Agenda item

Councillor R Beadle moved the following motion:

“This Council notes the continuing damage being done to residents, businesses and those who travel to or through Gateshead for employment, study, or leisure by the Go North East Unite industrial dispute.

Council believes:

1. That the role of political leadership is not to take sides in this dispute but to seek itsresolution

2. That the Council leadership should challenge both Go North East an Uniteto agree to binding arbitration, including the option of pendulum arbitration.”

Councillor M Gannon moved the following amendment:

“Para. 1. Delete GNE. Replace with Go North East.

Delete all after Paragraph 1

Replace with:

Whilst recognising that the current dispute is between a private company, Go North East and its workforce, in which the council is not directly involved, we are concerned that the Gateshead Liberal Democrat group believes that the council leader should “not take sides”

This council supports that position taken by the leader of the council, which is firmly “on the side” of the residents of Gateshead and of the wider region.

In particular, we support the leader of the council’s repeated statements to both sides in the dispute to seek a negotiated resolution.

We further support the position taken by the leader of the council, in his role as chair of the North East Joint Transport Committee, to ensure that Go North East does not receive any further public funds for concessionary fares and secured services which are not delivered by the company during the current dispute.

We further support the representations made by the leader of the council, in his role as chair of the North East Joint Transport Committee, to the North East Traffic Commissioner, to use its regulatory powers to investigate Go North East’s failure to comply with its licence obligations and where appropriate issue sanctions.

We further support the representations made by the leader of the council, in his role as chair of the North East Joint Transport Committee, to the Rt Hon Mark Harper, Secretary of State for Transport, asking what action he intends to take to resolve the current dispute and deal with the failure of market to deliver bus services in the North East.

The current dispute clearly demonstrates that the current deregulated bus services, “free market”, model is broken and does not serve the public interest. Private operators serve the interests of their profits and shareholders, not the public interest.

This council calls on Go North East to put the interests of Gateshead residents and those of the wider region above those of the company and its shareholders and to resolve this dispute as soon as possible.

Whether through negotiation or arbitration, we call on the parties to resolve their dispute.”

The substantive motion was defeated.

On the amendment being put it was duly carried.

COUNCIL RESOLVED:

Delete all after Paragraph 1

Replace with:

Whilst recognising that the current dispute is between a private company, Go North East and its workforce, in which the council is not directly involved, we are concerned that the Gateshead Liberal Democrat group believes that the council leader should “not take sides”

This council supports that position taken by the leader of the council, which is firmly “on the side” of the residents of Gateshead and of the wider region.

In particular, we support the leader of the council’s repeated statements to both sides in the dispute to seek a negotiated resolution.

We further support the position taken by the leader of the council, in his role as chair of the North East Joint Transport Committee, to ensure that Go North East does not receive any further public funds for concessionary fares and secured services which are not delivered by the company during the current dispute.

We further support the representations made by the leader of the council, in his role as chair of the North East Joint Transport Committee, to the North East Traffic Commissioner, to use its regulatory powers to investigate Go North East’s failure to comply with its licence obligations and where appropriate issue sanctions.

We further support the representations made by the leader of the council, in his role as chair of the North East Joint Transport Committee, to the Rt Hon Mark Harper, Secretary of State for Transport, asking what action he intends to take to resolve the current dispute and deal with the failure of market to deliver bus services in the North East.

The current dispute clearly demonstrates that the current deregulated bus services, “free market”, model is broken and does not serve the public interest. Private operators serve the interests of their profits and shareholders, not the public interest.

This council calls on Go North East to put the interests of Gateshead residents and those of the wider region above those of the company and its shareholders and to resolve this dispute as soon as possible.

Whether through negotiation or arbitration, we call on the parties to resolve their dispute.