Standard Items
1.
Lord Mayor's announcements
2.
Presentation of long service award
3.
Declarations of interest
(Please note that it is the responsibility of individual members to declare an interest prior to the item if they arrive late for the meeting)
4.
Questions from the public
Purpose - To agree the accuracy of the minutes of the meeting held on 23 February 2016.
7.
Questions to cabinet members / committee chairs
(A printed copy of the questions and replies will be available at the meeting)
8.
Nominations for Lord Mayor and Sheriff 2016-17
Purpose - To receive nominations for the Lord Mayor and Sheriff for the next civic year.
Purpose - To consider the appointment of the monitoring officer.
10.
Motion – Lowering voting age to 16
Cllr Schmierer to move and Cllr Graham to second -
“16 and 17 year-olds are eligible to pay tax, but have no say in how it is to be spent through the democratic process at either local or national level.
Researchers at Edinburgh University have found high levels of political engagement among this age group. In the Scottish independence referendum, which widened the franchise to 16 and 17 year-olds, turnout among this age group hit 75%.
In 2013 the British Youth Council made votes at 16 in all public elections its core priority following an election which saw 478,000 11-18 year-olds vote.
Council therefore RESOLVES to write to the government, the leader of the opposition and our local MPs stating that Norwich City Council supports lowering the voting age for local and national elections, and to suggest Norwich as a possible pilot area for allowing 16 and 17 year-olds to participate in local government elections starting in May 2018.”
11.
Motion – Protection of local pharmacies
Councillor Ackroyd to move and Councillor Lubbock to second:
“The future of chemists in Norwich seems uncertain after the government announced plans to cut funding and change the way prescriptions are dispensed, imposing a 6 per cent reduction in pharmacy funding.
The All Party Pharmacy Group estimates that one in four shops could be forced to close.
Local pharmacists play a valuable role in our community and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society believes planned changes announced by the Department of Health on 17 December 2015 could lead to significant upheaval for local residents.
Council, therefore, RESOLVES to:
a) support the view that that such attacks on the very fabric of our health system give a lie to Prime Minister David Cameron’s statement that the NHS is “Safe in Our Hands.”
b) ask the leader of the council to write to our local MPs, asking them to call on the government to shelve these plans and protect this vital and highly valued service.”