Agenda

To receive apologies and to be notified of the attendance of substitutes.

Members are requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interest and/or other interest in any item on the agenda.

Council is asked to confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 9 October 2024.

To receive a report from the Leader and to receive questions and answers on the report should there be any.

The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee will provide an update to full Council on Scrutiny matters.

Governance, Audit and Standards Committee

25 November 2024

To ask Council to consider the recommendations of the Governance, Audit and Standards Committee at its meeting held on 25 November 2024. 

Governance, Audit and Standards Committee

25 November 2024

To ask Council to consider the recommendations of the Governance, Audit and Standards Committee at its meeting held on 25 November 2024. 

Cabinet

3 December 2024

To seek approval for arrangements to operate in 2025/26 in respect of the Local Council Tax Support Scheme.

Members will receive an update from the Cabinet meeting which was held on 3 December 2024 following the publication of this agenda.

There is a major infestation of Japanese Knotweed adjacent to the Sandy Lane Nature Reserve on the border of Bramcote and Beeston North Ward.

This Council notes:

1. This infestation is one of the largest in the UK
2. It is having a disastrous effect on bio-diversity
3. Spraying would involve 200 litres of dangerous chemicals being used twice a year for 10 years on a major aquifer.
4. The knotweed is threatening nearby residential properties

This Council calls for all interested parties to work together pragmatically to find an urgent resolution to eradicate this infestation.

The following motion has been submitted by Councillor D K Watts on behalf of the Liberal Democrat Group:

‘’The council notes:

1)    The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 196 Parties at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris, France, on 12 December 2015. It entered into force on 4 November 2016. Its overarching goal is to hold “the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels” and pursue efforts “to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.”

2)    The UK led the world with the Climate Change Act of 2008, and did so again with its commitment to Net Zero by 2050.

3)    Despite the stated aim of the Paris Climate Agreement it is highly likely that global temperatures are already at or close to 1.5 degree above pre-industrial levels.

4)    Broxtowe Borough Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 with a target of being carbon neutral by 2027.

5)    Broxtowe Borough Council have adopted the Green Futures programme to reduce its own carbon footprint and to encourage residents in the borough to do the same.

6)    In 2020 the Climate Change Committee in Parliament said: “The UK’s net-zero target will not be met without changes in how we use our land. Those changes must start now.”

7)    On 28 October 2024 the United Nations released its “Synthesis Report” which assesses the combined impact of nations’ current national climate plans on expected global emissions in 2030, among other measures.This report shows that National Climate Plans “fall miles short of what's needed.” The United Nations said that the Synthesis Report must be a turning point, ending the era of inadequacy and sparking a new age of acceleration, and called for much bolder new national climate plans from every country to be produced by the end of 2025.

8)    The United Nations went on to say that much bolder new national climate plans can not only avert climate chaos – done well, they can be transformational for people and prosperity in every nation. Bolder new climate plans are vital to drive stronger investment, economic growth and opportunity, more jobs, less pollution, better health and lower costs, and more secure and affordable clean energy, among many others benefits. 

9)    The consequences of climate change are now very clear to see and affect every community, including Broxtowe. Changes in weather patterns mean that events that were previously described as a 1 in 100 years’ event are now occurring on a much more frequent basis.

This Council Believes:

a)    Climate Change is the biggest challenge facing the planet. The need to take action to tackle climate change is now more urgent than ever;

b)    Both national and local government can and must provide a lead on this;

c)     That the previous commitments of the UK government, whilst better than most countries, have not gone far enough. The UK’s current targets are far from sufficient  ...  view the full agenda text for item 11.2

An update will be provided at the meeting.

To make appointments to Committees and Working Groups.

Council is asked to RESOLVE that Councillor E Williamson replaces Councillor R D MacRae as the Broxtowe Independent Group's representative on the Local Joint Consultative Committee.