(time limit 30 minutes)
Motion 1
Councillor Roberts to MOVE and Councillor Dearden to SECOND:
This Council notes with alarm and concern the developing pressures in the National Health Service resulting from the Government’s Accident and Emergency crisis:
· Between October to December 2014 just under 93% of Accident and Emergency patients in England were seen within four hours - the worst quarterly result since a target was introduced. In the same period, 91.47% of patients were seen within four hours at Pennine Acute Hospitals Trust (PAHT includes Royal Oldham, North Manchester and Fairfield hospitals, as well as an urgent care centre at Rochdale Infirmary). In the week ending the 9th January this had worsened to 87.9% at PAHT.
· As well as long waits for patients in A&E, this performance impacts on the NHS more widely. Over 300 long-planned operations are cancelled each day as England’s NHS hospitals need more beds for A&E departments under record-breaking strain.
· 20 hospitals have declared ‘major incidents’ to tackle their individual problems in A&E Departments.
· An initial estimate is that the full year cost of care provided to facilitate hospital discharges in recent weeks could be in the region of £500k and this is likely to increase if pressures persist.
The Council acknowledges the hard work done by NHS staff to meet the needs of patients and the joint work by Oldham’s Urgent Care Alliance to make the best use of the resources available to Oldham, but believes that additional investment is needed both in the NHS directly and in Council social care services to meet the needs of an ageing population and address the health inequalities in the borough.
This Council resolves to instruct the Chief Executive to:
1. Write to the Secretary of State for Health asking for urgent action to be taken to bring together health, social care, emergency and council services to develop an emergency plan to tackle the rapidly deteriorating position in A&E services. The plan to include a review of the resources available to local authorities to improve preventative services and care packages to ensure timely discharge of patients into community services.
2. Write to the Local Government Association to enlist their support.
3. Write to the three borough MPs to inform them of the council’s position and request that they use whatever parliamentary means available to raise this matter with government.
Motion 2
Councillor Akhtar to MOVE and Councillor Ball to SECOND:
The New Economy recently published a report which reviewed the impact of benefit sanctions. This has been reviewed by the Oldham Poverty Action Group and local data collected through a workshop. The Group has stated that:
· The sanctions system itself is complex and the wording in official letters is difficult to understand. Local residents do not know they can access hardship payments from the DWP and are not clear about Local Welfare Provision.
· Many organisations that work to support claimants believe that sanctions are applied when they shouldn’t be. For example when there are exceptional circumstances that have led to the claimants actions e.g. when a person is sanctioned for not attending an interview when the letter inviting them arrived after the date of the meeting.
· People who are already vulnerable are often more likely to incur sanctions e.g. concerns were expressed about people with mental ill health and with poor literacy/numeracy skills.
· Overall there seems to be less support services available to help people facing multiple disadvantages who are affected by sanctions which means people are left isolated and need to turn to charitable help.
According to the Children in Poverty Action Group only about one third of sanctioned claimants appeal and yet 56% are successful at getting the sanction overturned which implies that confidence and understanding about the appeal process is likely to be poorly understood and that too many sanctions probably shouldn’t have been applied. A number of work clubs in Oldham are now trying to support claimants with the appeal process and it is appears that where claimants have skills issues (e.g. literacy issues) that they will not engage in submitting appeals.
I thereby call on the Chief Executive to write to the Government asking it to urgently review its approach to sanctioning. It is accepted that sometimes sanctions are required but there should be a fairness test and clear support pathways for those sanctioned.
Motion 3
Councillor Briggs to MOVE and Councillor Williams to SECOND:
This Council recognises the hazards caused by Sky Lanterns (also known as Chinese Lanterns).
Sky Lanterns have given rise to a number of serious safety concerns including:
· The risk to human life, especially to those who are members of the emergency services
· Risks to Pets, livestock, birds, wildlife and marine life.
· Fires and damage to property and vehicles.
· The impact on the environment, including littering.
