(time limit 30 minutes)
Motion 1
Councillor Dearden to MOVE and Councillor Roberts to SECOND:
Oldham Council notes with concern the continuing conflicts in the Middle East and Africa which are driving the current refugee crisis, particularly people fleeing war and persecution from Syria, Afghanistan, Eritrea and Iraq. We welcome the Government’s commitment to provide asylum for 4,000 people this year from the Syrian refugee camps but believe that as a country the United Kingdom can do more. Oldham has provided sanctuary and a new start for traumatised refugees in the past and calls on the Government to support Oldham and other councils to do more now.
Oldham’s refugee community includes approximately 160 destitute asylum seekers currently supported by a network of community organisations, friends, family and volunteers. Their position will be made worse by proposed reductions in financial support, particularly for women and children.
The Council welcomes the work done by individuals, community groups and religious groups in supporting asylum seekers and asks the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods to convene a meeting of those supporting refugees and Asylum Seekers in Oldham with the aim of developing an ongoing network and provide support to make the best use of all the work done already in the borough
The Council supports the efforts by AGMA to get a proper support system in place, including reviewing the role played by SERCO in administering asylum seeker support.
Oldham Council calls on the Government to put in place a properly funded and fair system including: fair allocation of refugees across the UK; long term funding for Councils; quick and accurate decision making about the status of refugees; better effort to support and integrate refugees (e.g. providing English as a Second Language teaching and investment in conversion of qualifications to UK standard); better administration of welfare benefits and investment in public services where needed.
Council also resolves to instruct the Chief Executive to:
1. Write to the Local Government Association to enlist their support in improving support for Asylum Seekers
2. Write to the boroughs 3 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 Hibbert to MOVE and Councillor Fielding to SECOND:
This council notes that:
· That the Housing and Planning Bill has been consulted on and will be debated in Parliament and, if passed, it would threaten the provision of affordable homes for rent and purchase by:
Forcing 'high-value' council homes to be sold on the open market;
Extending the right-to-buy to housing association tenants;
Undermining section 106 requirements on private developers to provide affordable homes.
· There is no commitment in the Bill that affordable homes will be replaced like-for-like in the local area.
· That whilst measures to help first-time buyers are welcome, the 'starter homes' proposals in the Bill will be unaffordable to families and young people on ordinary incomes in most parts of the country; will not preserve the taxpayer investment; and will be built at the expense of genuinely-affordable homes to rent and buy.
· That the Bill undermines localism by taking 32 new wide and open-ended powers for the Secretary over councils and local communities, including the ability to over-ride local plans; to mandate rents for social tenants; and to impose a levy on stock-holding councils, violating the terms of the housing revenue account self-financing deal.
· That the Bill, whilst introducing some welcome measures to address issues relating to rogue landlords, does not help with the high rents, poor conditions and insecurity affecting many of England's 11m private renters, including one in four families with children, and does nothing to help to arrest the recent rise in homelessness.
Oldham Council is already working with partners to use its land and skills to bring forward new housing in the Borough. The Government’s ‘one size fits all’ approach to Planning and Housing doesn’t work for areas like Oldham and Greater Manchester.
This council resolves to contact Cllr. Sue Derbyshire, Chair of Greater Manchester Planning and Housing Commission, suggesting that GM should contact the Housing Minister to request a discussion with the Government on the challenges we face and how they can assist us in bringing forward more difficult housing sites.
Minutes:
Motion 1
Councillor Deaden MOVED and Councillor Roberts SECONDED the following motion:
“Oldham Council notes with concern the continuing conflicts in the Middle East and Africa which are driving the current refugee crisis, particularly people fleeing war and persecution from Syria, Afghanistan, Eritrea and Iraq. We welcome the Government’s commitment to provide asylum for 4,000 people this year from the Syrian refugee camps but believe that as a country the United Kingdom can do more. Oldham has provided sanctuary and a new start for traumatised refugees in the past and calls on the Government to support Oldham and other councils to do more now.
Oldham’s refugee community includes approximately 160 destitute asylum seekers currently supported by a network of community organisations, friends, family and volunteers. Their position will be made worse by proposed reductions in financial support, particularly for women and children.
The Council welcomes the work done by individuals, community groups and religious groups in supporting asylum seekers and asks the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods to convene a meeting of those supporting refugees and Asylum Seekers in Oldham with the aim of developing an ongoing network and provide support to make the best use of all the work done already in the borough
The Council supports the efforts by AGMA to get a proper support system in place, including reviewing the role played by SERCO in administering asylum seeker support.
