Proposed by  Councillor Ackroyd

Seconded by Councillor Lubbock

Norwich has just celebrated the 20th anniversary of Refugee Week which ran from 18- 24 June 2018 and it is recognised that the refugee crisis has uprooted almost 50 million children from their homes who are now vulnerable to exploitation, abuse and trafficking

Council therefore RESOLVES to;

1. Acknowledge that this year’s messaging for Refugee Week of ‘Different Pasts, Shared Futures’ is of great significance to ensuring refugees in our area are welcomed by us all

2. Formally thank the many organisations that supported Norwich Refugee Week this year.

3. Ask group leaders to write a joint letter to the City’s MPs to call on the Government to do more to support the Refugee Crisis by:

      a) Considering the extension of the Vulnerable Children’s Resettlement Scheme to achieve a significant increase in the number of children resettled and that it is sufficiently resourced and funded to carry this out; and 

      b) Acknowledging the importance of Family Reunification by the Governmentreconsidering its position on not allowing children to sponsor their parents to be reunited with them in the UK.

Proposed by Councillor Wright

Seconded by Councillor Ackroyd

23 June 2018 was the second anniversary of the ‘Brexit’ vote and there is mounting and indisputable evidence of damage that ‘Brexit’ would cause both to the national economy and to our regional economy.

Businesses within the region, like those elsewhere in the UK, are reconsidering investment plans in new production and new jobs while they await the Brexit deal.

Many are concerned that the current rights of EU citizens living in the UK should always be fully protected and not used as a bargaining chip by the UK Government.

Council therefore RESOLVES to;

1. Note the following in relation to ‘Brexit’

    a)The increasing problems that the NHS is having in recruiting nurses and doctors since the decision to leave the     European Union was made and that this is having a real impact on the health of local residents.

    b)The potential impact of Brexit both on our local economy and on established mutually beneficial partnerships     and links with European cities.

    c)That the UK economy is now the slowest growing economy in Europe, reducing the prosperity of the UK and     our local residents.

    d)That new investment in the region is being jeopardised and new job opportunities are being lost.

    e)That Inflation caused by Brexit-related depreciation of the pound is driving up living costs for the poorest     residents, a further squeezing of living standards.

    f)That Bristol, Brighton & Hove and Hammersmith & Fulham councils have already passed motions that back a     vote on the final deal and an option to stay within the European Union.

2. Ask the Leader of the Council to write to the City’s MPs and James Brokenshire, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, expressing this council’s strong desire for a vote on the final deal, including the option to maintain full EU membership.

Proposed by Councillor Carlo

Seconded by Councillor Henderson

Although improvements in the Norwich Air Quality Management Area have been shown, City Council monitoring still indicate levels exceeding Local Air Quality Management objectives for nitrogen dioxide.  A report by the Anglia Square developer reveals even higher levels of nitrogen dioxide pollution on the nearby inner ring road which have not been picked up by Council monitoring.   In relation to particulates, the World Health Organisation (WHO) named Norwich as one of 30 UK cities in breach of safe average limits.   The EU is now taking the UK to the European Court of Justice on its poor compliance with the EU Directive. 

RESOLVED to:-

1. Ask council in relation to the Corporate Plan to:  

     a)make air quality a priority and key action under ‘A safe, clean and low carbon city’;

     b)make Local Air Quality Management Area objectives for nitrogen dioxide a key performance measure and     target;

2. make WHO guideline values on fine particulate matter a key performance measure and target. 

3.Ask cabinet to:

    a)review and extend the council’s air quality monitoring network to cover the inner ring road and outside schools;

    b)work with partners to develop further measures to improve air quality across the Norwich built up area.

Proposed by Councillor Lubbock

Seconded by Councillor Wright

The proposed Anglia Square development is significant for the city, with hundreds of comments received by the council as part of the consultation process.

Council therefore RESOLVES to agree that the planning application for Anglia Square be determined by Full Council in order that all councillors can participate in taking this decision.