Sky Lanterns were responsible for the fire at the Smethwick Recycling Plant in June 2013, which resulted in damage totalling around £6m. They have also been responsible for 62 fires within Greater Manchester.
Death and injury has been inflicted on Pets, livestock, birds, wildlife and marine life mainly through ingestion and entrapment caused by the lanterns wire frames.
The RSPCA, Fire and Rescue Authorities, farmers and vets have all warned of the dangers of Sky Lanterns. They have also been banned in several other countries including Australia, Spain and Germany.
This Council therefore, resolves to ban the sale and use of sky lanterns on any of its property or premises.
In addition, that the Council resolves to write to our three local Members of Parliament and urges them to support Early Day Motion 266 which states: ‘That this House expresses concern regarding the use of sky lanterns, also known as Chinese lanterns and their impact on livestock, crops and the environment; notes that Cleveland Fire Brigade recognises that the lanterns pose a serious fire safety hazard due to their uncontrolled and unpredictable flight paths; further notes the existence of a ban on their use in Spain as a result of damage to property and death or injury to livestock caused by discarded lanterns and increases on the fire service, police and medical emergency services; and urges the Government to act swiftly.’
Minutes:
At this point in the Meeting Councillor Ahmad left the Chamber and took no part in the debate or vote.
Motion 1
Councillor Roberts MOVED and Councillor Dearden SECONDED the following motion:
This Council notes with alarm and concern the developing pressures in the National Health Service resulting from the Government’s Accident and Emergency crisis:
· Between October to December 2014 just under 93% of Accident and Emergency patients in England were seen within four hours - the worst quarterly result since a target was introduced. In the same period, 91.47% of patients were seen within four hours at Pennine Acute Hospitals Trust (PAHT includes Royal Oldham, North Manchester and Fairfield hospitals, as well as an urgent care centre at Rochdale Infirmary). In the week ending the 9th January this had worsened to 87.9% at PAHT.
· As well as long waits for patients in A&E, this performance impacts on the NHS more widely. Over 300 long-planned operations are cancelled each day as England’s NHS hospitals need more beds for A&E departments under record-breaking strain.
· 20 hospitals have declared ‘major incidents’ to tackle their individual problems in A&E Departments.
· An initial estimate is that the full year cost of care provided to facilitate hospital discharges in recent weeks could be in the region of £500k and this is likely to increase if pressures persist.
The Council acknowledges the hard work done by NHS staff to meet the needs of patients and the joint work by Oldham’s Urgent Care Alliance to make the best use of the resources available to Oldham, but believes that additional investment is needed both in the NHS directly and in Council social care services to meet the needs of an ageing population and address the health inequalities in the borough.
This Council resolves to instruct the Chief Executive to:
1. Write to the Secretary of State for Health asking for urgent action to be taken to bring together health, social care, emergency and council services to develop an emergency plan to tackle the rapidly deteriorating position in A&E services. The plan to include a review of the resources available to local authorities to improve preventative services and care packages to ensure timely discharge of patients into community services.
2. Write to the Local Government Association to enlist their support.
3. Write to the three borough MPs to inform them of the council’s position and request that they use whatever parliamentary means available to raise this matter with government.
Councillor Dean spoke in support of the motion.
Councillor Mushtaq spoke in support of the motion
Councillor Harrison spoke in support of the motion
Councillor Blyth spoke in support of the motion
Councillor Hibbert spoke in support of the motion
Councillor Roberts exercised her right of reply.
On being put to the vote FIFTY SEVEN VOTES were cast IN FAVOUR of the MOTION with TWO VOTES cast AGAINST and NO ABSTENTIONS. The MOTION was therefore CARRIED.
RESOLVED that:
1. The Chief Executive be instructed to write to the Secretary of State for Health asking for urgent action to be taken to bring together health, social care, emergency and council services to develop an emergency plan to tackle the rapidly deteriorating position in A&E services. The plan to include a review of the resources available to local authorities to improve preventative services and care packages to ensure timely discharge of patients into community services.
