Agenda item

6.1

RESOLVED: On the motion of Councillor Peter Rippon and seconded by Councillor Michelle Cook, that, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9.1, the order of business as published on the Council Summons be altered by taking item 7 on the agenda (Notice of Motion Regarding the Electrification of Midland Mainline) as the next item of business, in view of its subject matter being similar to the previous item of business considered at the meeting.

6.2

It was moved by Councillor Ian Auckland, and seconded by Councillor Joe Otten, that this Council:-

(a)       regrets the Government’s decision to scrap plans announced in 2012 by former Deputy Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon Nick Clegg, to electrify the Midland Mainline to Sheffield;

(b)       believes that the decision by Transport Secretary, the Rt. Hon. Chris Grayling MP, to announce his support for Crossrail 2 adds insult to injury and demonstrates that this Government has abandoned its commitment to the Northern Powerhouse;

(c)        is disappointed that research by Institute For Public Policy Research (IPPR) North shows Yorkshire and the Humber will get £190 per head of transport spending from 2016/17 onwards compared to £220 in the North East, £680 in the North West and £1,940 in London;

(d)       believes that investment in transport connections across the north of England is vital to the goal of rebalancing the economy and bringing more investment and jobs to the north;

(e)       further notes Transport for the North’s independent research published in 2016 in the Northern Powerhouse Independent Economic Review which shows how new investments including ‘HS3’ could unlock up to £97 billion and create 850,000 new jobs by 2050;

(f)        notes that, to date, 85,000 people have signed a petition calling on the Government to boost transport spending in the north;

(g)       notes delays to the Hope Valley capacity scheme, which was due to commence in May 2017 for completion by September 2018;

(h)       calls upon the Transport Secretary to:-

(i)         reverse the decision to scrap the electrification of the Midland Mainline;

(ii)        approve the commencement of the Hope Valley capacity scheme;

(iii)       pledge his immediate backing for the Northern Powerhouse Rail programme; and

(iv)       give Transport for the North the same powers as those enjoyed by Transport for London so that it can also raise private finance towards its own transport priorities; and

(i)         directs that a copy of this Motion be sent to the Secretary of State for Transport.

6.3

Whereupon, it was formally moved by Councillor Jack Scott, and seconded by Councillor Chris Rosling-Josephs, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of all the words after the words “That this Council” and the addition of the following words:-

(a)       welcomes the confirmation by the Government that high-speed services will run into Sheffield Midland station, and notes that the Labour Group have always championed the benefits of a city centre location for HS2 as this is where the greatest economic impact, transport benefits and job creation will be delivered;

(b)       applauds the leadership, determination and hard work of the Council Leader, Councillor Julie Dore, in securing a HS2 city centre location, which will bring the maximum benefits for the whole of South Yorkshire;

(c)        affirms that a city centre location is vital to ensuring Sheffield is well placed to maximise the benefits of HS2, and allows for the integration of HS2 with HS3, but believes this must extend to the north as well as to the south;

(d)       highlights that whilst we welcome the fact that HS2 Ltd have committed to funding a junction, this Administration will be seeking further commitments from the Government to ensure that the connection north of Sheffield is funded to enable high speed connections out of Midland and up to places like Leeds and Newcastle;

(e)       notes that despite the hugely positive news that HS2 will be coming to the centre of Sheffield, the Government have cancelled the electrification of the Midland Mainline which was due to be electrified by 2023; the Government have decided that 'bi-mode' trains - which can switch from electric to diesel power – will instead be introduced;

(f)        believes that this move is outrageous and will deny Sheffield faster, greener, more reliable train journeys which would have been a big boost to our economy and would have led to significantly improved air quality, another key aspiration of this Administration, particularly given the Government's woefully inadequate Air Quality Plan;

(g)       believes that the Government’s decision to cancel the electrification of the Midland Mainline is even more outrageous, given that the Government are continuing with Crossrail 2, a new London rail line, which will cost around £30 billion - denoting that whilst there is extra money for the south, the north continues to get neglected under this Government;

(h)       notes that despite this significant setback, it is encouraging that HS2 Ltd said they would ensure that Sheffield was HS2-ready so it could benefit from a spur into the city centre off the main line, being, therefore, unaffected by the Government’s decision regarding the lack of electrification on the existing line from Sheffield to Kettering, and that this Administration will continue to hold HS2 Ltd to account to ensure this happens;

(i)         believes that as a nation we are too London-centric and too centralised; and that much more needs to be done to empower all England’s regions; figures from the think-tank Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) show that funding per head in London for transport is £3,400 compared to just £427 per head in the north, and in total the north would have seen £59 billion more for transport if funded the same as London, and therefore, support is given to calls from Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, for this to be addressed urgently; and

(j)         states that the disparity between transport in the north of England and London must now be addressed and reiterates comments made by Council Leader, Councillor Julie Dore, prior to the transport summit in Leeds, that the Government must:-

(i)         commit to making an integrated transport network across the whole of the north and especially a commitment to a Northern Powerhouse Rail; and

(ii)        commit to upgrades that will make an immediate difference – particularly reversing their decision to cancel the electrification of the Midland Mainline.

