Under section nine of the Council Procedure Rules, Councillor Julia Wakelam has given notice of a motion, as set out below:
“Council is asked to note:
1. That there is growing evidence that glyphosate is a higher health risk than previously assumed. In 2015 the World Health Organisation identified it as ‘probably carcinogenic to humans’. A 2019 study found the use of Roundup increased the risk of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma by 41 percent.
2. A 2018 study found that glyphosate, the most used agricultural chemical ever, may be contributing to the global decline in bees and other pollinators, both by poisoning them and through loss of habitat.
3. Glyphosate, and other pesticides, impact on the environment more generally by decreasing biodiversity
4. Council should also acknowledge the work of the Environment and Climate Change Task Force in this connection. However, over 30 local authorities in Britain have already decided to ban the use of glyphosate from all their own operations and this Council should take immediate steps to do likewise.
In light of this, Council resolves to ask the officers to follow the precautionary principle and:
1. Pledge to stop the use of glyphosate completely from all its in-house operations (including in Parks and the streetscene) by April 2023 without increasing the use of other chemical weedkillers. If thought absolutely necessary, an exception could be granted regarding the control of Japanese knotweed, or other specified invasive species, where there are currently no effective mechanical techniques available. However, in this case glyphosate will be sparingly sprayed in the case of young soft growth and otherwise it will be stem-injected, rather than sprayed, to reduce its spread in the environment. A Register, open to Members, shall be kept of all areas where glyphosate is used and this will be reported on in the annual Environmental Statement
2. Officers are instructed not to spray round trees and in other public areas in spring and autumn 2023. If thought absolutely necessary, then weeds round trees could be removed by other, non chemical, means but ideally they should be left to promote biodiversity.
3. Early in 2023, officers will embark upon a publicity and awareness campaign explaining why the spring and autumn sprays will not take place and highlighting the benefits to human health and biodiversity of not spraying. Officers will provide template responses for councillors to respond to residents to assist this campaign.”
It has been previously indicated that the motion will be seconded by Councillor Joe Mason.
Paragraphs 9.6 to 9.11 of the Council Procedure Rules states:
‘Each member may put one motion on notice at each Council meeting. A maximum of three motions may be considered at each Council meeting unless the Chair agrees, by virtue of special urgency, that additional motions may be considered. Any motions that cannot be considered at the meeting will be deferred for consideration at a future meeting of Council.
The motion on notice can be moved and seconded at the meeting by any member. If the motion on notice is not moved, it will be treated as withdrawn and may not be moved without another notice in accordance with these rules. A motion may be withdrawn at any time by the proposer of the motion.
Once the motion has been moved and seconded, the Chair will invite members to debate the motion. Only five members, in addition to the proposer and seconder, may speak to the motion. Each member may speak only once, for a maximum of three minutes on the motion. The proposer has the right of reply at the conclusion of the debate for three minutes.
The Chair has the discretion to extend the time allowed and/or the number of speakers to discuss the motion, to allow for the proposer (with the agreement of the seconder) to amend the motion, or to allow for the proposer to respond to questions or points of clarification on the motion.
At the conclusion of the debate, the motion shall be put to a vote and determined by a simple majority of those present and voting.
Where an agreed motion on notice refers a matter to a committee for consideration, then a report shall be presented in due course to the Council on how the motion on notice was considered by that committee and any consequential outcomes as a result.’
Minutes:
Under section nine of the Council Procedure Rules detailed in the Constitution, Council had been given written notice of a motion submitted by Councillor Julia Wakelam, as set out in the agenda accordingly.
The Chair called upon Councillor Wakelam to introduce and move the motion. Councillor Wakelam drew attention to a number of issues relating to the adverse impact that glyphosate, and other pesticides were having on the environment by decreasing biodiversity. By implementing the measures proposed in the motion, she felt the Council would be making a very real contribution to improving the environment and promoting biodiversity. She urged members to support the motion, which was duly seconded by Councillor Joe Mason.
The Chair opened the debate and an amendment to the substantive motion was immediately proposed by Councillor Rachel Hood, Chair of the former Environment and Climate Change Taskforce. Councillor Hood highlighted that this was a matter the Taskforce had discussed at length and was included in the Taskforce’s action plan adopted by Cabinet. Emphasis was placed on the fact that a motion was not required to commit to something that was already being done as the Taskforce, and subsequently Cabinet had been very clear that the Council needed to end the use of glyphosate but a viable alternative also needed to be sought. Officers had been testing alternatives and, as announced in the press last week, the Council would be ceasing use of glyphosate for all but the most resistant weeds from 2023.
The amendment was as follows as shown by strikethrough of text in the original motion and bold text to show the amended text. The amendment to the substantive motion, which was duly seconded by Councillor Joe Mason, was read out in full by the Monitoring Officer to all persons present:
“Council is asked to note:
1. That there is growing evidence that glyphosate is a higher health risk than previously assumed. In 2015 the World Health Organisation identified it as ‘probably carcinogenic to humans’. A 2019 study found the use of Roundup increased the risk of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma by 41 percent.
