Motion received from Cllr Daniel:
‘This Council bans the use of chemical pesticide spraying including herbicides, pesticides and fungicides in the urban and public areas that the Council is responsible for maintaining, with the only exception being for the control of Japanese Knotweed, that will be carried out by stem injection of herbicide not spraying.’
Minutes:
CM 34
It was moved by Cllr L Daniel and seconded by Cllr A Coulson:
“This Council:
1. seeks to ban the use of chemical pesticide spraying including herbicides, pesticides and fungicides in the urban and public areas that the Council is responsible for maintaining, with the only exception being for the control of Japanese Knotweed that will be carried out by stem injection of herbicide not spraying; and
2. instructs the Climate Change and Biodiversity Working Group to form a detailed plan of implementation to present to the Council meeting on 10 December 2019.”
The proposer introduced the motion and made reference to:-
- 97% of wildflower meadows having disappeared since the 1920s;
- Insect and bird numbers being on the decline;
- loss of biodiversity being particularly pertinent in the United Kingdom;
- Climate Change and farming pesticides being a major contributing factor to the loss of biodiversity;
- a number of pending global lawsuits that were linked to the ill health of workers in the agriculture industry who had been exposed to pesticides;
- the need for the Council to take such steps in support of its decision to declare a Climate Change and Biodiversity Emergency; and
- there being alternative systems in the market place that could be used instead.
In the ensuing discussion, the following points were raised:-
(a) The seconder strongly urged the Council to support the motion and highlighted that:
o the Council had a moral responsibility to approve this motion having declared a Climate Change and Biodiversity Emergency;
o the UK’s butterfly species had decreased by two-thirds in the last 43 years;
o Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy and the Netherlands had all banned the use of glyphosates and their use was to be phased out in France and Germany by 2023; and
o the potential to recover the additional costs arising from this proposal by offering rental use of the equipment to town and parish councils.
(b) Whilst supporting the sentiments of the motion, some Members felt that more research needed to be undertaken before a final decision was made. As a result, an amendment was moved and seconded that read as follows:
‘This Council recognises the need to change behaviours and policies in response to the Climate Change and Biodiversity Emergency.
The Council acknowledges legitimate concerns about the use of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides and recommends that the Climate Change and Biodiversity Working Group fully considers the current use of such chemicals, alternative working practices and the impact and potential consequences of a ban in its report to Council in December 2019.’
In support of the amendment, some Members were of the view that it would enable for a detailed review to be carried out by the Working Group with an evidence based recommendation then being presented to the Council meeting on 10 December 2019.
As a contrasting view, other Members felt that the amendment diluted the sentiments of the original motion and the Council was reminded that it only ‘sought to’ ban the use of chemical pesticide spraying.
When put to the vote, the amendment was declared CARRIED and therefore became the substantive motion.
Prior to the vote being taken on the substantive motion, a Member felt that it would provide clarity to state that it only referred to land within the stewardship of the Council. This suggestion was agreed by the proposer and seconder and when put to the vote, the motion was declared CARRIED.
Upon being submitted to the Meeting, it was then declared to be CARRIED and “RESOLVED that this Council recognises the need to change behaviours and policies in response to the Climate Change and Biodiversity Emergency.
The Council acknowledges legitimate concerns about the use of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides and recommends that the Climate Change and Biodiversity Working Group fully considers the current use by this Council of such chemicals, alternative working practices and the impact and potential consequences of a ban in its report to Council in December 2019.”