Agenda item

 

Each November, communities come together to honour those who have fought to defend our freedoms, and pay respects to our fallen soldiers.

 
Remembrance Day Parades are a feature of these acts of commemoration up and down the country, but in our Borough they are under threat.

In the past, road closures to allow parades to go ahead in villages across the Borough have been facilitated by South Yorkshire Police, but a change in police policy means this will no longer be the case. Instead, local event organisers will need to apply to RMBC for a temporary road closure, provide a traffic management plan, and use volunteers or a traffic management company to facilitate closures.

At present, the process for doing so is opaque and no information or guidance from RMBC is publicly available. The costs for smaller scale event organisers may also be prohibitive.

Unless the Council takes action, Remembrance Day Parades are unlikely to go ahead in villages where they usually take place.

 
Therefore, we call on the Council to:-

 

-               Set out a clear process for community event organisers to apply for temporary road closures for Remembrance Day Parades and other community events;

 

-       Provide written guidance, a template traffic management plan, a template risk assessment, and Officer support to event organisers;

 

-               Share the costs associated with road closures to enable Remembrance Day Parades with organisers, in recognition of the important role these events have within communities and out of respect for the armed forces;

 

-               Make all reasonable efforts to assist community organisers and enable Remembrance Day Parades to go ahead this year.

 

Mover:- Councillor Barley                        Seconder: Councillor Tinsley

It was moved by Councillor Barley and seconded by Councillor Tinsley:

 

“Each November, communities come together to honour those who have fought to defend our freedoms, and pay respects to our fallen soldiers.

 
Remembrance Day Parades are a feature of these acts of commemoration up and down the country, but in our Borough they are under threat.

In the past, road closures to allow parades to go ahead in villages across the Borough have been facilitated by South Yorkshire Police, but a change in police policy means this will no longer be the case. Instead, local event organisers will need to apply to RMBC for a temporary road closure, provide a traffic management plan, and use volunteers or a traffic management company to facilitate closures.

At present, the process for doing so is opaque and no information or guidance from RMBC is publicly available. The costs for smaller scale event organisers may also be prohibitive.

 
Unless the Council takes action, Remembrance Day Parades are unlikely to go ahead in villages where they usually take place.

 
Therefore, we call on the Council to: -

 

·       Set out a clear process for community event organisers to apply for temporary road closures for Remembrance Day Parades and other community events;

 

·       Provide written guidance, a template traffic management plan, a template risk assessment, and Officer support to event organisers;

 

·       Share the costs associated with road closures to enable Remembrance Day Parades with organisers, in recognition of the important role these events have within communities and out of respect for the armed forces;

 

·       Make all reasonable efforts to assist community organisers and enable Remembrance Day Parades to go ahead this year.””

 

At this point it was moved by Councillor C. Carter and seconded by Councillor A. Carter that the motion be amended as follows:

 

“Each November, communities come together to honour those who have fought to defend our freedoms,

 

DELETE: -

 

The word “and”

 

INSERT: -

 

recognise the sacrifice that those abroad (such as interpreters) have made supporting our troops in conflicts, and acknowledge our responsibility to work for the peace that they fought to achieve.

 

TO READ:-

 

Each November, communities come together to honour those who have fought to defend our freedoms, pay respects to our fallen soldiers, recognise the sacrifice that those abroad (such as interpreters) have made supporting our troops in conflicts, and acknowledge our responsibility to work for the peace that they fought to achieve.

 

Remembrance Day Parades are a feature of these acts of commemoration up and down the country, but in our Borough they are under threat.

 

In the past, road closures to allow parades to go ahead in villages across the Borough have been facilitated by South Yorkshire Police, but a change in police policy means this will no longer be the case. Instead, local event organisers will need to apply to RMBC for a temporary road closure, provide a traffic management plan, and use volunteers or a traffic management company to facilitate closures.

 

At present, the process for doing so is opaque and no information or guidance from RMBC is publicly available. The costs for smaller scale event organisers may also be prohibitive.

 

Unless the Council takes action, Remembrance Day Parades are unlikely to go ahead in villages where they usually take place.

 

Therefore, we call on the Council to: -

 

·            Set out a clear process for community event organisers to apply for temporary road closures for Remembrance Day Parades and other community events;

·            Provide written guidance, a template traffic management plan, a template risk assessment, and Officer support to event organisers;

 

INSERT:-

 

·            Publicise to volunteers already known to the Council (e.g. Rotherham Heroes, Love Where You Live) any Remembrance Day Parade organisers that need volunteers to help the events run smoothly;

 

INSERT, AND DELETE THE WORDS “share the costs” TO READ: -

 

·            Waive the costs associated with road closures for up to one parade in each town and village in the Borough to enable Remembrance Day Parades with organisers, in recognition of the important role these events have within communities and out of respect for the armed forces;

 

·            Make all reasonable efforts to assist community organisers and enable Remembrance Day Parades to go ahead this year.”

 

Councillor Barley stated that she accepted the proposed amendment to the motion without a vote being taken.

 

At this point it was moved by Councillor Read and seconded by Councillor Beck that the amended motion (as moved by Councillor C. Carter and amended by Councillor A. Carter) be amended as follows:

 

“Each November, communities come together to honour those who have fought to defend our freedoms, and pay respects to our fallen soldiers.

 

Remembrance Day Parades are a feature of these acts of commemoration up and down the country, but in our Borough they are under threat.

 

In the past, road closures to allow parades to go ahead in villages across the Borough have been facilitated by South Yorkshire Police, but a change in police policy means this will no longer be the case. Instead, local event organisers will need to apply to RMBC for a temporary road closure, provide a traffic management plan, and use volunteers or a traffic management company to facilitate closures.

 

At present, the process for doing so is opaque and no information or guidance from RMBC is publicly available. The costs for smaller scale event organisers may also be prohibitive.

 

Unless the Council takes action, Remembrance Day Parades are unlikely to go ahead in villages where they usually take place.

 
Therefore, we call on the Council to:-

 

·            Set out a clear process for community event organisers to apply for temporary road closures for Remembrance Day Parades and other community events;

·            Provide written guidance, a template traffic management plan, a template risk assessment, and Officer support to event organisers;

·            Publicise to volunteers already known to the Council (e.g. Rotherham Heroes, Love Where You Live) any Remembrance Day Parade organisers that need volunteers to help the events run smoothly;

·            Waive the costs associated with road closures for up to one parade in each town and village in the Borough to enable Remembrance Day Parades with organisers, in recognition of the important role these events have within communities and out of respect for the armed forces;

·            Make all reasonable efforts to assist community organisers and enable Remembrance Day Parades to go ahead this year.

 

 

DELETE: -

 

·            Provide written guidance, a template traffic management plan, a template risk assessment, and Officer support to event organisers;

 

 

INSERT: -

 

·            Provide written guidance, and a template risk assessment, subject to applicants having the necessary public liability insurance.””

 

On being put to the vote the amendment to the motion was declared as won.

 

The now substantive motion (as moved by Councillor Read and seconded by Councillor Beck) was now debated.

 

On being put to the vote the motion was declared as carried.

 

Mover: - Councillor Read                        Seconder: - Councillor Beck