Agenda item

Motion 1

Councillor Williamson to MOVE and Councillor Heffernan to SECOND:

This Council notes that:

·         Nationally, over 600 young people die every year from sudden cardiac arrest - twelve young people each week - and 270 of these deaths happen in schools.

·         British Red Cross research shows nearly 90 per cent of 11 to 16-year-olds have been confronted with a medical emergency.

This Council commends:

·         The excellent work carried out by Heartstart Oldham and SADs, with support from the British Heart Foundation, Rotary Club, North West Ambulance Service, the Healthy Schools Project, fund-raisers and sponsors to provide first aid training to school staff and pupils and to supply Automated External Defibrillators to schools across the borough.

·         New guidance published by the Department for Education encouraging schools to buy an Automated External Defibrillator.

·         The British Heart Foundation’s Nation of Lifesavers Initiative.

Council believes that:

·         School children should be taught First Aid as part of the national curriculum

·         It should be a local public health priority to teach children and school staff First Aid and to provide defibrillators in schools

Council therefore resolves to:

·         Ask the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Health, The Rt. Hon. Jeremy Hunt MP and the Secretary of State for Education, The Rt. Hon. Nicola Morgan, urging them to introduce First Aid as part of the national curriculum

·         Ask the relevant Cabinet Member to establish a plan to ensure that First Aid teaching is introduced into every Oldham school in the interim, and to bring a report back to full Council

·         Ask the Director of Public Health to fund the phased introduction of Automated External Defibrillators, supported by appropriate training, into every school across the borough, and to bring a report on his proposals back to full Council

·         Mark World First Aid Day 12^th September 2015 with a public awareness campaign outlining the importance of acquiring emergency First Aid knowledge.

Motion 2

Councillor Harkness to MOVE and Councillor Heffernan to SECOND:

Council notes that one in ten people is dyslexic, but that the prevalence of this condition (which is sometimes called a learning difference) increases dramatically amongst benefit claimants who are job-seeking (four in ten) and young offenders (seven in ten).

Dyslexia can be a serious barrier to someone securing or maintaining employment.

Council recognises that:

·         the provision of specialist support for jobseekers with dyslexia should be a part of the Get Oldham Working strategy. This would include access to screening services, pre-employment courses and assistive technology.

·         it should follow best practice in its treatment of employees with dyslexia by establishing appropriate recruitment practices, and a regime of job redesign, support and understanding.

Dyslexia is a recognised disability, yet job candidates, employees and the self-employed are often unaware that they can access support from the Government’s Access to Work programme.

Council resolves to:

• Investigate installing voice recognition software on computers in dedicated areas in public libraries and The Link Centre for use by individuals with dyslexia
• Establish an area within the Link Centre to showcase the assistive technology available to people with dyslexia
• Provide training to staff and volunteers to support these individuals in the use of this technology
• Ask the Chief Executive to write to the District Manager of Job Centre Plus to request the installation of similar technology and the provision of similar training to job coaches as part of the Digital Job Centre roll out at the Oldham Job Centre
• Work with the Dyslexia Foundation, to establish Pre-Employability Courses and the Dyslexia, Spt. D and Learning Difference Development Programme in Oldham
• Work with existing business networks and other partners to promote these programmes, and the availability of funding through Access to Work, to employees and the self-employed as well as to local jobseekers
• Mark Dyslexia Awareness Week (5^th to 11^th October 2015) with suitable events to raise awareness amongst the public and employers and to promote this provision

Motion 1

Councillor Williamson moved a procedural motion to withdraw an amendment as submitted and proceeded to resubmit an amendment. Council signified agreement of this without discussion.

Councillor Williamson MOVED and Councillor Heffernan SECONDED:

“This Council notes that:

·         Nationally, over 600 young people die every year from sudden cardiac arrest - twelve young people each week - and 270 of these deaths happen in schools.

·         British Red Cross research shows nearly 90 per cent of 11 to 16-year-olds have been confronted with a medical emergency.

This Council commends:

·         The excellent work carried out by Heartstart Oldham and SADs, with support from the British Heart Foundation, Rotary Club, North West Ambulance Service, the Healthy Schools Project, fund-raisers and sponsors to provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)/first aid training to school staff and pupils and to supply Automated External Defibrillators to schools across the borough.

·         New guidance published by the Department for Education encouraging schools to buy an Automated External Defibrillator.

·         The British Heart Foundation’s Nation of Lifesavers Initiative.

Council believes that:

·         School children should be taught cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)/First Aid as part of the national curriculum

·         It should be a local public health priority to teach children and school staff cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)/First Aid and to provide defibrillators in schools

Council therefore resolves to:

·         Ask the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Health, The Rt. Hon. Jeremy Hunt MP and the Secretary of State for Education, The Rt. Hon. Nicola Morgan, urging them to introduce cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)/First Aid as part of the national curriculum

·         Ask the relevant Cabinet Member to establish a plan to make recommendations that First Aid teaching is introduced into every Oldham school in the interim, and to bring a report back to full Council

·         Ask the Director of Public Health to report back to Council on the feasibility of funding the phased introduction of Automated External Defibrillators, supported by appropriate training, into every school across the borough.

·         Mark World First Aid Day 12^th September 2015 with a public awareness campaign outlining the importance of acquiring emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)/First Aid knowledge.”

RESOLVED that under Council Procedure Rule 8.4 (d) the motion be referred to Overview and Scrutiny Board.

Motion 2

Councillor Harkness MOVED and Councillor Heffernan SECONDED:

“Council notes that one in ten people is dyslexic, but that the prevalence of this condition (which is sometimes called a learning difference) increases dramatically amongst benefit claimants who are job-seeking (four in ten) and young offenders (seven in ten).

Dyslexia can be a serious barrier to someone securing or maintaining employment.

Council recognises that:

·         the provision of specialist support for jobseekers with dyslexia should be a part of the Get Oldham Working strategy. This would include access to screening services, pre-employment courses and assistive technology.

·         it should follow best practice in its treatment of employees with dyslexia by establishing appropriate recruitment practices, and a regime of job redesign, support and understanding.

Dyslexia is a recognised disability, yet job candidates, employees and the self-employed are often unaware that they can access support from the Government’s Access to Work programme.

Council resolves to:

• Investigate installing voice recognition software on computers in dedicated areas in public libraries and The Link Centre for use by individuals with dyslexia
• Establish an area within the Link Centre to showcase the assistive technology available to people with dyslexia
• Provide training to staff and volunteers to support these individuals in the use of this technology
• Ask the Chief Executive to write to the District Manager of Job Centre Plus to request the installation of similar technology and the provision of similar training to job coaches as part of the Digital Job Centre roll out at the Oldham Job Centre
• Work with the Dyslexia Foundation, to establish Pre-Employability Courses and the Dyslexia, Spt. D and Learning Difference Development Programme in Oldham
• Work with existing business networks and other partners to promote these programmes, and the availability of funding through Access to Work, to employees and the self-employed as well as to local jobseekers
• Mark Dyslexia Awareness Week (5^th to 11^th October 2015) with suitable events to raise awareness amongst the public and employers and to promote this provision”

RESOLVED that under Council Procedure Rule 8.4 (d) the motion be referred to Overview and Scrutiny Board.