(time limit 30 minutes)
Motion 1
Councillor McCann to MOVE and Councillor Sedgwick to SECOND:
This Council notes that:
· Many people beyond the age of 50 are denied the opportunity to participate in employment on the grounds of age
· 10.2 million people in the UK are aged between 50 and the state pension age, yet 2.9 million (or 28%) are out of work
· People continue to lead full and productive lives well beyond state pension age, and this can include a desire to participate in paid employment
· Denying work on the grounds of age to people who wish to do so has a deleterious effect on their well-being and upon the economy
· Its responsibility, as a leading employer in the borough, to have a diverse workforce, including an age-diverse workforce, to reflect the community it serves
This Council further notes:
· The report ‘A New Vision for Older Workers: Retain, Retrain and Recruit’ published by Dr. Ros Altmann CBE, the Government’s Business Champion for Older Workers, in which recommendations of good practice are made to employers, including:
- Monitoring and promoting age diversity in the workforce
- Carrying out audits to identify skill shortages when older workers leave
- Ensuring training remains available to employees over 50
- Offering mid-life career reviews to employees over 50
- Retaining older employees as mentors, rather than forcing them to retire
- An alumni programme for retired staff
- Making flexible working arrangements available so that older employees who care for others or who have a health condition can continue to work
- Providing Gap Breaks and Family Crisis leave, especially for carers, to help retain older staff
- Establishing ‘age-blind’ recruitment processes
- Valuing the experience of job applicants as much as the possession of a degree whenever possible in the selection process
- Creating Mature Apprenticeships and work experience opportunities for applicants over 50
This Council also notes the welcome expansion of the Council’s Traineeship scheme to applicants of all ages.
This Council:
· Requests the relevant Cabinet Member carry out an audit of the Council’s current practices to ensure that these follow best practice as identified by Dr Altmann in her report, and bring a report back to Council on this issue.
· Requests the relevant Cabinet Member actively promotes the Traineeship scheme to applicants who are 50 or over
· Requests the relevant Cabinet Member give consideration to creating Mature Apprenticeships and work experience opportunities for older applicants within the Council as part of the ‘Get Oldham Working’ offer and that he urges other progressive employers within the borough to also do so.
Motion 2
Councillor Heffernan to MOVE and Councillor Sykes to SECOND:
Council notes that:
· Today (September 9th 2015) marks the date upon which Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second has become Britain’s longest serving Monarch. Her Majesty has so far reigned for 23,226 days.
· A role model for her subjects and a steadfast rock for our country, our Queen has unfailingly honoured the promise she made at her Coronation to serve this Nation and the Commonwealth well, and, despite being 89 years of age, she still faithfully fulfils a very heavy diary of Royal commitments.
· Her Majesty’s reign has been momentous in many ways – she has moved from being leader of an Empire to head of the Commonwealth; there have been tremendous advances in science and technology; our nation has become much more diverse and inclusive; and her reign has been increasingly illuminated by the media with her every move, every expression and every action flashed around the world in milliseconds.
This Council, wishing to mark this momentous occasion, requests that the Chief Executive write to Buckingham Palace offering our congratulations to Her Majesty and our best wishes that she may continue her long and remarkable reign for many years to come.
Motion 3
Councillor Williamson to MOVE and Councillor Harkness to SECOND:
This Council notes that:
· Approximately 100,000 people a year die after having a sudden cardiac arrest
· The current survival rate for out of hospital cardiac arrest is less than 10%
· Research has shown that, while awaiting the arrival of paramedics, using a defibrillator in conjunction with CPR can increase the survival rate to over 70%
This Council, recognising its public health duties, acknowledges the value of installing more defibrillators in public buildings and large private-sector developments across the borough.
This Council resolves to:
· Work to increase the number of defibrillators in existing and new Council buildings, such as the Civic Centre and the two new leisure centres
· Ensure that the locations of all defibrillators in Council buildings are promptly registered with the North West Ambulance Service
· Ensure that defibrillators in Council buildings are properly maintained and that training in their use is provided to the appropriate staff
· Engage with the Council’s commercial partners to ensure that the new Princes Gate, Old Town Hall and Hotel Futures developments have sufficient functional defibrillators
Minutes:
Motion 1
Councillor McCann MOVED and Councillor Sedgwick SECONDED:
“This Council notes that:
· Many people beyond the age of 50 are denied the opportunity to participate in employment on the grounds of age
· 10.2 million people in the UK are aged between 50 and the state pension age, yet 2.9 million (or 28%) are out of work
· People continue to lead full and productive lives well beyond state pension age, and this can include a desire to participate in paid employment
· Denying work on the grounds of age to people who wish to do so has a deleterious effect on their well-being and upon the economy
· Its responsibility, as a leading employer in the borough, to have a diverse workforce, including an age-diverse workforce, to reflect the community it serves
This Council further notes:
· The report ‘A New Vision for Older Workers: Retain, Retrain and Recruit’ published by Dr. Ros Altmann CBE, the Government’s Business Champion for Older Workers, in which recommendations of good practice are made to employers, including:
- Monitoring and promoting age diversity in the workforce
- Carrying out audits to identify skill shortages when older workers leave
- Ensuring training remains available to employees over 50
- Offering mid-life career reviews to employees over 50
- Retaining older employees as mentors, rather than forcing them to retire
- An alumni programme for retired staff
- Making flexible working arrangements available so that older employees who care for others or who have a health condition can continue to work
- Providing Gap Breaks and Family Crisis leave, especially for carers, to help retain older staff
- Establishing ‘age-blind’ recruitment processes
- Valuing the experience of job applicants as much as the possession of a degree whenever possible in the selection process
- Creating Mature Apprenticeships and work experience opportunities for applicants over 50
This Council also notes the welcome expansion of the Council’s Traineeship scheme to applicants of all ages.
