Agenda item

Notice of Motion Regarding "Promoting Health and Reducing Consumption" - Given By Councillor Douglas Johnson and To Be Seconded By Councillor Kaltum Rivers

That this Council:

 

(a)       notes the world-wide scourge of modern society consuming and disposing of large amounts of single-use plastic;

 

(b)       notes the recent analysis of public health data by the Local Government Association showing that one in 25 school children aged 10 or 11 are severely obese;

 

(c)        notes that tooth decay in children is a strong indicator of inequality and has a serious adverse effect on childhood health and life chances, leading to school absence and unnecessary surgery;

 

(d)       notes that Green Group councillors asked for the Healthier Communities and Adult Social Care Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee to look at the issue of dental health in 2017;

 

(e)       notes that the Green Group budget amendment in 2018 included a proposal to introduce drinking water fountains in the city centre and major parks, helping to improve health and reduce consumption of disposable plastics; and

 

(f)        therefore welcomes the introduction of new publicly accessible drinking fountains in Sheffield City Centre.

 

Minutes:

8.1

It was moved by Councillor Douglas Johnson, and formally seconded by Councillor Kaltum Rivers, that this Council:-

 

 

 

(a)       notes the world-wide scourge of modern society consuming and disposing of large amounts of single-use plastic;

 

(b)       notes the recent analysis of public health data by the Local Government Association showing that one in 25 school children aged 10 or 11 are severely obese;

 

(c)        notes that tooth decay in children is a strong indicator of inequality and has a serious adverse effect on childhood health and life chances, leading to school absence and unnecessary surgery;

 

(d)       notes that Green Group councillors asked for the Healthier Communities and Adult Social Care Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee to look at the issue of dental health in 2017;

 

(e)       notes that the Green Group budget amendment in 2018 included a proposal to introduce drinking water fountains in the city centre and major parks, helping to improve health and reduce consumption of disposable plastics; and

 

(f)        therefore welcomes the introduction of new publicly accessible drinking fountains in Sheffield City Centre.

 

 

8.2

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Mary Lea, seconded by Councillor Dawn Dale, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of paragraphs (d) to (f) and the addition of new paragraphs (d) to (h) as follows:-

 

 

 

(d)       notes that this Administration has recently outlined a series of measures to tackle sugar, junk food and obesity in Sheffield;

 

(e)       further notes that in March, Cabinet took the decision to approve the Food and Wellbeing Strategy which includes a measure to resist sponsorship from junk food companies and to stop such adverts near schools, where the Council has the power to do so;

 

(f)        notes that this Administration’s Food and Wellbeing Strategy aims to create a low sugar Sheffield to reduce diet-related ill-health including obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and tooth decay, and that, in particular, the Strategy sets out to tackle obesity and children’s dental health in the 20 percent most deprived areas of Sheffield;

 

(g)       notes that the plan will also see healthier food and drinks in Council leisure centres and park cafes, and that this builds on the successful GULP (Giving Up Loving Pop) campaign in schools, which encourages young people, their families and school staff to give up sugary drinks; and

 

(h)       believes that public provision of drinking water is an important initiative, both for the reduction of single-use plastics and for health, and acknowledges the Green Party’s praise of the Labour administration’s work towards this.

 

 

8.3

It was then moved by Councillor Colin Ross, seconded by Councillor Penny Baker, 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)       notes that the Liberal Democrats’ May 2017 manifesto included pledges to:-

 

 

 

(i)         pass a Zero Waste Act, including legally-binding targets for reducing net consumption of key natural resources, and introducing incentives for businesses to improve resource efficiency;

 

(ii)        benefit consumers by promoting better product design to improve reparability, reuse and recycling;

 

(iii)       establish a statutory waste recycling target of 70% in England and extend separate food waste collections to at least 90% of homes by 2022; and

 

(iv)       build on the success of our plastic bag charge, by introducing a 5p charge on disposable coffee cups to reduce waste;

 

 

 

(b)       notes that the Liberal Democrat 2018 local manifesto included commitments to:-

 

 

 

(i)         introduce a ‘Keep Sheffield Green’ fund – an additional pot of money for local communities to decide how best they would like to invest in their environment, e.g. street tree retention, cycle routes, recycling;

 

(ii)        extend the recycling of plastics and make it easier for residents to recycle plastic, e.g. by requiring the Council’s contractor to undertake more separation;

 

(iii)       investigate reverse-vending for plastic bottle returns and encouraging water bottle re-filling points in public places and businesses, and explore the collection of food waste for composting; and

 

(iv)       increase the number of green bin collections in the autumn and promote the take up of the service to households across the city; and

 

 

 

(c)        therefore asks this Administration to “put the protection of the environment at the heart of policies across all areas of local government”.

 

 

8.4

After contributions from four other Members, and following a right of reply from Councillor Douglas Johnson, the amendment moved by Councillor Mary Lea was put to the vote and was carried.

 

 

8.4.1

(NOTE: Councillors Jack Clarkson, Keith Davis and John Booker voted for paragraphs (d) to (g) of the amendment, and abstained from voting on paragraph (h) of the amendment, and asked for this to be recorded.)

 

 

8.5

The amendment moved by Councillor Colin Ross was then put to the vote and was negatived, with the exception of the proposed new paragraph (c), which was carried.

 

 

8.6

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

 

 

 

RESOLVED: That this Council:- 

 

(a)       notes the world-wide scourge of modern society consuming and disposing of large amounts of single-use plastic;

 

(b)       notes the recent analysis of public health data by the Local Government Association showing that one in 25 school children aged 10 or 11 are severely obese;

 

(c)        notes that tooth decay in children is a strong indicator of inequality and has a serious adverse effect on childhood health and life chances, leading to school absence and unnecessary surgery;

 

(d)       notes that this Administration has recently outlined a series of measures to tackle sugar, junk food and obesity in Sheffield;

 

(e)       further notes that in March, Cabinet took the decision to approve the Food and Wellbeing Strategy which includes a measure to resist sponsorship from junk food companies and to stop such adverts near schools, where the Council has the power to do so;

 

(f)        notes that this Administration’s Food and Wellbeing Strategy aims to create a low sugar Sheffield to reduce diet-related ill-health including obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and tooth decay, and that, in particular, the Strategy sets out to tackle obesity and children’s dental health in the 20 percent most deprived areas of Sheffield;

 

(g)       notes that the plan will also see healthier food and drinks in Council leisure centres and park cafes, and that this builds on the successful GULP (Giving Up Loving Pop) campaign in schools, which encourages young people, their families and school staff to give up sugary drinks;

 

(h)       believes that public provision of drinking water is an important initiative, both for the reduction of single-use plastics and for health, and acknowledges the Green Party’s praise of the Labour administration’s work towards this; and

 

(i)         therefore, asks this Administration to “put the protection of the environment at the heart of policies across all areas of local government”.