Agenda item

Attached.

A.    HOME TO SCHOOL TRANSPORT

Altered amendment by Administration accepted for debate by 25 votes to 19 with 4 amendments; withdrawal of Labour Group amendment accepted by 30 votes to 19 with 0 abstentions; amendment by Administration AGREED by 29 votes to 19 with 1 abstention and AGREED as substantive motion without division.

Motion on behalf of the Conservative Group

This Council calls on the Cabinet not to proceed with the proposed cuts and changes in service, proposed in the Home to School Transport consultation.

It further recognises that such cuts would have a detrimental impact on both children and parents, causing them increased stress and anxiety.

Amendment on behalf of the Havering Residents Association Group

This Council calls on the Cabinet to proceed with the proposed changes in service by adding to existing options presently available to children and parents to give greater choice and flexibility as proposed in the Home to School Transport consultation, always ensuring to minimise the impact on children, parents and carers.

Amendment on behalf of the Labour Group

This Council calls on the Cabinet to review the proposed changes in services set out in the Home to School Transport Consultation, subject to scrutiny and any recommendations by the People's Overview & Scrutiny Sub-Committee, thereby expanding the existing options presently available to children and parents to create greater choice and flexibility as proposed in the Consultation, whilst always ensuring to minimise any negative impact on children, parents, and carers.

A proposal was put forward by the Havering Residents Association Group that the motion on behalf of this Group be altered to read as follows:

This Council recognises the financial challenges that it is currently facing in order to produce a balanced budget (which it must do by law) and further recognises that the Council is required to make difficult operational choices. This Council therefore calls on the Cabinet not to proceed with changes to service delivery, (including Home to School Transport) without having carried out proper consultation and scrutiny.

The Council further recognises that the current budgetary constraints have the potential to have a detrimental impact residents of the Borough, but recognises that Cabinet is seeking to promote a budget that minimises the same.

A point of order by the Conservative Group that this alteration was not valid was disallowed. The Monitoring Officer did however apologise for any confusion caused by the allowing of the original amendment and undertook to review timescales etc to ensure this would not reoccur in future.

The altered amendment by the Havering Residents Association Group was accepted for debate by 26 votes to 19 with 4 amendments (see division 1). The withdrawal of the Labour Group amendment was accepted by 30 votes to 19 with 0 abstentions (see division 2).

Following debate, the altered amendment by the Havering Residents Association Group was AGREED by 29 votes to 19 with 1 abstention (see division 3) and AGREED as the substantive motion without division.

RESOLVED:

This Council recognises the financial challenges that it is currently facing in order to produce a balanced budget (which it must do by law) and further recognises that the Council is required to make difficult operational choices. This Council therefore calls on the Cabinet not to proceed with changes to service delivery, (including Home to School Transport) without having carried out proper consultation and scrutiny.

The Council further recognises that the current budgetary constraints have the potential to have a detrimental impact residents of the Borough, but recognises that Cabinet is seeking to promote a budget that minimises the same.