Agenda and minutes

            Apologies for inability to attend were reported from Councillors Canavan, Kyle and McAllister.

            The minutes of the meeting of 26th October were taken as read and signed as correct.  It was reported that those minutes had been adopted by the Council, at its meeting on 1st November, subject to the omission of those matters which had been delegated to the Committee.

            No declarations of interest were recorded.

            The Committee approved the schedule of meetings for the Standards and Business Committee as outlined below and agreed that all meetings would commence at 5.30 pm:

·        Thursday, 6th January

·        Thursday, 27th January

·        Tuesday, 22nd February

·        Thursday, 24th March

·        Tuesday, 26th April

·        Tuesday, 24th May

·        Tuesday, 28th June

·        Tuesday, 23rd August

·        Tuesday, 27th September

·        Tuesday, 25th October and

·        Thursday, 24th November

            The Committee was reminded that it had received a presentation on a draft Members Internal Dispute Resolution Protocol at the workshop which followed the first meeting of the Standards and Business Committee on 26th October.  The Members had noted that participation in the protocol was on a voluntary basis and that its purpose was to provide an internal mediation mechanism for the prompt resolution of low level disputes between individual members of the Council in relation to their behaviour towards each other.   It was agreed that further discussion would be required on the process behind the protocol and the implications for Members who decided to participate.

            It was proposed that officers would present and explain the processes behind the draft protocol at a workshop which would follow the next meeting of the Standards and Business Committee in January 2022.  If approved, awareness training on the protocol would be rolled out to all Members in February, 2022.

            The Committee agree to review the draft Local Resolution Protocol at a workshop which would follow the next Committee meeting in January 2022.

            The Committee considered a report in relation to Notices of Motion which had been received for consideration by the Council at its meeting on 1st December.

            The Committee considered each motion in turn and agreed the following:

            Street Tree Planting

            That the motion be referred directly to the People and Communities Committee for consideration.

            Illegal Puppy Trade

            Moved by Councillor Ferguson,

            Seconded by Councillor de Faoite,

      Resolved - that the motion on Illegal Puppy Trade be referred to the Council for debate.

            Insulation Inspection and the

            Provision of Insulation

            Moved by Alderman Kingston,

            Seconded by Councillor,

      That the motion on Insulation inspection and Provision of Insulation be referred to the Council for debate, with contributions to the debate restricted to one speaker per political party.

            On a vote, eleven Members voted for the proposal and six against and it was declared carried.

            Winter Fuel Payment Scheme/Retrofitting of Homes

Proposal 1

Moved by Councillor Ferguson,

            Seconded by Councillor de Faoite,

      That the motion on Winter Fuel Payments/Retrofitting of Homes be referred to the Council for debate.

            On a vote, five Members voted for the proposal, with eleven against and one no vote and it was declared lost.

Proposal 2

Accordingly, it was

            Moved by Councillor Black,

            Seconded by Councillor McCabe,

      That the Committee agrees to adopt the motion on the motion on Winter Fuel Payments/Retrofitting of Homes.

            On a vote, fifteen Members voted for the proposal, with none against and two no votes and it was declared carried.

            A copy of the motion as adopted is set hereunder:

“This Council notes with alarm the rising energy costs which will deliver a winter of pain for many people across Belfast. Council expresses its real concern that people could lose their lives due to this poverty this winter, and the impact rising energy costs are having on people’s health and well-being.

This Council recognises this is an emergency situation and will write to the Stormont Executive, calling on it to enact emergency actions to protect people such as extending the winter fuel payment scheme. Council will also request an urgent meeting to address how it can work in tandem with the Executive to provide and deliver this support, where necessary.

This Council recognises also that long term approaches are also required to address the energy crisis which continues to worsen and will, therefore, include in its letter to the Stormont Executive a request that it organises and funds, where necessary, the mass retrofitting of homes.”

            Support for Higher Education Staff Strike Action

      Moved by Councillor Ferguson,

      Seconded by Councillor Groogan,

That the motion on Support for Higher Education Staff Strike Action be referred to the Council for debate.

            On a vote, eleven Members voted for the proposal and five against and it was declared carried.