2. The Chief Executive be instructed to write to the Local Government Association to enlist their support.
3. The Chief Executive be instructed to write to the three borough MPs to inform them of the Council’s position and request that they use whatever parliamentary means available to raise this matter with government.
At this point in the meeting the Mayor advised that time had expired for this item and Councillor Ahmad returned to the Chamber.
Motion 2
The Mayor informed the meeting that the time limit for this item had expired and Councillor Akhtar as Mover of the Motion and Councillor Ball as Seconder of the Motion requested Council to permit the motion to be rolled over for discussion at the next Council meeting.
“The New Economy recently published a report which reviewed the impact of benefit sanctions. This has been reviewed by the Oldham Poverty Action Group and local data collected through a workshop. The Group has stated that:
· The sanctions system itself is complex and the wording in official letters is difficult to understand. Local residents do not know they can access hardship payments from the DWP and are not clear about Local Welfare Provision.
· Many organisations that work to support claimants believe that sanctions are applied when they shouldn’t be. For example when there are exceptional circumstances that have led to the claimants actions e.g. when a person is sanctioned for not attending an interview when the letter inviting them arrived after the date of the meeting.
· People who are already vulnerable are often more likely to incur sanctions e.g. concerns were expressed about people with mental ill health and with poor literacy/numeracy skills.
· Overall there seems to be less support services available to help people facing multiple disadvantages who are affected by sanctions which means people are left isolated and need to turn to charitable help.
According to the Children in Poverty Action Group only about one third of sanctioned claimants appeal and yet 56% are successful at getting the sanction overturned which implies that confidence and understanding about the appeal process is likely to be poorly understood and that too many sanctions probably shouldn’t have been applied. A number of work clubs in Oldham are now trying to support claimants with the appeal process and it is appears that where claimants have skills issues (e.g. literacy issues) that they will not engage in submitting appeals.
I thereby call on the Chief Executive to write to the Government asking it to urgently review its approach to sanctioning. It is accepted that sometimes sanctions are required but there should be a fairness test and clear support pathways for those sanctioned.”
RESOLVED that the Motion be rolled forward and considered at the next Council meeting to be held on 1st April 2015.
Motion 3
The Mayor informed the meeting that the time limit for this item had expired and Councillor Briggs as Mover of the Motion and Councillor Williams as Seconder of the Motion requested Council to permit the motion to be rolled over for discussion at the next Council meeting.
“This Council recognises the hazards caused by Sky Lanterns (also known as Chinese Lanterns).
Sky Lanterns have given rise to a number of serious safety concerns including:
· The risk to human life, especially to those who are members of the emergency services
· Risks to Pets, livestock, birds, wildlife and marine life.
· Fires and damage to property and vehicles.
· The impact on the environment, including littering.
Sky Lanterns were responsible for the fire at the Smethwick Recycling Plant in June 2013, which resulted in damage totalling around £6m. They have also been responsible for 62 fires within Greater Manchester.
Death and injury has been inflicted on Pets, livestock, birds, wildlife and marine life mainly through ingestion and entrapment caused by the lanterns wire frames.
The RSPCA, Fire and Rescue Authorities, farmers and vets have all warned of the dangers of Sky Lanterns. They have also been banned in several other countries including Australia, Spain and Germany.
This Council therefore, resolves to ban the sale and use of sky lanterns on any of its property or premises.
In addition, that the Council resolves to write to our three local Members of Parliament and urges them to support Early Day Motion 266 which states: ‘That this House expresses concern regarding the use of sky lanterns, also known as Chinese lanterns and their impact on livestock, crops and the environment; notes that Cleveland Fire Brigade recognises that the lanterns pose a serious fire safety hazard due to their uncontrolled and unpredictable flight paths; further notes the existence of a ban on their use in Spain as a result of damage to property and death or injury to livestock caused by discarded lanterns and increases on the fire service, police and medical emergency services; and urges the Government to act swiftly.’
RESOLVED that the Motion be rolled forward and considered at the next Council meeting to be held on 1st April 2015.