6.4

Following debate on the matter under consideration, the amendment was put to the vote and carried.

6.5

The original Motion, as amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried:-

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

(a)       welcomes the confirmation by the Government that high-speed services will run into Sheffield Midland station, and notes that the Labour Group have always championed the benefits of a city centre location for HS2 as this is where the greatest economic impact, transport benefits and job creation will be delivered;

(b)       applauds the leadership, determination and hard work of the Council Leader, Councillor Julie Dore, in securing a HS2 city centre location, which will bring the maximum benefits for the whole of South Yorkshire;

(c)        affirms that a city centre location is vital to ensuring Sheffield is well placed to maximise the benefits of HS2, and allows for the integration of HS2 with HS3, but believes this must extend to the north as well as to the south;

(d)        highlights that whilst we welcome the fact that HS2 Ltd have committed to funding a junction, this Administration will be seeking further commitments from the Government to ensure that the connection north of Sheffield is funded to enable high speed connections out of Midland and up to places like Leeds and Newcastle;

(e)        notes that despite the hugely positive news that HS2 will be coming to the centre of Sheffield, the Government have cancelled the electrification of the Midland Mainline which was due to be electrified by 2023; the Government have decided that 'bi-mode' trains - which can switch from electric to diesel power – will instead be introduced;

(f)         believes that this move is outrageous and will deny Sheffield faster, greener, more reliable train journeys which would have been a big boost to our economy and would have led to significantly improved air quality, another key aspiration of this Administration, particularly given the Government's woefully inadequate Air Quality Plan;

(g)        believes that the Government’s decision to cancel the electrification of the Midland Mainline is even more outrageous, given that the Government are continuing with Crossrail 2, a new London rail line, which will cost around £30 billion - denoting that whilst there is extra money for the south, the north continues to get neglected under this Government;

(h)       notes that despite this significant setback, it is encouraging that HS2 Ltd said they would ensure that Sheffield was HS2-ready so it could benefit from a spur into the city centre off the main line, being, therefore, unaffected by the Government’s decision regarding the lack of electrification on the existing line from Sheffield to Kettering, and that this Administration will continue to hold HS2 Ltd to account to ensure this happens;

(i)         believes that as a nation we are too London-centric and too centralised; and that much more needs to be done to empower all England’s regions; figures from the think-tank Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) show that funding per head in London for transport is £3,400 compared to just £427 per head in the north, and in total the north would have seen £59 billion more for transport if funded the same as London, and therefore, support is given to calls from Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, for this to be addressed urgently; and

(j)         states that the disparity between transport in the north of England and London must now be addressed and reiterates comments made by Council Leader, Councillor Julie Dore, prior to the transport summit in Leeds, that the Government must:-

(i)         commit to making an integrated transport network across the whole of the north and especially a commitment to a Northern Powerhouse Rail; and

(ii)        commit to upgrades that will make an immediate difference – particularly reversing their decision to cancel the electrification of the Midland Mainline.

6.5.1

(NOTE: 1. Councillors Andy Nash, Bob Pullin, Richard Shaw, Adam Hanrahan, Joe Otten, Colin Ross, Martin Smith, Roger Davison, Shaffaq Mohammed, Paul Scriven, Sue Alston, Andrew Sangar, Cliff Woodcraft, Ian Auckland, Sue Auckland, Steve Ayris, Gail Smith, David Baker, Penny Baker and Vickie Priestley voted for paragraphs (a) and (c) to (j) of the Substantive Motion, and voted against paragraph (b) of the Motion, and asked for this to be recorded; and

2. The Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor Magid Magid) and Councillors Douglas Johnson, Robert Murphy and Alison Teal voted for paragraphs (f), (g), (i) and (j) of the Substantive Motion, and voted against paragraphs (a) to (e) and (h) of the Motion, and asked for this to be recorded.)