a) Councillor Inglis
The Borough of Rushcliffe, along with other parts of the County, is often affected by what are commonly known as "Car Meets" or "Cruisers" which are a cause of significant concern to many residents across the Borough, constitute Anti-Social Behaviour and are a risk to public safety.
Current Road Traffic Laws cover some aspects of this but are not sufficient in prevention.
The aim of this motion is to ensure that gatherings/meetings are pre notified and approved, and therefore authorised by the Police and stakeholder Partnerships, with appropriate tools for authorities to tackle any breaches thus providing a simple means of deterrent, dispersal and prosecution.
This Council resolves:
To write to the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to request that the Government instigates new legislation surrounding car cruising meetings/gatherings to implement a legal requirement for organisers to pre-notify the relevant authorities as to when and where such a meeting is planned, and that a failure to do so will result in any attendee being liable to prosecution/dispersion.
b) Councillor Chewings
Council notes that:
a. The poor state of many roads in Rushcliffe is of significant concern to road users resulting in complaints to Councillors
b. Poor road surface conditions can lead to physical damage to vehicles.
c. The Local Government Association (LGA) has noted that, because of inflation and materials shortages, the cost of repairing a pothole has increased by 22 per cent.
d. The LGA has reported that councils in the UK face a £16.3 Billion road repair backlog.
e. The additional £500Million allocated in the Autumn budget for potholes. Council believes that the Government’s ‘pothole fund’ is a totally inadequate response to this situation. The additional £500Million goes nowhere near the £16.3 Billion road repaid backlog as reported by the LGA on the 12th August 2024.
Council therefore resolves to:
· Write to our two MPs to express our concerns regarding the inadequate funding for road repairs and its significant impact on residents. Request that they urgently lobby the Government to provide sufficient funding to address this issue.
· Write to the Rt Hon Louise Haigh MP, Secretary of State for Transport, urging the immediate allocation of funds to improve the condition of countryside roads.
· Write to Nottinghamshire County Council to raise the Council’s concerns about the deteriorating condition of roads within Rushcliffe. Request a comprehensive response detailing the underlying causes of this issue, a clear plan to address the disrepair, and an explanation of any barriers hindering progress.
c) Councillor Birch
This Council recognizes the invaluable contributions that farmers make to Rushcliffe borough. This motion affirms our unwavering support for Rushcliffe's farming community. We are grateful for their hard work and expertise.
This Council notes that:
1. Farmers provide essential services in food production, land stewardship, and conservation.
2. Farming is a challenging industry, facing increasing pressures from rising operational costs, volatile markets, changing weather, and evolving regulations.
3. Farmers contribute significantly to the local economy, rural employment, and food security, helping to ensure affordable and sustainable food supplies.
4. Small family farms are at the heart of our rural communities, contributing not only to local food production but also to the cultural and social fabric of the area.
5. The work of farmers represents a legacy of stewardship, community support, and traditional skills passed down through generations.
This Council believes that:
1. Farmers deserve our respect and appreciation.
2. Farmers deserve recognition for their vital role in maintaining a thriving rural community and contributing to the local economy.
3. Support for farmers is essential not only for secure food production but also to preserve our rural heritage, landscapes, and biodiversity.
This Council resolves to:
1. Formally declare our gratitude to Rushcliffe's farming community.
2. Ensure, where possible, that food and drink at council-organised events is sourced from local farms.
3. Commission a feasibility study of agroforestry partnerships with local farmers, which will help local farms whilst simultaneously helping council offset carbon emissions.
d) Councillor Clarke MBE
The Borough of Rushcliffe is home to many farming families, with a large proportion of the Borough being rural. This Council recognises the important part farmers play, both in the local economy and in growing food to put on the tables of our residents.
In the recent budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced devastating changes to Inheritance Tax, which the National Farmers Union (NFU) has described as a “hammer blow to farming families”. Farmers work long hours with very tight margins in their businesses due to the continuing significant rising costs of animal feed, energy costs and labour costs etc.
The budget changes threaten to cripple many family farms, which rely on passing down land to relatives to continue their vital work in feeding the Borough and country. Family farms are asset rich and cash poor, with no means to pay such punitive amounts of inheritance tax, leaving the only option to sell land, thus rendering the farm unviable. This will have a huge impact on our farming communities in Rushcliffe.
This Council therefore resolves to :
1) Write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to call upon her to reverse the changes to Inheritance Tax rules for farmers and to explain the reasons why.
2) Write to Rober Jenrick MP to thank him for his opposition to the tax changes and ask that he continues to lobby the Chancellor on our behalf.
3) Write to James Naish MP to ask him to join us in opposing the Chancellor’s decision and to lobby her on our behalf in order to change the decision.
4) Record our thanks to the farmers of Rushcliffe for all the intensive hard work they do on behalf of Rushcliffe residents to put food on our tables.
5) Write to the local representatives of the National Farmers Union to express our support for the call to reverse the new tax changes.