In accordance with the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 12, the Council will consider the following Motion to Council submitted by Councillor Pam Morrison:-

“That this Council instructs the Chief Executive to write to the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust to request confirmation that the Trust has taken notice of the very poor record on level 2 ambulance response times to the Harwich Peninsula during November 2019, December 2019 and January 2020 during which the required 18 minute response time was only achieved for 15% of the emergency calls and furthermore that it has taken the necessary measures to ensure that the required level of service is provided during the coming winter period.”

Council had before it the following motion, notice of which had been given by Councillor Pam Morrison pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 12:-

“That this Council instructs the Chief Executive to write to the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust to request confirmation that the Trust has taken notice of the very poor record on level 2 ambulance response times to the Harwich Peninsula during November 2019, December 2019 and January 2020 during which the required 18 minute response time was only achieved for 15% of the emergency calls and furthermore that it has taken the necessary measures to ensure that the required level of service is provided during the coming winter period.”

Councillor Morrison formally moved the motion, and Councillor Turner formally seconded the motion.

Councillor Morrison, pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 16.6(a), then informed Council that she wished to alter the wording of the Motion so that it read as follows:-

“(a) That this Council instructs the Chief Executive to write to the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust to request confirmation that the Trust has taken notice of the very poor record on level 2 ambulance response times to the Harwich Peninsula during November 2019, December 2019 and January 2020 during which the required 18 minute response time was only achieved for 15% of the emergency calls and furthermore that it has taken the necessary measures to ensure that the required level of service is provided during the coming winter period; and

(b) That this Council further instructs the Chief Executive to request that the NHS Trust, in respect of the period 1 September 2019 to 31 August 2020, provides the figures for level 2 Ambulance responses across the whole of the District of Tendring, broken down into Rural and Urban areas and that it again confirms that the necessary measures are in place to achieve the required response time during the coming Winter period."

Councillor Turner, as seconder, gave his consent to the motion being so altered.

Councillor Morrison then gave her reasons why she felt that it would be appropriate for the motion to be dealt with at the meeting.

The Leader of the Council (Councillor Stock OBE) did not raise any objections to the Motion being dealt with at this meeting.

The Chairman (Councillor Land) then made his ruling on whether the motion should be dealt with at the meeting or stand referred. He decided that the motion would be dealt with at the meeting.

Councillor Morrison then explained the purpose of the Motion.

Councillors McWilliams, Stock and Turner addressed the Council on the subject matter of Councillor Morrison’s motion.

On being put to the vote it was unanimously:-

RESOLVED that -

(a)    this Council instructs the Chief Executive to write to the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust to request confirmation that the Trust has taken notice of the very poor record on level 2 ambulance response times to the Harwich Peninsula during November 2019, December 2019 and January 2020 during which the required 18 minute response time was only achieved for 15% of the emergency calls and furthermore that it has taken the necessary measures to ensure that the required level of service is provided during the coming winter period; and

(b)    this Council further instructs the Chief Executive to request that the NHS Trust, in respect of the period 1 September 2019 to 31 August 2020, provides the figures for level 2 Ambulance responses across the whole of the District of Tendring, broken down into Rural and Urban areas and that it again confirms that the necessary measures are in place to achieve the required response time during the coming Winter period.