Agenda item

The Mayor advised that two Motions on Notice had been received for consideration at the meeting.

Climate Change Impact Assessment

Councillor Sharon Harvey submitted the following Motion on Notice for Council’s consideration:

“We move that a full climate change impact assessment is carried out for work proposed in the Town Deal Bid, paying particular attention to the proposed Library demolition.”

The Motion was proposed by Councillor Harvey and seconded by Councillor Juma Begum.

In proposing the Motion, Councillor Harvey commented that there was a need for the Council to consider the environmental consequences of all the actions that were taken by the authority.  This supported work to address the green thread, as detailed in the Council Plan, and corresponded with the Council’s declaration of a climate emergency in 2019.  However, Councillor Harvey expressed concerns that there had been limited focus on the climate implications of the proposed town’s deal redevelopment plans in the recent report about the business cases for the town’s deal, which had been considered at a meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 23^rd June 2022.  In this context, she suggested that further consideration needed to be given to the potential climate change implications of the redevelopment of Redditch town centre, potentially at a meeting of the Climate Change Cross Party Working Group.

In seconding the Motion, Councillor Begum noted that there was a need for the Council to ensure that the local decision-making process was transparent.  As part of this process, consultation needed to be undertaken with the public on plans for the redevelopment of the town centre.  Residents needed to be fully informed about all the facts and a climate change assessment would assist with this process.

In response to the Motion, the Leader highlighted that environmental impact assessments took place as part of the planning process.  There was a risk that an environmental impact assessment undertaken at this stage could interfere with the planning process.  A full assessment would be undertaken, however, at the appropriate stage.

The Motion was debated in some detail and Members commented on the potential for a climate change impact assessment to be undertaken in respect of the redevelopment of Redditch town centre.  On the one hand it was noted that there were various tools available to enable a climate change impact assessment to be undertaken.  Members also commented on the need for Councillors to set an example in tackling climate change, which could include cycling to Council and Committee meetings, which would also have a beneficial impact from a leisure and health perspective.  On the other hand, concerns were raised about the potential for interference in the planning process.  Reference was also made to the inclusion of a section referring to the climate change implications of any proposals in the standard report template.

Consideration was given to the carbon footprint of the existing building in which the library was located.  Members commented that there was the potential to retrofit old buildings to make them more energy efficient.  However, there was also the potential, through the redevelopment of the town centre in the library quarter, to use modern, energy efficient building techniques when developing the site.

On being put to the vote the Motion was lost.

Redditch Market

Councillor Joe Baker submitted the following Motion on Notice for Council’s consideration:

“Due to the success of the recent Food Festival, and the continuing public calls to return the outdoor market to Church Green, Council asks the Executive to consider the reinstatement of the outdoor market with a clear and positive vision of support and sustainability for market traders.”

The Motion was proposed by Councillor Baker and seconded by Councillor Joanna Kane.

In proposing the Motion, Councillor Baker commented that Redditch was a market town.  There had been various changes made to the market over the years but there was a need for a clear vision to be developed about the future for the market.  This vision needed to be developed by the Executive Committee.  Prior to submitting the Motion, Councillor Baker explained that he had spoken to some of the existing market stall holders, some of whom had expressed concerns about the impact of operating from inside the Kingfisher Shopping Centre on trade.

During consideration of this Motion, an amendment was proposed by Councillor Brandon Clayton.  This amendment was as follows:

“Due to the success of the recent Food Festival, and the continuing public calls to return the outdoor market to Church Green, Council asks the Executive to consider the reinstatement of the outdoor market, working with the traders and stakeholders to fully understand how best to ensure support, sustainability and viability.”

The amendment was proposed by Councillor Clayton and seconded by Councillor Emma Marshall.

In proposing the amendment, Councillor Clayton explained that in the 1980s Redditch had been a busy market town with approximately 70 market stalls.  During the 1990s and 2000s, shopping habits had changed and the location of the market had moved at a time when supermarkets had also moved out of the Kingfisher Shopping Centre to surrounding areas in the Borough.  Following this change, there had been a reduction in the number of stallholders in Redditch market. In the 2010s, management of the market had been contracted out to an external company, which had subsequently withdrawn from the arrangement.  By the date of the Council meeting, the market was located inside premises in the Kingfisher Shopping Centre and there remained a need to take action to enable the market to be vibrant and sustainable moving forward.

In seconding the amendment, Councillor Emma Marshall commented on the work that the Redditch Business Improvement District (BID) had been undertaking in order to improve the resilience and vibrancy of Redditch town centre.  There were opportunities available to improve footfall at the market but this needed to take into account modern retail habits.  For example, food festivals and pop-up market stalls were likely to appeal to customers.  Increasingly, people visited the town centre to socialise, rather than to shop, and this needed to be taken into account when developing public spaces. The market also needed to be recognised as providing a useful opportunity for new entrepreneurs to gain experience working in business. 

Councillor Baker, as the proposer of the original Motion, confirmed that he would be happy to accept the amendment to the wording of the Motion.

Members subsequently discussed Redditch market in detail and in doing so commented on the potential to accommodate new and pop-up market stalls alongside traditional market stalls in an outdoor market located in Redditch town centre.  Members also commented on the benefits of attaching a timeline to the action proposed in the Motion alongside clarification about the stakeholders who would be involved in the process.

In accordance with Procedure Rule 17.5 a recorded vote was taken and the voting was as follows:

Members voting FOR the Motion:

Councillors Salman Akbar, Imran Altaf, Karen Ashley, Joe Baker, Tom Baker-Price, Joanne Beecham, Juma Begum, Juliet Brunner, Michael Chalk, Brandon Clayton, Luke Court, Matthew Dormer, Peter Fleming, Alex Fogg, Andrew Fry, Lucy Harrison, Bill Hartnett, Sharon Harvey, Joanna Kane, Sid Khan, Anthony Lovell, Emma Marshall, Nyear Nazir, Timothy Pearman, Gareth Prosser, David Thain and Craig Warhurst. (27)

Members voting AGAINST the Motion:

No Councillors (0).

Members ABSTAINING in the vote:

No councillors (0).

On being put to the vote the Motion was therefore carried.

RESOLVED that

due to the success of the recent Food Festival, and the continuing public calls to return the outdoor market to Church Green, Council asks the Executive to consider the reinstatement of the outdoor market, working with the traders and stakeholders to fully understand how best to ensure support, sustainability and viability.

(During consideration of this item, there was a brief adjournment from 19.51 to 19.57 to provide Members with time to consider the amendment proposed to the Motion in respect of Redditch market).