2. A 2018 study found that glyphosate, the most used agricultural chemical ever, may be contributing to the global decline in bees and other pollinators, both by poisoning them and through loss of habitat.
3. Glyphosate, and other pesticides, impact on the environment more generally by decreasing biodiversity.
4. Council should also acknowledge the work of the Environment and Climate Change Task Force in this connection. However, over 30 local authorities in Britain have already decided to ban the use of glyphosate from all their own operations and this Council should take immediate steps to do likewise.
In light of this,
Councilresolves to ask the officers to
follow the precautionary principle and:is asked to note the following action is already committed to by
the Portfolio Holder and Cabinet:
1. Pledge to stop the use of glyphosate completely from all its in-house operations (including in Parks and the streetscene) by April 2023 without increasing the use of other chemical weedkillers. If thought absolutely necessary, an exception could be granted regarding the control of Japanese knotweed, or other specified invasive species, where there are currently no effective mechanical techniques available.
However,
in this case glyphosate will be sparingly sprayed in the case of
young soft growth and otherwise it will be steminjected, rather
than sprayed, to reduce its spread in the environment. A Register,
open to Members, shall be kept of all areas where glyphosate
is or other harmful chemicals that have a potential to negatively
impact biodiversity are used and this
will be reported on in the annual Environmental
Statement.
2. Officers are instructed not to spray round trees and in other public areas in spring and autumn 2023. If thought absolutely necessary, then weeds round trees could be removed by other, non chemical, means but ideally they should be left to promote biodiversity.
3. Early in 2023, officers will embark upon a publicity and awareness campaign explaining why the spring and autumn sprays will not take place and highlighting the benefits to human health and biodiversity of not spraying. Officers will provide template responses for councillors to respond to residents to assist this campaign.”
The majority of members supported the amended motion. Councillor Joanna Rayner, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Community Hubs who had the responsibility for the maintenance of the Council’s parks and open spaces explained the significant work that had been undertaken to date to cease the use of glyphosate for all but the most toughest of weeds. There would be a cost implication for using effective, but less harmful, alternatives; however, Councillor Sarah Broughton, Portfolio Holder for Resources and Property explained that additional financial provision to meet this cost would be incorporated into the budget setting process.
Some concern was expressed regarding the effectiveness of alternatives to glyphosate and whether complaints might be received from residents should their neighbourhoods appear to look ‘untidy’. Both Councillor Mason, as seconder of the motion, and Councillor Rayner reiterated that communication was key and as ward councillors, members were in a strong position to work with town and parish councils, community groups and individual residents to create a better understanding regarding the positive rationale for moving forward with the action proposed.
Following all speeches on the amendment, it was put to the vote. With 44 votes for the amendment, one against and no abstentions, the amendment to the substantive motion was passed.
As the amendment had passed, the substantive motion now on the table was the original motion, as amended to that detailed above. No further debate was held, and a vote was taken on the substantive motion.
On the motion of Councillor Hood, seconded by Councillor Mason, it was put to the vote and with the vote being 44 for the motion, one against and no abstentions, it was
Resolved:
It be noted that:
1. That there is growing evidence that glyphosate is a higher health risk than previously assumed. In 2015 the World Health Organisation identified it as ‘probably carcinogenic to humans’. A 2019 study found the use of Roundup increased the risk of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma by 41 percent.
2. A 2018 study found that glyphosate, the most used agricultural chemical ever, may be contributing to the global decline in bees and other pollinators, both by poisoning them and through loss of habitat.
3. Glyphosate, and other pesticides, impact on the environment more generally by decreasing biodiversity.
4. Council should also acknowledge the work of the Environment and Climate Change Taskforce in this connection. However, over 30 local authorities in Britain have already decided to ban the use of glyphosate from all their own operations and this Council should take immediate steps to do likewise.
In light of this, it benoted that the following action is already committed to by the Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Community Hubs and Cabinet:
1. Pledge to stop the use of glyphosate completely from all its in-house operations (including in Parks and the streetscene) by April 2023 without increasing the use of other chemical weedkillers. If thought absolutely necessary, an exception could be granted regarding the control of Japanese knotweed, or other specified invasive species, where there are currently no effective mechanical techniques available.
However, in this case glyphosate will be sparingly sprayed in the case of young soft growth and otherwise it will be steminjected, rather than sprayed, to reduce its spread in the environment. A Register, open to Members, shall be kept of all areas where glyphosate or other harmful chemicals that have a potential to negatively impact biodiversity are used and this will be reported on in the annual Environmental Statement.
2. Officers are instructed not to spray round trees and in other public areas in spring and autumn 2023. If thought absolutely necessary, then weeds round trees could be removed by other, non chemical, means but ideally they should be left to promote biodiversity.
3. Early in 2023, officers will embark upon a publicity and awareness campaign explaining why the spring and autumn sprays will not take place and highlighting the benefits to human health and biodiversity of not spraying. Officers will provide template responses for councillors to respond to residents to assist this campaign.