Agenda item

To consider the following Notice of Motion, submitted in accordance with Standing Order 18.1.

Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor Gavin James, seconded by Councillor Martin Tod:

Council notes that it is now more than two years since the Referendum and the Government still has no coherent Brexit plan that has the support of a majority in Parliament.  Since the vote in 2016:

a)      The performance of the UK economy has fallen behind. It is now the slowest  growing economy in Europe with productivity slipping further and competitiveness reliant on the declining value of the Pound;

b)      Hampshire residents – particularly those on lower incomes - are being hit hard by rising inflation and squeezed pay rates;

c)       Confidence among investors and established businesses is ebbing with jobs moving away from the UK;

d)      Many non-UK EU nationals resident in the county have had their lives, and those of their UK-national families, destabilised by the uncertainty of Brexit. On top of the social impacts, local businesses and, above all the NHS are losing vital staff; 

e)      New investment, which Hampshire relies on for future prosperity, is being jeopardised and new job opportunities are being lost;

Council believes that a ‘hard’ or ‘no deal’ Brexit will seriously harm the long-term prosperity of all Hampshire residents.  With only 20 weeks to go before the UK leaves, it is vitally important that Hampshire County Council speaks up on their residents’ behalf.

Council calls on the government to abandon plans for a hard Brexit and to give the people of Hampshire a vote on the final deal, along with the opportunity to vote on keeping the irreplaceable benefits Britons currently enjoy by staying in the European Union.”

The following Motion had been submitted in accordance with Standing Order 18.1 as proposed by Councillor Gavin James:

“Council notes that it is now more than two years since the Referendum and the Government still has no coherent Brexit plan that has the support of a majority in Parliament.  

Since the vote in 2016: 

a)    The performance of the UK economy has fallen behind. It is now the
        slowest growing economy in Europe with productivity slipping further and
        competitiveness reliant on the declining value of the Pound;

b)     Hampshire residents – particularly those on lower incomes - are being hit hard by rising inflation and squeezed pay rates;

c)     Confidence among investors and established businesses is ebbing with jobs moving away from the UK;

d)     Many non-UK EU nationals resident in the county have had their lives,  and those of their UK-national families, destabilised by the uncertainty of Brexit. On top of the social impacts, local businesses and, above all the NHS are losing vital staff; 

e)     New investment, which Hampshire relies on for future prosperity, is being jeopardised and new job opportunities are being lost;

Council believes that a ‘hard’ or ‘no deal’ Brexit will seriously harm the long-term prosperity of all Hampshire residents.  With only 20 weeks to go before the UK leaves, it is vitally important that Hampshire County Council speaks up on their residents’ behalf. 

Council calls on the government to abandon plans for a hard Brexit and to give the people of Hampshire a vote on the final deal, along with the opportunity to vote on keeping the irreplaceable benefits Britons currently enjoy by staying in the European Union.”

The Chairman invited the proposer of the Motion, Councillor Gavin James to move the Motion in accordance with Standing Order 18.4.  The Motion was seconded by Councillor Martin Tod.

In accordance with Standing Order 18.4 Councillor Roy Perry proposed that the Motion be referred to the Executive for consideration.  The proposal was seconded by Councillor Keith Mans.

In accordance with Standing Order 18.4, the proposal to refer the Motion to the Executive was put to the vote.  In accordance with Standing Order 22.3 Councillor Keith House requested a recorded vote, which was supported by 10 other Members present in the Chamber.

The outcome of the recorded vote was as follows:

FOR: 49

Councillors Martin Boiles, Ray Bolton, Jackie Branson, Ann Briggs, Zilliah Brooks, Graham Burgess, Fran Carpenter, Christopher Carter, Roz Chadd, Charles Choudhary, Rod Cooper, Peter Edgar, Keith Evans, Liz Fairhurst, Steve Forster, Andrew Gibson, Jonathan Glen, Judith Grajewski, Marge Harvey, Pal Hayre, Edward Heron, Gary Hughes, Rob Humby, Roger Huxstep, Andrew Joy, David Keast, Mark Kemp-Gee, Mel Kendal, Peter Latham, Keith Mans, Alexis McEvoy, Anna McNair Scott, Derek Mellor, Floss Mitchell, Russell Oppenheimer, Neville Penman, Roy Perry, Stephen Philpott, Lance Quantrill, Stephen Reid, Patricia Stallard, Robert Taylor, Tom Thacker, Michael Thierry, Rhydian Vaughan, Jan Warwick, Michael White, Bill Withers and SeánWoodward.

AGAINST: 19

Councillors Peter Chegwyn, Daniel Clarke, Adrian Collett, Mark Cooper, Tonia Craig, Alan Dowden, Jane Frankum, Dominic Hiscock, Keith House, Wayne Irish, Gavin James, Rupert Kyrle, Jackie Porter, Roger Price, Bruce Tennent, Mike Thornton, Martin Tod, Malcolm Wade and Michael Westbrook.

ABSTAIN: 3

Councillors John Bennison, David Harrison and Elaine Still.

The Proposal was carried.

RESOLVED:

That the Motion, as included in the Summons, be referred to the Executive for consideration.