Agenda item

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 5 (Urgent Items), the Council received an emergency notice of motion moved by Councillor Jason Zadrozny and seconded by Councillor Dave Shaw as follows:-

“This Council calls on our Members of Parliament to act more responsibility and in the public interest.

Following Parliament being recalled, exchanges between MP’s in the House of Commons have become unnecessarily heated and personal.  Culminating in crass and inflammatory language from political parties on both sides of the house yesterday (25^th September 2019).

This Council makes no comment on the debates taking place.  We simply call on members to use more considered and mature language in debates.

This Council believes that trust in politics and politicians is at an all-time low.  At a time when many vital issues are facing Ashfield and the United Kingdom as a whole we expect our MP’s to show humility and leadership, dealing with the challenges that face us in a style more befitting the mother of democracies.

Elected members of local government would not be able to behave in this manner, as the standards in public life rules would find us in breach of bringing the office of Councillor into disrepute.  If Councillors are leading by example, despite passionate differences of opinion, we expect even better from those representing us locally and nationally in Westminster.

Ashfield residents deserve better from its elected representatives who should seek to raise the bar for our area and the quality of life.  There is more to representing people than party political point scoring.

This Council therefore resolves to write to both MP’s representing Ashfield District Council area and the leaders of all political parties in Westminster, asking for them to reflect on the tone and nature of their debates.

The letter will seek reassurances that MP’s will debate in a more mature, fact-based, less personal and less adversarial style.

It will ask that the pressing issues of the day for Ashfield residents including but not limited to Brexit, Infrastructure investments, Health, Education, The Environment, Jobs and the Economy and Crime and Disorder are prioritised over petty party squabbling.”

(At this point in the proceedings and in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 23 (Conclusion of Proceedings), a motion was moved and seconded to extend the conclusion of the meeting to 9.30 p.m. The motion was put to the vote and duly carried.)

Having been duly debated, the emergency motion was put to the vote and it was

RESOLVED

that the Council agrees to write to both MP’s representing the Ashfield District Council area and the leaders of all political parties in Westminster, asking for them to reflect on the tone and nature of their debates with the letter seeking reassurances that:

·         MP’s will debate in a more mature, fact-based, less personal and less adversarial style;

·         the pressing issues of the day for Ashfield residents including but not limited to Brexit, Infrastructure investments, Health, Education, The Environment, Jobs and the Economy and Crime and Disorder are prioritised over petty party squabbling.

(During consideration of the motion, the following Councillors Councillors Tom Hollis, Helen-Ann Smith, Samantha Deakin, Chris Baron, Da

During consideration of the motion, the following Councillors briefly left the meeting and returned as follows:-