Cllr. Manston proposed the following motion, which was seconded by Cllr. Lindop.

“This Council pledges to:

Lead by example and remove single-use plastic items from its premises and operations, wherever it has the power to do so;

encourage plastic-free initiatives in Sevenoaks, promoting the campaign and supporting events that aim to raise awareness of single-use plastics and reduce the use of them; and

support Cllr Manston in convening and chairing a cross-party Plastic Free Community Steering Group and establishing appropriate terms of reference, KPIs and reporting.”

Cllr Manston spoke to the motion, highlighting to the meeting that this would be a cross-part initiative using a third party framework to allow focus on shared objectives. As the next big plastic count was on 11 March, she advised it would be an excellent opportunity to launch this type of initiative. If all the objectives were met, the plastic free logo could be used in all of the Council’s communications. She further advised that this had not gone through the committee process, as it was being suggested to be a Councillor led initiative within the responsibility of Councillors, without a budget and to save Officer resources. A lot of the work had already been undertaken by Councillors throughout the District and therefore a lot of expertise was already there. Working with the Cleaner & Greener Advisory Committee, and where appropriate, to have advice from Officers to provide sound performance indicators. Cllr Manston further detailed that the steering group would have Members from different parties, and would look to have two meetings a year. There would be projects assessing carbon footprints, the big plastic count and supporting the Sevenoaks climate action network climate fair. It was a new approach to create a steering group, not through the normal committee process which would in turn, ease pressure on Officers and financial implications.

The discussion moved into debate, and it was noted the care and thought that had been put into the motion. However it was felt that Cleaner & Greener Advisory Committee needed to be more fully involved, with Officer guidance.  It was moved by Cllr. Clack and duly seconded that the motion be amended to delete “wherever it has the power to do so, and insert “wherever it is viable to do so. The review and recommendation will be reported at the next available Cleaner & Greener Advisory Committee and all members will be invited to give their views to the review.”

On paragraph two to put a full stop after “them” and take out the word “and,” and delete paragraph three.

Members debated the amendment. It was noted that Sevenoaks Town Council had a plastic pledge to which 20 businesses were already signed up, including a pub in New Ash Green, and the Council had also signed up at its conception. The Town Council had been promoting the pledge for a number of years. It was raised in debate that the Council were already taking action to reduce its use of single use plastic. In its role as community leader, it promoted the reduction of single-use plastic. It had made resources available to communities to encourage the reduction in use of single use plastics and during that process had also spoken to Town and Parish Councils, who were better placed to lead this work within their local communities, on supporting local initiatives, rather than taking a top down approach and Sevenoaks Town Council was an example of that.

It was thought that the suggestion of a cross-party steering group would not necessarily be as effective, as there was already the system to do so through the Advisory Committee which also had the Climate Change strategy and action plan.

In debate it was raised that by encouraging businesses and residents to sign up to the pledge it could reduce the amount of recycling going into the system.

In his right of reply, Cllr Clack advised that he thought this was the best way forward by putting it on a future meeting of the Advisory Committee, and from comments raised in debate, it should be relatively easy to make progress on and therefore he was against forming a further cross-party group.

In Cllr Manson’s right of reply to the amendment, she thanked the Portfolio Holder for raising the work that was already being undertaken and therefore viewed that it would not be difficult to get the plastic free status. The justification was due to limited financial resources, and officer time. She was pleased that it would go on the agenda, but expressed concern that the next Advisory Committee was not for another three months’, and this would delay the process to take action.

The amendment was put to the vote and it was agreed.

Debate continued on the substantive motion.

The substantive motion was put to the vote and it was

Resolved: That this Council pledges to:

Lead by example and remove single-use plastic items from its premises and operations wherever it was viable to do so. The review and recommendation will be reported at the next available Cleaner & Greener Advisory Committee and all members will be invited to give their views to the review;

encourage plastic-free initiatives in Sevenoaks, promoting the campaign and supporting events that aim to raise awareness of single-use plastics and reduce the use of them.