sproston, Stephens, Stevens, Stoneman, Tippetts, Tofan, Tuffin, Tuohy, Wakeham and Watkin.

Abstain (0)

Against (0)

Absent/Did Not Vote (3)

Councillors Aspinall, Dr Cree and Shayer.

The report was introduced by Councillor Sally Haydon (Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Libraries, Cemeteries and Crematoria) and seconded by Councillor Reilly (Chair of Education and Children's Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee).

Following a contribution from Councillors Smith, Harrison, McLay, Loveridge, Poyser and Beer the Council agreed to:

1. Continue to endorse the City-wide ‘Strategy and Action Plan’.

For (52)

Councillors Allen, Mrs Beer, Bingley, Blight, Briars-Delve, Mrs Bridgeman, Carlyle, Coker, Cresswell, Dann, Dingle, Evans OBE, Finn, Gilmour, Goslin, Harrison, Haydon, Hendy, Holloway, Hulme, Krizanac, Loveridge, Lowry, Lugger, Dr Mahony, McLay, McNamara, Moore, Murphy, Nicholson, Noble, Partridge, Patel, Penberthy, Penrose, Poyser, Raynsford, Reilly, Rennie, Ricketts, Salmon, Smith, Sproston, Stephens, Stevens, Stoneman, Tippetts, Tofan, Tuffin, Tuohy, Wakeham and Watkin.

Abstain (0) Councillors

Against (0) Councillors

Absent/Did Not Vote (3)

Councillors Aspinall, Dr Cree and Shayer.

The report was introduced by Councillor Evans OBE (The Leader of the Council) and seconded by Councillor Sue Dann (Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Sport, Leisure & HR, and OD).

Council agreed to:

      I.        Approve the provisional Full Council Dates for 2024.

For (52)

Councillors Allen, Mrs Beer, Bingley, Blight, Briars-Delve, Mrs Bridgeman, Carlyle, Coker, Cresswell, Dann, Dingle, Evans OBE, Finn, Gilmour, Goslin, Harrison, Haydon, Hendy, Holloway, Hulme, Krizanac, Loveridge, Lowry, Lugger, Dr Mahony, McLay, McNamara, Moore, Murphy, Nicholson, Noble, Partridge, Patel, Penberthy, Penrose, Poyser, Raynsford, Reilly, Rennie, Ricketts, Salmon, Smith, Sproston, Stephens, Stevens, Stoneman, Tippetts, Tofan, Tuffin, Tuohy, Wakeham and Watkin.

Abstain (0)

Against (0)

Absent/Did Not Vote (3)

Councillors Aspinall, Dr Cree and Shayer.

Following the vote, Council adjourned for a period of 30 minutes.

COP28: Climate and Ecology 

The motion was introduced by Councillor Briars-Delve (Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change) and seconded by Councillor Moore.

Councillor Stoneman proposed an amendment, which was seconded by Lee Finn. The amendment pertained to the wording of the motion, specifying the inclusion of a reference to the policies of the incumbent Westminster Administration.

After contributions from Councillor Briars-Delve and Councillor Finn, the amendment was not passed.

Following a discussion with contributions from Councillors Nicholson, Stoneman, Smith, Krizanac, Holloway, McLay, Cresswell and Lee, Council agreed to:

1.    Express disappointment that the Government has reversed key environmental commitments and did not use the King’s Speech to present urgent environmental legislation such as the Climate and Ecology Bill; 

2.    Request the Leader to write to Plymouth’s Members of Parliament, urging them to support the aforementioned calls of the Climate APPG before COP28; 

3.    Commit to tackling the climate and ecological emergencies locally by developing an updated Net Zero Action Plan with additional decarbonisation commitments, and a new ambitious Plan for Nature Recovery for Cabinet approval and Council endorsement.? 

