Agenda item

This Council acknowledges the need for an M4 Relief Road around Newport and calls on the Welsh Government to issue a special directive ordering the implementation of an advisory referendum within the Newport Local Authority boundary area.

The Council considered the following motion, for which the necessary notice had been given.  The motion was moved by Councillor M Evans and seconded by Councillor Routley.

This Council acknowledges the need for an M4 Relief Road around Newport and calls on the Welsh Government to issue a special directive ordering the implementation of an advisory referendum within the Newport Local Authority boundary area.

Councillor M Evans introduced the motion by advising councillors to consider asking the Welsh Government to implement a referendum.  This would give the Welsh Parliament the opportunity to debate the benefits of engaging with the electorate on an issue that affected everyone across the city.  Councillor M Evans mentioned that after a public enquiry, by the Independent Commission concluded that an M4 relief road should go ahead.  The First Minister however took the decision not to debate this recommendation and therefore did not go ahead with the construction of the relief road.

The new Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act asked councils to find new ways of engaging with the public.

Councillor M Evans mentioned that previous Leaders had supported the M4 relief road.  A non-binding referendum would show the strength of feeling of the residents of Newport, one way or another.  This would be more meaningful than a petition.  It was hoped that this would lead the way for democracy in listening to the voice of Newportonians in a non-political way.

Councillor Routley formally seconded the motion and reserved the right to speak later in the debate.

The Mayor invited members to move an amendment.

In response, Councillor Mudd requested to move an amendment to the motion, which was seconded by Councillor Hughes.

Councillor H Townsend also  indicated that she may wish to move  a further amendment to the motion.

The Monitoring Officer explained that one amendment would be heard at a time, therefore the Leader was invited to speak first.

Before the Leader proceeded, Councillor C Evans asked for a point of order and sought clarification as to the proposed route.  Councillor M Evans confirmed that it was the black route.

The Leader proceeded  to speak to and move the following amendment:

Newport City Council has always acknowledged public opinion regarding an M4 Relief Road around Newport. We recognise that we must act today for a better tomorrow.

This Council asks the Welsh Government to carefully consider any calls for an advisory referendum or other public consultation within the Newport Local Authority boundary area-within the context of social, economic and environmental factors, which underpin the Well Being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.

The Leader commented on the amendment advising that most councillors as well as the public had sat in traffic wishing that there was a better way to improve the infrastructure.  There had been plenty of opportunities in the past to respond to the Welsh Government consultation on the M4 relief road proposals.  In the meantime, Covid had changed everyone’s lives, with no going back however we could change our lives for the better; the way we live and work, this had given us time to think.  The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced budget proposals today, encouraging ways of making savings, with investment in city deals and green technology.  It was felt that £1.5bn on a road would not achieve this and it was hoped that central government would support a green recovery in South East Wales by investing in rail infrastructure.  If we were to be responsible for a financial recovery for Newport, a costly referendum was not the answer and we needed to invest wisely in infrastructure by building a Newport for everyone.

Comments from Councillors:

Councillor Whitehead considered that the first motion would have had more impact if all councils supported a referendum going forward to the Welsh Government.  Councillor Whitehead agreed that there was a need for a relief road and that traffic  congestion and variable speeds was an issue.  He also supported the Leader’s comments.

Councillor C Evans had asked questions pre Covid trying to promote a green agenda, of which making Newport a Bee friendly city and installing electric car charging points had been adopted by the Council. The black route was a concern and would greatly impact on the environment and eco-system.  More people had been working from home, since the pandemic, with a view of making this a permanent move, therefore positive changes were taking place.  The legacy for Newport was a greener future.

Councillor Hughes stated that the cost associate with the M4 relief road was estimate by some as £2bn and the implications of the cost was the pivotal reason why the relief road was rejected by Welsh Government.  The A55 project in North Wales was also placed on hold for financial and environmental reasons.  Newport Wetlands was a key part of the M4 black route.  The solution would be to improve public transport and rail.  It was hoped that Newport would be at the forefront of green recovery.  The amendment would allow the council to work with the Welsh Government.

Councillor Mudd thanked colleagues for contributing to the debate and concluded that this was not the first time that M4 relief road had been debated but first time since Covid.  In light of the recent Local Government and Election (Wales) Act, Wales was most democratic country in UK and Europe and there was a real opportunity to engage with Local Government and a legacy for Newport as well as a greener city with sustainable transport.

Councillor Routley spoke against the amendment and suggested that the black route would only take up 2% of the land in Newport without affecting the Wetlands.  There were issues with the microphone being muted, which Councillor Routley requested that the Monitoring Officer investigate.

The Monitoring Officer clarified the points of order raised and advised that as the speeches had been taken out of sequence Councillor Mudd could therefore reply to Councillor Routley.

Councillor Mudd reiterated that we had to be fiscally responsible and that the amendment made it clear to colleagues that we must act today for a better tomorrow.  Newport City Council and Welsh Government had committed to sustainable transport and was part of Western Gateway and Capital City Region and therefore commended this motion to the Council.

Councillor M Evans was disappointed with the amendment and reminded colleagues that 8% of the area within the black route would be untouched.  Newport residents needed jobs and the economy to prosper, cars were becoming more environmentally friendly and that taxis and coaches were also using the M4.  Everyone ‘s lives effected by the accidents and congestion around the Brynglas Tunnels and it would be an opportunity for Newport residents to have their say. Councillor M Evans was therefore not accepting this amendment.

Councillor Harvey, Mogford, Wilcox, C Evans and J Guy moved that a recorded vote be taken on the proposed amendment.

Councillor C Townshend raised a point of clarification about whether the amendment was in addition to, or in substitution of, the original motion before Council. The Leader confirmed that the amendment was intended to replace the original motion in its entirety

The following vote was recorded:

30 members were For the amendment, 8 were Against and there were 3 Abstentions. Therefore, the amendment was duly carried.  The Monitoring Officer advised that the original motion would now fall and the amendment would become the substantive motion, unless any further amendments were moved at this stage.

Councillor H Townsend had indicated that she had intended to move a further amendment to the original motion but declared that she no longer wished to do so.

Therefore, a further vote was then taken on the first amendment, as the substantive motion. No recorded vote was called for and, therefore, members were invited to indicate whether any of them wished to change their vote.

 No member indicated that they wished to change their vote from the previous recorded vote on the amendment.  Therefore, the substantive motion was duly carried by a majority vote.

Resolved:

That -

Newport City Council has always acknowledged public opinion regarding an M4 Relief Road around Newport. We recognise that we must act today for a better tomorrow.

This Council asks the Welsh Government to carefully consider any calls for an advisory referendum or other public consultation within the Newport Local Authority boundary area-within the context of social, economic and environmental factors which underpin the Well Being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.