Councillor R Crute to Move
The current Council Tax system is iniquitous and remains unfit for purpose, even more so at a time when many households across County Durham are struggling to make ends meet under the persistent pressures of the ongoing cost of living crisis.
A motion adopted by this council in 2021 to consider options in introducing a fairer system to replace Council Tax has failed to deliver any discernible benefit to the residents of County Durham.
Therefore this council agrees to pursue every available opportunity to consider the benefits and feasibility of introducing a Proportional Property Tax to replace the current Council Tax regime in County Durham.
Councillor A Surtees to Move
This council resolves to write to local Members of Parliament, and to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to outline the effects of the injustice to 1950s women on the communities in County Durham and to seek their support for an immediate compensation package.
Councillor M Stead to Move
At present wholly student occupied properties do not have council tax or business rates applied to them.
Clearly students should not be expected to pay council tax.
However as a council we lose £8,442,198 council tax income from 5294 properties.
This council therefore calls on the government to fund the lost income from student accommodation which currently costs Durham County Council and other local authorities with Universities huge amounts of money or come up with an alternative which protects students and funds local authorities.
Minutes:
Moved by Councillor R Crute, Seconded by Councillor K Shaw
The current Council Tax system is iniquitous and remains unfit for purpose, even more so at a time when many households across County Durham are struggling to make ends meet under the persistent pressures of the ongoing cost of living crisis. A motion adopted by this council in 2021 to consider options in introducing a fairer system to replace Council Tax has failed to deliver any discernible benefit to the residents of County Durham. Therefore this council agrees to pursue every available opportunity to consider the benefits and feasibility of introducing a Proportional Property Tax to replace the current Council Tax regime in County Durham.
Councillor Adcock-Forster spoke in support of the Motion.
An Amendment was Moved by Councillor R Bell, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Finance, Seconded by Councillor A Shield, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Equality and Inclusion:
The current Council Tax system is iniquitous and remains unfit for purpose, even more so at a time when many households across County Durham are struggling to make ends meet under the persistent pressures of the ongoing cost of living crisis.
A motion adopted by this council in 2021 to consider options in introducing a fairer system to replace Council Tax has failed to deliver any discernible benefit to the residents of County Durham.
Therefore
this council agrees to pursue every available opportunity to
consider the benefits and feasibility of introducing a
fairer system Proportional Property Tax to replace
the current Council Tax regime in County Durham including
a fairer way of distributing support from Central
Government.
Councillors C Marshall, O Gunn, M McKeon, D Wood, D Mulholland, A Surtees and F Tinsley all spoke against the Amendment. Councillors J Elmer, M Wilkes, S McDonnell, A Jackson and D Sutton-Lloyd spoke in support of the Amendment.
A named vote on the Amendment was requested.
For the Amendment
Councillors M Abley, B Bainbridge, C Bell, R Bell, J Blakey, D Brown, L Brown, J Charlton, J Cosslett, B Coult, M Currah, T Duffy, J Elmer, D Freeman, D Haney, P Heaviside, T Henderson, L Holmes, C Hood, A Hopgood, C Hunt, G Hutchinson, A Jackson, N Jones, P Jopling, C Lines, L Maddison, C Martin, S McDonnell, M McGaun, J Nicholson, D Oliver, R Ormerod, E Peeke, R Potts, J Quinn, A Reed, G Richardson, S Robinson, K Robson, K Rooney, J Rowlandson, A Savory, E Scott, A Shield, J Shuttleworth, M Simmons, A Simpson, M Stead, W Stelling, A Sterling, D Stoker, D Sutton-Lloyd, F Tinsley, M Walton, A Watson, M Wilkes and S Zair.
Against the Amendment:
Councillors E Adam, R Adcock-Forster, V Andrews, J Atkinson, P Atkinson, A Batey, K Batey, C Bihari, G Binney, R Crute, S Deinali, K Earley, L Fenwick, C Fletcher, J Griffiths, O Gunn, D Hall, C Hampson, A Hanson, L Hovvels, M Johnson, B Kellett, R Manchester, C Marshall, B McAloon, D McKenna, M McKeon, I McLean, S McMahon, J Miller, D Mulholland, D Nicholls, P Pringle, J Purvis, S Quinn, K Shaw, G Smith, T Smith, A Surtees, P Taylor, S Townsend, C Varty, E Waldock, M Wilson, S Wilson, D Wood and R Yorke.
