Councillor O Temple to Move
The European Structural and Investment Fund (ESIF) programme for 2014-2020 allocated circa €537 million for the North East LEP area, including €157 million for County Durham as a Transition Region. County Durham also qualified for an additional €9 million to tackle youth unemployment and NEETs.
It is critical that this investment in skills, jobs, infrastructure and the environment is protected, and this Council therefore calls on the UK government to bring forward legislation to guarantee all current EU funding for the period 2014-2020 without delay.
This Council further calls on the Government to guarantee that post-2020 funding is provided to County Durham at a level at least equal to that currently provided jointly from the EU and UK.
Councillor Wilkes to Move
We are proud to live in a diverse and tolerant society. Racism, xenophobia and hate crimes have no place in our country. We, Durham County Council condemn racism, xenophobia and hate crimes unequivocally. We will not allow hate to become acceptable.
Durham County Council will work to ensure local bodies and programmes have support and resources needed to fight and prevent racism and xenophobia.
We reassure all people living in County Durham that they are valued members of our community.
Minutes:
In accordance with a Notice of Motion it was Moved by Councillor Temple, Seconded by Councillor Hopgood
The European Structural and Investment Fund (ESIF) programme for 2014-2020 allocated circa €537 million for the North East LEP area, including €157 million for County Durham as a Transition Region. County Durham also qualified for an additional €9 million to tackle youth unemployment and NEETs.
It is critical that this investment in skills, jobs, infrastructure and the environment is protected, and this Council therefore calls on the UK government to bring forward legislation to guarantee all current EU funding for the period 2014-2020 without delay.
This Council further calls on the Government to guarantee that post-2020 funding is provided to County Durham at a level at least equal to that currently provided jointly from the EU and UK.
Councillor N Foster Moved the following amendment to the Motion, Seconded by Councillor E Tomlinson:
The European Structural and Investment Fund (ESIF) programme for 2014-2020 allocated circa €537 million for the North East LEP area, including £73 million pounds of ERDF and over £56 million of European Social Fund ESF for County Durham as a Transition Region. County Durham also qualified for an additional £17m project specifically to be spent on Youth Employment Initiatives, €18 million of which is funding from EU. The project involves working on skills with young people who are NEET. The Community Led Local Development as raised at the last Cabinet is worth £3.7m for two deprived areas of the County. This complements the Leader programme itself worth £3.7m. Durham continues to seek projects from Transnational funding, including Horizon 2020 and Erasmus which in the past have benefited our communities and Educational facilities. We must ensure that the Government support our continued access to the European Investment bank which has supported the JEREMIE investment programs with loans of £125 Million.
It is critical that this investment in skills, jobs, infrastructure and the environment is protected, and this Council therefore calls on the UK government to bring forward legislation to guarantee all current EU funding for the period 2014-2020 without delay. Any such funding should be specifically ring fenced to the general purposes for which it was given. It must not be used to backfill previous or future Government austerity cuts. Nor if we are successful should this excuse the government not to give the County or the region its fair share of transport or other structural funding open to other areas.
The County should continue to work with the rest of the NECA area to seek to include the required guarantee as part of the devolution agreement. We should continue to work with other transition areas including Tees Valley to make common cause. The County must remain committed to local control involving our current partnerships enhanced to meet the changing circumstances. Seek to work with our local MP’s and the Local Government Association to promote our cause.
This Council further calls on the Government to guarantee that post-2020 funding, as outlined above, is provided to County Durham and the rest our region at a level at least equal to that currently provided jointly from the EU and UK. That in addition any short term Brexit windfall is not retained at the centre but proportionally distributed to the qualifying areas.
Councillor Temple informed the Council that because the Amendment reflected his Motion he was willing to accept the Amendment as the Substantive Motion.
Upon a vote being taken it was
Resolved:
That the European Structural and Investment Fund (ESIF) programme for 2014-2020 allocated circa €537 million for the North East LEP area, including £73 million pounds of ERDF and over £56 million of European Social Fund ESF for County Durham as a Transition Region. County Durham also qualified for an additional £17m project specifically to be spent on Youth Employment Initiatives, €18 million of which is funding from EU. The project involves working on skills with young people who are NEET. The Community Led Local Development as raised at the last Cabinet is worth £3.7m for two deprived areas of the County. This complements the Leader programme itself worth £3.7m. Durham continues to seek projects from Transnational funding, including Horizon 2020 and Erasmus which in the past have benefited our communities and Educational facilities. We must ensure that the Government support our continued access to the European Investment bank which has supported the JEREMIE investment programs with loans of £125 Million.
It is critical that this investment in skills, jobs, infrastructure and the environment is protected, and this Council therefore calls on the UK government to bring forward legislation to guarantee all current EU funding for the period 2014-2020 without delay. Any such funding should be specifically ring fenced to the general purposes for which it was given. It must not be used to backfill previous or future Government austerity cuts. Nor if we are successful should this excuse the government not to give the County or the region its fair share of transport or other structural funding open to other areas.
The County should continue to work with the rest of the NECA area to seek to include the required guarantee as part of the devolution agreement. We should continue to work with other transition areas including Tees Valley to make common cause. The County must remain committed to local control involving our current partnerships enhanced to meet the changing circumstances. Seek to work with our local MP’s and the Local Government Association to promote our cause.
This Council further calls on the Government to guarantee that post-2020 funding, as outlined above, is provided to County Durham and the rest our region at a level at least equal to that currently provided jointly from the EU and UK. That in addition any short term Brexit windfall is not retained at the centre but proportionally distributed to the qualifying areas.
In accordance with a Notice of Motion it was Moved by Councillor Wilkes:
We are proud to live in a diverse and tolerant society. Racism, xenophobia and hate crimes have no place in our country. We, Durham County Council condemn racism, xenophobia and hate crimes unequivocally. We will not allow hate to become acceptable.
Durham County Council will work to ensure local bodies and programmes have support and resources needed to fight and prevent racism and xenophobia.
We reassure all people living in County Durham that they are valued members of our community.
Councillor R Bell Moved the following amendment to the Motion, Seconded by Councillor T Henderson:
Durham County Council reassures all people living in County Durham that they are valued members of our community. It deplores those actions and words which incite hatred and lead to the victimisation of groups within society. It calls upon people on all sides of political arguments to show respect, and avoid the use of intemperate and inflammatory language. DCC will continue to work with the Police, Police & Crime Commissioner & others to fight racism, homophobia, religious intolerance and hate crimes.
Councillor Bell informed the Council that he wished to add the following to his amendment:-
and that appropriate resources be added to that end.
Councillor Wilkes informed the Council that he accepted the Amendment.
Upon a vote being taken it was
Resolved:
That Durham County Council reassures all people living in County Durham that they are valued members of our community. It deplores those actions and words which incite hatred and lead to the victimisation of groups within society. It calls upon people on all sides of political arguments to show respect, and avoid the use of intemperate and inflammatory language. DCC will continue to work with the Police, Police & Crime Commissioner & others to fight racism, homophobia, religious intolerance and hate crimes and that appropriate resources be added to that end.