Content

1.
Urgent Motion – Israel/Gaza
 
Councillor Richard Henry moved
and Councillors Phil Bibby and Stephen Booth jointly seconded the
following motion:
 
“This Council is united
in expressing our deep shock and sadness at the act of terrorism
perpetrated by Hamas on Israel on 7th
October.  Our thoughts and deepest
sympathies are with all the innocent people in Israel and Gaza now
caught up in the escalating violence.

We also recognise that there may be Stevenage residents who have
family, friends or loved ones facing danger and we offer our
heartfelt support and solidarity to our residents during these
troubling times.
This Council resolves
to:
 
1.         
Express solidarity with the innocent people directly
affected by the ongoing situation in Israel and Gaza.
 
2.         
Encourage and support good relations between our own
Stevenage communities at this time of immense international tension
to maintain community cohesion.”
 
The Mayor welcomed Mr Terry
Wolfe and Rabbi Danny Rich to the meeting and advised that Imam
Mohammed Moynul Islam of the Stevenage
Mosque had also been invited but was unfortunately unable to attend
due to a prior commitment. The Mayor then invited Rabbi Danny Rich
to address the meeting.
 
Following debate, and upon
being put to the vote, the motion was unanimously
carried.
 
2.
Maintenance of Roads in the Borough
 
Councillor Lloyd Briscoe moved
and Councillor Simon Speller seconded the following
motion:
 
“A Local
Government Authority (LGA) analysis from March this year stated
that the Government
spent 31 times more per mile maintaining motorways and
‘A’ roads last year than they did on funding councils
to repair crumbling local roads.
 

Figures from that same
report show that the Government spent £192,000 per mile on
maintaining strategic roads, such as motorways or major
‘A’ roads compared to just £6,000 per mile on
fixing potholes on local roads.

This is
despite local roads making up 180,000 miles of the UK’s
overall network, with strategic roads making up just 4,800
miles.
Given that there are some 3,200 miles of roadway in the county,
this equates to almost two potholes for every road in
Hertfordshire.
 
In June this year, the Herts County Council secured some
£4m extra funding from the Government to address the issue of
potholes in our roads.  Given that there
are ten authorities within the County, then evenly distributed this
equates to some £400k each.
 
This Council calls upon the Herts County Council to recognise
that Stevenage is a priority case regarding the repair of potholes
because of HCC’s neglect of our local roads and cycle tracks
over the years and that at least £400k of the awarded funding
is ‘ringfenced’ for the benefit and enhancement of the
people and road users of the town.
 
We therefore move that this Council requests the County Council
Highways Portfolio Holder to ensure fair shares and prompt action
for Stevenage residents of repairs to
potholes.”
 
The following
amendment was moved by Councillor Phil Bibby CC and seconded by
Councillor Bret Facey (additions and omissions in bold):
 
“A Local Government
Authority (LGA) analysis from March this year stated that
the Government spent 31
times more per mile maintaining motorways and ‘A’ roads
last year than they did on funding councils to repair crumbling
local roads.
 

Figures from that same report show that the
Government spent £192,000 per mile on maintaining strategic
roads, such as motorways or major ‘A’ roads compared to
just £6,000 per mile on fixing potholes on local
roads.

This is despite local roads making up
180,000 miles of the UK’s overall network, with strategic
roads making up just 4,800 miles.
Given that there are some 3,200
miles of roadway in the county, this equates to almost two
potholes for every road in Hertfordshire.
In June this year, the Herts
County Council secured some £4m extra funding from the
Government to address the issue of potholes in our
roads.  Given that there are ten
authorities within the County, then evenly distributed this equates
to some £400k each.
 
This Council calls upon the
Herts County Council to ensure that Stevenage receives its fair
share of this Pothole funding for the benefit of residents and road
users, but based primarily on technically driven
priority.”  recognise that
Stevenage is a priority case regarding the repair of potholes
because of HCC’s neglect of our local roads and cycle tracks
over the years and that at least £400k of the awarded funding
is ‘ringfenced’ for the benefit and enhancement of the
people and road users of the town.
We
therefore move that this Council requests the County Council
Highways Portfolio Holder to ensure fair shares and prompt action
for Stevenage residents of repairs to
potholes.”
 
Following debate,
and upon being put to the vote, the amendment was lost.
 
Following further
debate, and upon being put to the vote, the original motion was
carried.
 

3.    
London Day Travelcard
 
Councillor Phil
Bibby CC moved and Councillor Bret Facey seconded the following
motion:
 
This Council objects to the
removal of the London Day Travelcard, as it would have a
significant negative financial impact on Stevenage residents
travelling to London.
 
This Council notes:

·      
Day
Travelcards are tickets that allow local people to travel to London
and then use public transport for free once they’re in the
capital.

·      
Day
Travelcards are a simple and convenient way to get into and around
London, removing these tickets would mean having to purchase
multiple tickets to get across the city.

·      
Removing the
Day Travelcard would deter potential rail passengers from using the
train which would go against this Council’s policy of
encouraging sustainable transport.

·      
Research
suggests that scrapping the Day Travelcards could cost at least an
extra £9.30 per person, per visit to London.

·      
Unaffordable
policies and mismanagement by the City Hall have left Transport for
London (TfL) on the edge of bankruptcy. The proposal to removal Day
Travelcards suggests that the Mayor is trying to get commuters and
tourists to pick up the bill for his mistakes.
 This Council resolves:

·      
To
demonstrate its support for Stevenage commuters and tourists by
calling on the Mayor of London and TfL to halt the withdrawal of
the Day Travelcard.

·      
To request
the Leader of the Council and Chief Executive write to the Mayor of
London and ask that he reconsiders scrapping the Day Travelcard, as
this proposal will negatively affect this Council’s policy of
encouraging sustainable transport.
The following amendment was moved
by Councillor Jim Brown and seconded by Councillor Loraine Rossati
(additions and omissions in bold):

 
“This Council objects to the removal of the London Day
Travelcard, as it would have a significant negative financial
impact on Stevenage residents travelling to London.
This Council notes:

·      
Day Travelcards are tickets that allow local people
to travel to London and then use public transport for free once
they’re in the capital.

·      
Day Travelcards are a simple and convenient way to
get into and around London, removing these tickets would mean
having to purchase multiple tickets to get across the
city.

·      
Removing the Day Travelcard would deter potential
rail passengers from using the train which would go against this
Council’s policy of encouraging sustainable
transport.

·      
Research suggests that scrapping the Day Travelcards
could cost at least an extra £9.30 per person, per visit to
London.

·      
The failure of central government to properly
fund Transport for London, including a failure to pay all
appropriate receipts for travelcards to Transport for
London.

·      
Unaffordable policies
and mismanagement by the City Hall have left Transport for London
(TfL) on the edge of bankruptcy. The proposal to removal Day
Travelcards suggests that the Mayor is trying to get commuters and
tourists to pick up the bill for his
mistakes.
 This Council resolves:

·      
To demonstrate its support for Stevenage
commuters, day visitors and tourists by calling on the Mayor
of London and TfL to halt the withdrawal of the Day
Travelcard.

·      
To request the Leader of the Council and Chief
Executive write to the Mayor of London and ask that he reconsiders
scrapping the Day Travelcard, as this proposal will negatively
affect this Council’s policy of encouraging sustainable
transport.”
Following debate, and upon being
put to the vote, the amendment was carried.
 
Following further debate, and upon being put to the vote, the
substantive motion was carried.