Issue - meetings

Councillor Howard proposed and Councillor Bennett seconded the following motion:

 

This Council resolves to write to the CEO of the Greater Cambridge Partnership (“GCP”) and advise her that Cambridge City Council has declared a Cost of Living Emergency in Cambridge.

 

The Council requests that the GCP considers the Cost of Living Emergency when reviewing the Making Connections consultation and preparing proposals for review by the County Council at a later date.

 

The Council requests that the GCP gives particular consideration to the economic impact on city residents, city businesses and city commuters.

 

The council requests that the GCP gives particular consideration to the primary impact on small business and the secondary impact on residents’ cost of living.

 

The council requests that the GCP considers reliefs and exemptions for small businesses and other organisations in the city including but not limited to a corresponding discount or exemption for businesses and any other organisations in receipt of small business rates relief or any other business rates reduction in force at the start of the financial year in which any congestion charge is made.

 

The council notes that the current Making Connections consultation draft includes unspecified reliefs and exemptions for individuals on low incomes and requests that the GCP reviews these to ensure that exemptions and discounts are sufficient to avoid financial hardship. The council notes that a number of proposals for such exemptions have already been submitted to GCP during the public consultation and accordingly does not wish to put forward new proposals at this stage.

 

The council requests that the GCP publishes a formal socio-economic impact on the city of Cambridge of the effect of any “Making Connections” proposal before it is put before the County Council and that the workings and modelling behind that socio-economic impact be published and independently audited.

 

 

Notes:

1 The GCP “Making Connections” consultation which currently includes a congestion charge proposal closed on 23 December 2022

 

2 It is the intention of the GCP to place a proposal based on the responses to that consultation before the County Council in June 2023.

 

3 The GCP do not require the approval of the city council or any other district council for their proposals.

 

4 On Thursday 21 July 2022, the city council unanimously voted to declare a Cost of Living Emergency.

 

5 Among other provisions, this committed the council to:

a. Ensure that council decisions are not disproportionately impacting on residents who are struggling the most,

b. through introducing a socio-economic duty and separately considering socio-economic impacts in all our equality impact assessments.

 

6 There can be no doubt that the cost of living emergency continues and that Cambridge is not immune.

 

7 Cost of living pressure on residents is expected to continue for three years (at the date of this motion) and still be of concern to residents on the proposed congestion charge introduction date.

 

8 The full impact on cost of living from the national government Conservative mini budget maxi shambles last Autumn and subsequent interest rate rises has yet to be felt. This is because of the high proportion of mortgage loans financed by fixed term fixed rate mortgages. Until the fixed term runs out, the mortgage payments stay the same.

 

9 Shop and hospitality business closures are running at the highest rate for 5 years.

 

10 Cllrs Howard and Bennett propose to publish an updated note on 2 March 2023 if any of the economic indicators published before that date show any material change.

 

Councillor Bick proposed and Councillor A. Smith seconded the following amendment to motion (deleted text struckthrough, additional text underlined)

 

This Council resolves to write to the CEO of the Greater Cambridge Partnership (“GCP”) and advise her that Cambridge City Council has declared a Cost of Living Emergency in Cambridge.

 

The Council requests that the GCP considers the Cost of Living Emergency when reviewing the Making Connections consultation and preparing proposals for review by the County Council at a later date.

 

The Council requests that the GCP gives particular consideration to the economic impact on city residents, city businesses and city commuters.

 

The council requests that the GCP gives particular consideration to the primary impact on small business and the secondary impact on residents’ cost of living.

 

The council requests that the GCP considers reliefs and exemptions for small businesses and other organisations in the city including but not limited to a corresponding discount or exemption for businesses and any other organisations in receipt of small business rates relief or any other business rates reduction in force at the start of the financial year in which any congestion charge is made.

