Eight Notices of Motion had been received.

1.      Cllr Chilvers MOVED and Cllr Davies SECONDED the following:

‘Fireworks cause considerable distress to our pets, wildlife and livestock. In addition, they cause distress to the sick, vulnerable and those with mental health issues. There are also concerns over their environmental impact.

There are alternatives such as silent fireworks and drone light shows. With Brentwood residents contacting us regularly with their concerns and major supermarket chains halting their sale, it is surely time to review the use of traditional, outdated fireworks and look for a new way to celebrate in 2021.

Unfortunately, councils’ powers are limited. Stopping their sale has no impact as people can buy elsewhere and restricting them by licensing powers covers barely any fireworks events as most are private. Licensing officers advised that major reform can only be made at parliamentary level. Therefore, Brentwood Council resolves to write to Alex Burghart MP to request that he formally engages with the RSPCA (the organisation campaigning to change fireworks legislation) and report back within six months.’

Following a debate, a vote was taken and the MOTION was CARRIED.

Cllr Hossack proposed that the letter to the MP should be composed by himself and Cllr Chilvers.

A non-pecuniary interest was declared by Cllrs Jon Cloke and Mrs Hones by virtue of their involvement with Starburst firework display.  The Monitoring Officer advised that in view of this they should take no part in the vote.

2.       Cllr Kendall MOVED and Cllr Aspinell SECONDED the following:

‘This Council resolves to admonish the Conservative administration for bringing the Report regarding ASLEA proposals to an Extraordinary Council meeting on the 22 July 2020, rather than to an Ordinary Council meeting. 

An Ordinary Council meeting would have enabled alternative motions, amendments and a vote to take place.

This report had potentially huge and far reaching implications for this Council and the people of Brentwood.

The Chamber believes the conduct of the administration on this matter is an affront to the democratic rights of the elected members of this Council, the residents of this Borough and a flagrant disregard for the democratic process.’

During the debate Cllr Hossack MOVED, Cllr Parker SECONDED and it was RESOLVED that Members should ‘Move to the next item’ in accordance with the Constitution 8.3.12. 

Returning to the substantive Motion, a vote was taken and the MOTION was LOST.

At this point in the proceedings Cllr Aspinell requested leave of the Deputy Mayor to make a personal statement of clarification.  He advised that he had been made aware of some laminated documents being circulated publicly which alluded to the Leader killing people by encouraging various things to happen including what his motion was about tonight.  These documents had nothing to do with the opposition Liberal Democrat group whatsoever.  If Cllr Aspinell had anything to say to the Leader he would do so in a Council meeting or in official literature. 

3.       Cllr Aspinell MOVED and Cllr Lewis SECONDED the following:

This Council resolves to direct the Leader of the Council, as our representative on the ASELA Group to inform the associated membership of ASELA that Brentwood Borough Council does not wish to be involved in any physical formation of a larger combined authority that constitutes ASELA.  Moreover, Brentwood Borough Council does not recognise ASELA's right to speak on behalf of Brentwood, or its residents, on the formation of such an authority.

Following a debate, a vote was taken and the MOTION was LOST.

4.       Cllr Hossack MOVED and Cllr Parker SECONDED the following:

This council recognises the significant Local Government Reform agenda and acknowledges that membership of ASELA has brought benefits to Brentwood. Further, acknowledges the Government’s own identification of South Essex as a place of “huge potential” and the ability “of the Estuary area more widely to drive growth locally and nationally. It is a unique place with unique potential”

Brentwood’s geographic location is unique, bordered to the north by Epping and Chelmsford and to the south by Basildon and Thurrock.

This council recognises at some point Brentwood will likely sit under a Unitary Authority, with an overarching Combined Authority.

Presently it is unclear how the boundaries for any new authorities will be drawn and how much influence the Districts and Boroughs will have.

If Brentwood can influence the alignment process, Council Members should keep options open to see what possibilities emerge as the best deal for Brentwood and it’s residents, based on hard facts and available evidence.

The Council therefore notes that the Leader has been in dialogue with fellow Leaders in ALL surrounding authorities and notes also the Leader’s intention to commission reports that will provide an options analysis and evidence base to support any future decisions by this Council.

In accordance with the Constitution Paragraph 10.1 and 10.2 the Deputy Mayor proposed to enact the guillotine on all remaining motions which would be  taken as proposed and seconded and voted on with no debate.

A vote was therefore taken on Motion number 4 with no debate and it was RESOLVED accordingly.

5.       Cllr Nolan MOVED and Cllr Tanner SECONDED the following:

In order to further drive transparency, this council moves to make it much clearer on our website, how individual members of this council are remunerated, this information will include:

• Basic Allowances
• Special responsibility allowances
• Expenses (where claimed)
• Other Allowances (for example carers allowance)
• Payment for services (where members with business interests have provided services to this council)

This information should be back dated for 5 years.

This transparency improvement should also form part of an overall project to improve the data source reports on the Council’s website.

A vote was taken and the MOTION was CARRIED.

In relation to the remaining three Notices of Motion, Cllr Mrs Davies withdrew No 7 as she wished to re-submit an amended motion and Cllr Aspinell requested that Motion numbers 6 and 8 be deferred to the 7 October 2020 Ordinary Council meeting.

Cllr Mrs McKinlay was in attendance during this item but had been unable to vote periodically due to technical issues.