Oldham Council calls on the Government to put in place a properly funded and fair system including: fair allocation of refugees across the UK; long term funding for Councils; quick and accurate decision making about the status of refugees; better effort to support and integrate refugees (e.g. providing English as a Second Language teaching and investment in conversion of qualifications to UK standard); better administration of welfare benefits and investment in public services where needed.
Council also resolves to instruct the Chief Executive to:
1. Write to the Local Government Association to enlist their support in improving support for Asylum Seekers
2. Write to the boroughs 3 MPs to inform them of the council’s position and request that they use whatever parliamentary means available to raise this matter with government”
AMENDMENT
Councillor Turner MOVED and Councillor Williamson SECONDED the following amendment:
“Insert at the end of the third paragraph a comma and then the following wording “including supporting humanitarian efforts initiated in this borough to alleviate the suffering and poverty of people living in conflict zones”.
Amended Motion to Read:
Oldham Council notes with concern the continuing conflicts in the Middle East and Africa which are driving the current refugee crisis, particularly people fleeing war and persecution from Syria, Afghanistan, Eritrea and Iraq. We welcome the Government’s commitment to provide asylum for 4,000 people this year from the Syrian refugee camps but believe that as a country the United Kingdom can do more. Oldham has provided sanctuary and a new start for traumatised refugees in the past and calls on the Government to support Oldham and other councils to do more now.
Oldham’s refugee community includes approximately 160 destitute asylum seekers currently supported by a network of community organisations, friends, family and volunteers. Their position will be made worse by proposed reductions in financial support, particularly for women and children.
The Council welcomes the work done by individuals, community groups and religious groups in supporting asylum seekers and asks the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods to convene a meeting of those supporting refugees and Asylum Seekers in Oldham with the aim of developing an ongoing network and provide support to make the best use of all the work done already in the borough, including supporting humanitarian efforts initiated in this borough to alleviate the suffering and poverty of people living in conflict zones”.
The Council supports the efforts by AGMA to get a proper support system in place, including reviewing the role played by SERCO in administering asylum seeker support.
Oldham Council calls on the Government to put in place a properly funded and fair system including: fair allocation of refugees across the UK; long term funding for Councils; quick and accurate decision making about the status of refugees; better effort to support and integrate refugees (e.g. providing English as a Second Language teaching and investment in conversion of qualifications to UK standard); better administration of welfare benefits and investment in public services where needed.
Council also resolves to instruct the Chief Executive to:
1. Write to the Local Government Association to enlist their support in improving support for Asylum Seekers
2. Write to the 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 Dearden exercised her right of reply and accepted the AMENDMENT.
A vote was then taken on the AMENDMENT.
On being put the VOTE FIFTY-FOUR VOTES were cast in FAVOUR of the AMENDMENT with TWO VOTES cast AGAINST and NO ABSTENSIONS. The AMENDMENT was therefore CARRIED.
Councillor Hudson spoke on the motion.
Councillor Chauhan spoke in support of the motion.
Councillor Mushtaq spoke in support of the motion.
Councillor Dearden exercised her right of reply.
A vote was then taken on the SUBSTANTIVE MOTION.
On being put the VOTE FIFTY-FIVE were cast in FAVOUR of the SUBSTANTIVE motion with ONE VOTE cast AGAINST and NO ABSTENSIONS. The SUBSTANTIVE MOTION was therefore CARRIED.
RESOLVED that:
1. The Chief Executive write to the Local Government Association to enlist their support in improving support for Asylum Support.
2. The Chief Executive write to the borough MPs to inform them of the Council’s position and request that use whatever means available to raise this matter with government.
Motion 2
The Mayor informed the meeting that the time limit for this item had expired and Councillor Hibbert, as Mover of the Motion, requested Council to permit the following Motion to be rolled over for discussion at the next Council meeting:
“This council notes that:
Forcing 'high-value' council homes to be sold on the open market;
Extending the right-to-buy to housing association tenants;
Undermining section 106 requirements on private developers to provide affordable homes.
Oldham Council is already working with partners to use its land and skills to bring forward new housing in the Borough. The Government’s ‘one size fits all’ approach to Planning and Housing doesn’t work for areas like Oldham and Greater Manchester.
This council resolves to contact Cllr. Sue Derbyshire, Chair of Greater Manchester Planning and Housing Commission, suggesting that GM should contact the Housing Minister to request a discussion with the Government on the challenges we face and how they can assist us in bringing forward more difficult housing sites.”
RESOLVED that the Motion be rolled forward and considered at the Council meeting to be held on 23rd March 2016.