This Council:
· Requests the relevant Cabinet Member carry out an audit of the Council’s current practices to ensure that these follow best practice as identified by Dr Altmann in her report, and bring a report back to Council on this issue.
· Requests the relevant Cabinet Member actively promotes the Traineeship scheme to applicants who are 50 or over
· Requests the relevant Cabinet Member give consideration to creating Mature Apprenticeships and work experience opportunities for older applicants within the Council as part of the ‘Get Oldham Working’ offer and that he urges other progressive employers within the borough to also do so”.
Councillors Akhtar, Chadderton and Mushtaq spoke in support of the motion.
Councillor McCann 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 relevant Cabinet Member be requested to carry out an audit of the Council’s current practices to ensure that these follow best practice as identified by Dr Altmann in her report, and bring a report back to Council on this issue.
2. The relevant Cabinet Member be requested to actively promote the Traineeship scheme to applicants who are 50 or over.
3. The relevant Cabinet Member be requested to give consideration to creating Mature Apprenticeships and work experience opportunities for older applicants within the Council as part of the ‘Get Oldham Working’ offer and that he urges other progressive employers within the borough to also do so
Motion 2
Councillor Heffernan MOVED and Councillor Sykes SECONDED:
“Council notes that:
· Today (September 9th 2015) marks the date upon which Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second has become Britain’s longest serving Monarch. Her Majesty has so far reigned for 23,226 days.
· A role model for her subjects and a steadfast rock for our country, our Queen has unfailingly honoured the promise she made at her Coronation to serve this Nation and the Commonwealth well, and, despite being 89 years of age, she still faithfully fulfils a very heavy diary of Royal commitments.
· Her Majesty’s reign has been momentous in many ways – she has moved from being leader of an Empire to head of the Commonwealth; there have been tremendous advances in science and technology; our nation has become much more diverse and inclusive; and her reign has been increasingly illuminated by the media with her every move, every expression and every action flashed around the world in milliseconds.
This Council, wishing to mark this momentous occasion, requests that the Chief Executive write to Buckingham Palace offering our congratulations to Her Majesty and our best wishes that she may continue her long and remarkable reign for many years to come.”
Councillors Jabbar and McMahon spoke in support of the motion.
Councillor Heffernan 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: TheChief Executive be requested to write to Buckingham Palace offering our congratulations to Her Majesty and our best wishes that she may continue her long and remarkable reign for many years to come.
Motion 3
Councillor Williamson MOVED and Councillor Harkness SECONDED:
“This Council notes that:
· Approximately 100,000 people a year die after having a sudden cardiac arrest
· The current survival rate for out of hospital cardiac arrest is less than 10%
· Research has shown that, while awaiting the arrival of paramedics, using a defibrillator in conjunction with CPR can increase the survival rate to over 70%
This Council, recognising its public health duties, acknowledges the value of installing more defibrillators in public buildings and large private-sector developments across the borough.
This Council resolves to:
· Work to increase the number of defibrillators in existing and new Council buildings, such as the Civic Centre and the two new leisure centres
· Ensure that the locations of all defibrillators in Council buildings are promptly registered with the North West Ambulance Service
· Ensure that defibrillators in Council buildings are properly maintained and that training in their use is provided to the appropriate staff
· Engage with the Council’s commercial partners to ensure that the new Princes Gate, Old Town Hall and Hotel Futures developments have sufficient functional defibrillators”
There were no speakers on the motion.
On being put to the VOTE, the meeting UNANIMOUSLY voted IN FAVOUR of the MOTION, which was therefore CARRIED.
RESOLVED that:
1. The Council would work to increase the number of defibrillators in existing and new Council buildings, such as the Civic Centre and the two new leisure centres.
2. The Council would ensure that the locations of all defibrillators in Council buildings are promptly registered with the North West Ambulance Service.
3. The Council would ensure that defibrillators in Council buildings are properly maintained and that training in their use is provided to the appropriate staff,
4. The Council would engage with the its commercial partners to ensure that the new Princes Gate, Old Town Hall and Hotel Futures developments have sufficient functional defibrillators.