Agenda item

(a)  In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 13, Councillor M D Conolly gave notice of his intention to move the following Motion:

"This Council welcomes the economic recovery seen both nationally and locally in recent months.

Council recognises that Business Rates are now one of the main overheads facing small and growing businesses and accordingly Council requests that the Leader write both to the Department for Communities and Local Government and to the Treasury urging them to:

·         Freeze Business Rates for 2024/15 and

·         Carry out a fundamental review of the equity and sustainability of current Business Rates principles and levels.

as Council believes this action will help ensure that the pressure on small businesses and retail outlets is reduced, thereby protecting existing businesses and encouraging new start ups as the economy expands."

The Motion was duly seconded.

It was moved by Councillor S J Jones, and was duly seconded, that the motion be amended as followed:

"This Council welcomes the limited signs economic recovery seen both nationally and locally in recent months.

Council recognises that Business Rates are now one of the main overheads facing small and growing businesses and accordingly Council requests that the Leader write both to the Department for Communities and Local Government and to the Treasury urging them to:

·         Maintain the Business Rates multipliers for 2014/15 at their current rates and

·         Carry out a fundamental review of the equity and sustainability of current Business Rates principles and levels, including the fairness of such a low differential between the rates for small and higher business rates and establishing a cap on the multipliers.

·         That this Council will meet with the local landlords of business properties in the District and pursue absentee landlords to negotiate equitable restraint when reviewing the rent on which business rates are based.

as Council believes this action will help ensure that the pressure on small businesses and retail outlets is reduced, thereby protecting existing businesses and encouraging new start ups as the economy expands."

On being put to the vote the amendment was LOST.

It was moved by Councillor A S Pollitt that the words ‘signs of’ be added to the first line of the Motion prior to the words ‘economic recovery’ and the typo in the first bullet point be corrected to read ‘2014/15’.

Councillor M D Conolly, with the consent of his seconder, accepted Councillor A S Pollitt’s proposals within his original Motion.

On being put to the meeting, the Motion was CARRIED.

RESOLVED: That this Council welcomes the signs of economic recovery seen both nationally and locally in recent months.

Council recognises that Business Rates are now one of the main overheads facing small and growing businesses and accordingly Council requests that the Leader write both to the Department for Communities and Local Government and to the Treasury urging them to:

·           Freeze Business Rates for 2014/15 and

·           Carry out a fundamental review of the equity and sustainability of current Business Rates principles and levels.

as Council believes this action will help ensure that the pressure on small businesses and retail outlets is reduced, thereby protecting existing businesses and encouraging new start ups as the economy expands."

(b)    In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 13, Councillor A S Pollitt gave notice of his intention to move the following Motion:

       "Dover District Council supports the work of credit unions and will encourage councillors and council staff to join one and save through the payroll system if they wish."

       The Motion was duly seconded.

       It was moved by Councillor M D Conolly, and was duly seconded, that the motion be amended as followed:

“Dover District Council supports the work of credit unions and will investigate the feasibility, methods and costs of enabling Members and staff to save through the payroll system if they wish.”

Councillor A S Pollittt, with the consent of his seconder, accepted Councillor M D Conolly’s proposals within his original Motion.

On being put to the meeting, the Motion was CARRIED.

RESOLVED: That Dover District Council supports the work of credit unions and will investigate the feasibility, methods and costs of enabling Members and staff to save through the payroll system if they wish.

(c)  In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 13, Councillor P M Wallace gave notice of his intention to move the following Motion:

       "This Council is concerned that tenants in social housing are feeling the cost of living pressures more than most. With this in mind, and the spectre of pay day lenders and other punitive credit providers, the Council will promote membership of credit unions. Dover District Council will also encourage council house tenants to join credit unions with a £10 per household incentive."

The Motion was duly seconded.

On being put to the meeting, the Motion was LOST.