(time limit 30 minutes)
Motion 1
Councillor Mushtaq to MOVE and Councillor Ball to SECOND:
This Council notes with considerable concern that the Secretary of State for Justice has announced the closure of a number of courts in the country including Oldham County Court and Oldham Magistrates Court. The closures in a borough like Oldham will have a much more profound effect than other areas particularly when combined with other policies and ‘tough decisions’ taken by the government.
Access to justice is one of the fundamental freedoms we all enjoy but the impact of this decision will affect local residents in a number of ways including:
• Increased travel times and cost associated with accessing the courts and justice system.
• Residents potentially being denied justice given the out of touch guarantee that residents will be able to access a court in one hour, by car should their local court be closed.
• Potential relocation of law firms from Oldham due to the adverse impact on their business with the knock on effect on Oldham’s provision and economy.
The list could go on but the underlying theme is an inaccessible justice system and an attack on the fundamental rights of everyone in the borough.
The Council resolves to:
Instruct the Chief Executive to write to Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Justice, to ask him to reconsider the decision to close the County Court and Magistrates Court in Oldham. To note the impact the cuts have already had on the regions ability to deliver justice for its residents and to refrain from targeting boroughs such as Oldham as an easy first option when making ‘tough decisions’.
Also to write to Debbie Abrahams MP, Michael Meacher MP and Angela Rayner MP to ask them to support the motion and to use any other parliamentary means available to achieve the same outcomes.
Motion 2
Councillor Jabbar to MOVE and Councillor Fielding to SECOND:
This Council notes the passing of this Tory Government’s Welfare Bill in the House of Commons.
The bill will cut away another £12 Billion from the welfare budget, hitting the most vulnerable in our society the hardest, the poor, the jobless, the sick to name a few. This Tory Government seems to be hell bent on attacking towns like Oldham in its cuts to Local Government funding, and now it is taking aim at families who can’t make ends meet.
This bill moves to cut tax credits and housing benefit, measures which we believe will lead to increases in child poverty, this is despite the Conservatives pledging the opposite in their manifesto – a promise not kept.
Indeed, the House of Commons Library has put the average household loss at £1350 a year because of this regressive bill.
This Council resolves:
· To instruct the Chief Executive to write to the appropriate government minister, expressing this council’s concern over measures in the Welfare Bill and that an assessment be made of its impact on Oldham should it become law.
· To ask our three Members of Parliament to campaign against the bill during its passage through both Houses of Parliament and to reasonably amend or vote against the bill, encouraging other parliamentary colleagues to do the same.
Minutes:
Motion 1
Councillor Mushtaq MOVED and Councillor Ball SECONDED:
“This Council notes with considerable concern that the Secretary of State for Justice has announced the closure of a number of courts in the country including Oldham County Court and Oldham Magistrates Court. The closures in a borough like Oldham will have a much more profound effect than other areas particularly when combined with other policies and ‘tough decisions’ taken by the government.
Access to justice is one of the fundamental freedoms we all enjoy but the impact of this decision will affect local residents in a number of ways including:
· Increased travel times and cost associated with accessing the courts and justice system.
· Residents potentially being denied justice given the out of touch guarantee that residents will be able to access a court in one hour, by car should their local court be closed.
· Potential relocation of law firms from Oldham due to the adverse impact on their business with the knock on effect on Oldham’s provision and economy.
The list could go on but the underlying theme is an inaccessible justice system and an attack on the fundamental rights of everyone in the borough.
The Council resolves to:
Instruct the Chief Executive to write to Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Justice, to ask him to reconsider the decision to close the County Court and Magistrates Court in Oldham. To note the impact the cuts have already had on the regions ability to deliver justice for its residents and to refrain from targeting boroughs such as Oldham as an easy first option when making ‘tough decisions’.
Also to write to Debbie Abrahams MP, Michael Meacher MP and Angela Rayner MP to ask them to support the motion and to use any other parliamentary means available to achieve the same outcomes.”
Councillors Chauhan, Gloster, S Bashforth, Turner, Wrigglesworth, Fielding, Rehman, Brownridge and Judge all spoke in support of the motion.
Councillor Mushtaq exercised his right of reply.
On being put to the VOTE, the meeting UNANIMOUSLY voted IN FAVOUR of the MOTION, which was therefore CARRIED.
RESOLVED that:
1. The Chief Executive be instructed to write to Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Justice, to ask him to reconsider the decision to close the County Court and Magistrates Court in Oldham. The impact the cuts have already had on the regions ability to deliver justice for its residents should be noted and he should refrain from targeting boroughs such as Oldham as an easy first option when making ‘tough decisions’.
2. The Chief Executive be instructed to write to Debbie Abrahams MP, Michael Meacher MP and Angela Rayner MP to ask them to support the motion and to use any other parliamentary means available to achieve the same outcomes
Motion 2
Motion 2 was carried over to the next meeting.