The Amendment was carried and therefore became the Substantive Motion.
A named vote on the Substantive Motion was requested.
For the Substantive Motion
Councillors M Abley, E Adam, R Adcock-Forster, V Andrews, J Atkinson, P Atkinson, B Bainbridge, A Batey, K Batey, C Bell, R Bell, C Bihari, G Binney, J Blakey, D Brown, L Brown, J Charlton, J Cosslett, B Coult, R Crute, M Currah, S Deinali, T Duffy, K Earley, J Elmer, L Fenwick, C Fletcher, D Freeman, J Griffiths, O Gunn, D Hall, C Hampson, D Haney, A Hanson, P Heaviside, T Henderson, L Holmes, C Hood, A Hopgood, L Hovvels, C Hunt, G Hutchinson, A Jackson, M Johnson, N Jones, P Jopling, C Lines, L Maddison, R Manchester, C Marshall, C Martin, B McAloon, S McDonnell, M McGaun, D McKenna, M McKeon, S McMahon, J Miller, D Mulholland, D Nicholls, J Nicholson, D Oliver, R Ormerod, E Peeke, R Potts, P Pringle, J Purvis, J Quinn, S Quinn, A Reed, G Richardson, S Robinson, K Robson, K Rooney, J Rowlandson, A Savory, E Scott, K Shaw, A Shield, J Shuttleworth, M Simmons, A Simpson, G Smith, T Smith, M Stead, W Stelling, A Sterling, D Stoker, A Surtees, D Sutton-Lloyd, F Tinsley, S Townsend, E Waldock, M Walton, A Watson, M Wilkes, M Wilson, S Wilson, D Wood, R Yorke and S Zair.
Against the Substantive Motion:
Councillors B Kellett, I McLean, P Taylor and C Varty.
The Substantive Motion was carried.
Moved by Councillor A Surtees, Seconded by Councillor J Miller
This council resolves to write to local Members of Parliament, and to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to outline the effects of the injustice to 1950s women on the communities in County Durham and to seek their support for an immediate compensation package.
Councillors M Wilkes, L Brown, C Varty, J Charlton, C Hunt, A Shield, and C Hood all spoke in support of the Motion.
A named vote on the Motion was requested.
For the Motion:
Councillors M Abley, E Adam, R Adcock-Forster, V Andrews, J Atkinson, P Atkinson, B Bainbridge, A Batey, K Batey, C Bell, R Bell, C Bihari, G Binney, J Blakey, D Brown, L Brown, J Charlton, J Cosslett, B Coult, R Crute, M Currah, S Deinali, T Duffy, K Earley, J Elmer, L Fenwick, C Fletcher, D Freeman, J Griffiths, O Gunn, D Hall, C Hampson, D Haney, A Hanson, P Heaviside, T Henderson, L Holmes, C Hood, A Hopgood, L Hovvels, C Hunt, G Hutchinson, A Jackson, M Johnson, N Jones, P Jopling, B Kellett, C Lines, L Maddison, R Manchester, C Marshall, C Martin, B McAloon, S McDonnell, M McGaun, D McKenna, M McKeon, I McLean, S McMahon, J Miller, D Mulholland, D Nicholls, J Nicholson, D Oliver, R Ormerod, E Peeke, R Potts, P Pringle, J Purvis, J Quinn, S Quinn, A Reed, G Richardson, S Robinson, K Robson, K Rooney, J Rowlandson, A Savory, E Scott, K Shaw, A Shield, J Shuttleworth, M Simmons, A Simpson, G Smith, T Smith, M Stead, W Stelling, A Sterling, D Stoker, A Surtees, D Sutton-Lloyd, P Taylor, F Tinsley, S Townsend, C Varty, E Waldock, M Walton, A Watson, M Wilkes, M Wilson, S Wilson, D Wood, R Yorke and S Zair.
Against the Motion
None
The Chair informed Council that the outstanding Motion would be carried forward to the March Council meeting.