 

The council notes that the current Making Connections consultation draft includes unspecified reliefs and exemptions for individuals on low incomes and requests that the GCP reviews these to ensure that exemptions and discounts are sufficient to avoid financial hardship. The council notes that a number of proposals for such exemptions have already been submitted to GCP during the public consultation and accordingly does not wish to put forward new proposals at this stage.

 

The council requests that the GCP publishes a formal socio-economic impact on the city of Cambridge of the effect of any “Making Connections” proposal before it is put before the County Council and that the workings and modelling behind that socio-economic impact be published and independently audited.

 

Notes:

 

1              The GCP “Making Connections” consultation which currently includes a congestion charge proposal closed on 23 December 2022

 

2              It is the intention of the GCP to place a proposal based on the responses to that consultation before the County Council in June 2023.

 

3              The GCP do not require the approval of the city council or any other district council for their proposals.

 

4              On Thursday 21 July 2022, the city council unanimously voted to declare a Cost of Living Emergency.

 

5              Among other provisions, this committed the council to:

a.    Ensure that council decisions are not disproportionately impacting on residents who are struggling the most,

b.    through introducing a socio-economic duty and separately considering socio-economic impacts in all our equality impact assessments.

 

6              There can be no doubt that the cost of living emergency continues and that Cambridge is not immune.

 

7              Cost of living pressure on residents is expected to continue for three years (at the date of this motion) and still be of concern to residents on the proposed congestion charge introduction date.

 

8              The full impact on cost of living from the national government Conservative mini budget maxi shambles last Autumn and subsequent interest rate rises has yet to be felt. This is because of the high proportion of mortgage loans financed by fixed term fixed rate mortgages. Until the fixed term runs out, the mortgage payments stay the same.

 

9              Shop and hospitality business closures are running at the highest rate for 5 years.

 

10           Cllrs Howard and Bennett propose to publish an updated note on 2 March 2023 if any of the economic indicators published before that date show any material change.

 

·      The GCP ‘Making Connections’ consultation, which closed before Christmas, has received over 24,000 responses. No decisions about whether or how to proceed with the proposals will be made until the responses have been fully analysed.

·      The City council has previously declared cost of living^[1], climate and biodiversity emergencies, and its representatives on the GCP board and assembly have been consistently clear that any scheme must reflect this and avoid disproportionately disadvantaging the most vulnerable; and it is satisfied these will be considered in the preparation of any proposals.

·      The GCP scheme in its current form has proposed a wide range of mitigations for medical reasons, disabilities and low incomes. Its ultimate aim is to provide outstanding public transport. For any scheme to be endorsed after the consultation responses have been analysed, it is a key principle that any charge is contingent on the provision first of new and improved bus routes which will be more affordable, more extensive and more frequent than has previously been possible.

·      Those on lowest incomes are often disproportionately affected by climate change, and are often the most reliant on public transport^[2]. The high cost of fuel will only exacerbate this problem.

·      Public transport in the East of England is chronically under-funded, with many residents, students and workers having no option currently but to drive a car to enter the city, assuming that they are able to drive at all.

·      In Cambridge, public transport’s performance and viability as an alternative to the private car is also hampered by the same congestion experienced by all road users. 

·      The ‘Making Connections’ proposals have never been designed as punitive. The Sustainable Travel proposals seek to find solutions to our public transport problem, such as reducing bus fares, increasing routes and providing greater hours and frequency of operation, in order to provide people with viable and affordable alternatives to driving a private car and to enable as many as possible to avoid needing to pay to use a private car. 

·      Our small and medium-sized businesses play a crucial role in the economy of our city. They experience both the problems caused by congestion and poor public transport, and their input is invaluable in addressing these issues.

·      The consultation period has been about listening to the needs of residents, students, workers and businesses which will be carefully analysed to ensure that any scheme that is put forward, takes account of the needs of the people who live and work in our city.

·      The council notes that the GCP has published draft 'Social and Distributional Impact Assessment', draft 'Equality Impact Assessment', draft 'Health Impact Assessment', and that these documents will be updated and republished alongside the proposals expected this summer.  