For (35)

Councillors Allen, Mrs Beer, Blight, Briars-Delve, Mrs Bridgeman, Coker, Cresswell, Dann, Dingle, Evans OBE, Gilmour, Goslin, Haydon, Hendy, Holloway, Hulme, Krizanac, Lowry, McLay, McNamara, Moore, Murphy, Nicholson, Noble, Penrose, Poyser, Raynsford, Reilly, Rennie, Sproston, Stephens, Stevens, Tippetts, Tuffin and Tuohy.

Abstain (16)

Councillors Bingley, Carlyle, Finn, Harrison, Lugger, Loveridge, Dr Mahony, Partridge, Patel, Ricketts, Salmon, Smith, Stoneman, Tofan, Wakeham and Ms Watkin.

Against (0) Councillors

Absent/Did Not Vote (4)

Councillors Aspinall, Dr Cree, Penberthy and Shayer.

The motion was introduced by Councillor Salmon and seconded by Councillor Lugger.

Following a discussion with contributions from Councillors Haydon, Penberthy, Nicholson & Dann, Councillor Dann proposed an amendment, seconded by Councillor Haydon. This amendment proposed the referral of the motion to the relevant scrutiny committee.

Councillor Dann additionally proposed a secondary amendment, seconded by Councillor Haydon to move to the closure of the vote.  

Following these two amendments, and conjecture from members of the chamber including Councillors Lugger, Penberthy and Dann to the clarity of the votes taking place in reference to the original motion and two amendments having been put forward, the meeting was adjourned for five minutes.

Following the vote regarding the closure motion, the amendment was passed.

The amendment to refer the motion to scrutiny was passed.

After summation by Councillor David Salmon, the council agreed to the amended motion to:

1.     Refer the motion to the relevant scrutiny committee.

For (48)

Councillors Allen, Mrs Beer, Bingley, Blight, Briars-Delve, Mrs Bridgeman, Carlyle, Coker, Cresswell, Dann, Evans OBE, Finn, Gilmour, Goslin, Haydon, Hendy, Hulme, Krizanac, Loveridge, Lowry, Lugger, Dr Mahony, McLay, McNamara, Moore, Murphy, Nicholson, Noble, Patel, Penberthy, Penrose, Poyser, Raynsford, Reilly, Rennie, Ricketts, Salmon, Smith, Sproston, Stephens, Stevens, Stoneman, Tippetts, Tofan, Tuffin, Tuohy, Wakeham and Watkin.

Abstain (0) Councillors

Against (0) Councillors

Absent/Did Not Vote (7) 

Councillors Aspinall, Dr Cree, Dingle, Harrison, Holloway, Partridge, and Shayer.

Councillors Holloway, Dingle and Partridge Left the meeting at the conclusion of this Motion on Notice.

The motion was introduced by Councillor Stephen Hulme and seconded by Councillor Mrs Terri Beer.

Following a discussion with contributions from Councillors Dann and Penberthy Council, the motion was not passed.

For (4) Councillors Mrs. Beer, Mrs. Bridgeman, Hulme, Nicholson.

Abstain (0) Councillors

Against (45) Councillors

Councillors Allen, Bingley, Blight, Briars-Delve, Carlyle, Coker, Cresswell, Dann, Evans OBE, Finn, Gilmour, Goslin, Haydon, Harrison, Hendy, Krizanac, Loveridge, Lowry, Lugger, Dr Mahony, McLay, McNamara, Moore, Murphy, Noble, Patel, Penberthy, Penrose, Poyser, Raynsford, Reilly, Rennie, Ricketts, Salmon, Smith, Sproston, Stephens, Stevens, Stoneman, Tippetts, Tofan, Tuffin, Tuohy, Wakeham and Watkin.

Absent/Did Not Vote (6)

Councillors Aspinall, Dr Cree, Dingle, Holloway, Partridge, and Shayer.

Questions to the Leader, Cabinet Members and Committee Chairs covering aspects for their areas of responsibility or concern by councillors in accordance with Part B, paragraph 12 of the constitution.