 

This council therefore:

·      Reiterates its commitment to the consultative process by listening to the responses of the 24,000+ people who have responded, and considers it is only right that council does not pre-empt the results of that consultation by making a decision on the future of any scheme until the responses have been analysed.

·      Believes that any scheme put forward must consider the overall balance of environmental, economic and social impacts on our residents, students, workers and businesses.

·      Supports the GCP board and assembly in giving particular consideration to the future economic and social impact of any proposals on city residents, businesses, workers and students, including the impacts on small businesses and residents’ cost of living.

·      Requests that the GCP continues to consider appropriate reliefs and exemptions for all those who may be disproportionately affected by any scheme.

·       Continues to acknowledge the need lying behind the Making Connections proposals, and supports the overall objectives to provide better, greener, cheaper public transport for all, as originally laid out by the Citizens’ Assembly. “

The amendment was carried by 22 votes to 1.

 

Resolved (by 24 votes to 0) that:

 

This Council

 

·      The GCP ‘Making Connections’ consultation, which closed before Christmas, has received over 24,000 responses. No decisions about whether or how to proceed with the proposals will be made until the responses have been fully analysed.

·      The City council has previously declared cost of living^[3], climate and biodiversity emergencies, and its representatives on the GCP board and assembly have been consistently clear that any scheme must reflect this and avoid disproportionately disadvantaging the most vulnerable; and it is satisfied these will be considered in the preparation of any proposals.

·      The GCP scheme in its current form has proposed a wide range of mitigations for medical reasons, disabilities and low incomes. Its ultimate aim is to provide outstanding public transport. For any scheme to be endorsed after the consultation responses have been analysed, it is a key principle that any charge is contingent on the provision first of new and improved bus routes which will be more affordable, more extensive and more frequent than has previously been possible.

·      Those on lowest incomes are often disproportionately affected by climate change, and are often the most reliant on public transport^[4]. The high cost of fuel will only exacerbate this problem.

·      Public transport in the East of England is chronically under-funded, with many residents, students and workers having no option currently but to drive a car to enter the city, assuming that they are able to drive at all.

·      In Cambridge, public transport’s performance and viability as an alternative to the private car is also hampered by the same congestion experienced by all road users. 

·      The ‘Making Connections’ proposals have never been designed as punitive. The Sustainable Travel proposals seek to find solutions to our public transport problem, such as reducing bus fares, increasing routes and providing greater hours and frequency of operation, in order to provide people with viable and affordable alternatives to driving a private car and to enable as many as possible to avoid needing to pay to use a private car. 

·      Our small and medium-sized businesses play a crucial role in the economy of our city. They experience both the problems caused by congestion and poor public transport, and their input is invaluable in addressing these issues.

·      The consultation period has been about listening to the needs of residents, students, workers and businesses which will be carefully analysed to ensure that any scheme that is put forward, takes account of the needs of the people who live and work in our city.

·      The council notes that the GCP has published draft 'Social and Distributional Impact Assessment', draft 'Equality Impact Assessment', draft 'Health Impact Assessment', and that these documents will be updated and republished alongside the proposals expected this summer.  

 

This council therefore:

·      Reiterates its commitment to the consultative process by listening to the responses of the 24,000+ people who have responded, and considers it is only right that council does not pre-empt the results of that consultation by making a decision on the future of any scheme until the responses have been analysed.

·      Believes that any scheme put forward must consider the overall balance of environmental, economic and social impacts on our residents, students, workers and businesses.

·      Supports the GCP board and assembly in giving particular consideration to the future economic and social impact of any proposals on city residents, businesses, workers and students, including the impacts on small businesses and residents’ cost of living.

·      Requests that the GCP continues to consider appropriate reliefs and exemptions for all those who may be disproportionately affected by any scheme.

·      Continues to acknowledge the need lying behind the Making Connections proposals, and supports the overall objectives to provide better, greener, cheaper public transport for all, as originally laid out by the Citizens’ Assembly. “