(time limit 30 minutes)
Motion 1 – Tackling Child Hunger
Councillor Jacques to MOVE and Councillor Ball to SECOND:
This Council notes
This Council believes that every child has the right to a balanced and adequate diet and resolves to support efforts to provide free lunches for those who need them during school holidays including
Motion 2 – Oldham Crown Post Office Closure
Councillor Taylor to MOVE and Councillor McLaren to SECOND:
This Council is extremely concerned by Post Office Ltd plans to close 74 Crown Post Offices across the UK, including Oldham’s Crown post office, which will be replaced by a franchised service in WH Smiths.
The Council recognises the essential nature of the services provided by this busy branch, including specialist facilities offered, such as, Home Office Biometric Enrolment and Care Quality Commission ID Checks, and the inconvenience its closure will cause for many residents and businesses; especially older and disabled residents, due its current close proximity to vital bus services and disabled parking bays.
Reports by Consumer Focus (2012) and Citizens Advice (2016) have identified a number of problems with franchising of post offices to WH Smiths, including poor accessibility for people with mobility impairments, longer queuing times, and inferior service and advice on products.
Franchising also means the loss of secure, quality jobs, and good terms and conditions, in favour of replacing experienced post office staff with new employees in typically minimum wage part-time roles. This is clearly bad for jobs in the local area and the post office workers.
This privatisation will be financed using millions of pounds of public money that could be put to better use by investing in the post office network. The CWU trade union estimates that staff compensation costs of the latest round of closures will cost at least £30 million and affect 800 staff.
No explanation has been given as to why the profit making Crown post offices are being handed to a failing retailer, with an uncertain future, or what will happen to these services if WH Smiths folds.
This council believes that:
This Council resolves:
Motion 3 – Air Quality
Councillor Shah to MOVE and Councillor Jabbar to SECOND:
This council notes that air quality remains a significant issue affecting the life quality of the residents of Oldham, with levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) driven up primarily by road transport. Local modelling has identified a number of stretches of road in the borough where NO2 levels are expected to exceed legal limits beyond 2020, mainly on major roads near our town centres.
Air pollution recognises no boundaries, so a response is needed from individuals, from local governments and from national government. This council notes the important work ongoing across Greater Manchester to campaign for clean air, and welcomes the commitment of the Combined Authority to hit World Health Organisation targets for air quality by 2030 as part of being a WHO BreatheLife City. Greater Manchester councils have also pledged to be 100% fossil fuel free by 2050.
Given the scale of the challenge, this council notes with concern that national government has recently removed grants to encourage the take up of electric vehicles, and acknowledges the criticism of this decision by the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee.
This council resolves:
1) To work closely with the GMCA to deliver the Clean Air Plan, and to continue to promote the GM Clean Air campaign to encourage residents to think about how they can do their bit to reduce air pollution.
2) To ask the Chief Executive to seek immediate clarification from the Secretary of State on how national government will support Oldham’s ambitions to improve air quality, particularly given recent decisions to cut grants for electric vehicles.
3) To seek new opportunities to further establish Oldham as the region’s greenest borough and improve the life chances of residents and particularly young people beyond the Clean Air Plan, including:
a) Reducing air pollution caused by vehicle use around schools at the start and end of the school day.
b) Incentivising the use of electric vehicles through improved access to charging points and other preferential schemes, preparing the borough for a future where 3 million charging points will be needed nationally by 2040.
c) Growing trees in key sites in the borough to dampen pollution effects and make more liveable places.
Minutes:
Motion 1 – Tackling Child Hunger
Councillor Jacques MOVED and Councillor Ball SECONDED the following motion:
“This Council notes
1. that the numbers of children living in poverty continues to rise. In Oldham in 2017, 40.66% of our children lived in poverty (the 7th highest across the UK) including 62.11% of Coldhurst Ward’s children, the highest rate in the UK. Government policy, including welfare reform and the impact of full service Universal Credit, underpins this increase.
2. that Oldham Council, working with many local partners, has taken steps to tackle food poverty and to ensure that children receive award winning nutritious school meals. However, during school holidays many children, especially those entitled to Free School Meals, go hungry.
3. The pilot work done by Oldham Council, If Oldham, the Food Bank and local community and church groups this summer to provide free lunches for children.
This Council believes that every child has the right to a balanced and adequate diet and resolves to support efforts to provide free lunches for those who need them during school holidays including:
1. To investigate and apply for additional sources of funding, including using District budgets where possible and appropriate
2. To research different models of tackling holiday hunger including ‘Feed and Read’ and ‘Feeding Britain’ and to put together a strategy that best meets Oldham’s needs using Council and community resources such as libraries, community and leisure centres and faith buildings.
3. To introduce an Oldham programme to alleviate child holiday hunger as soon as practically possible.”
Councillor Mushtaq spoke in support of the Motion.
Councillor Harkness spoke in support of the Motion.
Councillor Jabbar spoke in support of the Motion.
Councillor H. Gloster spoke in support of the Motion.
Councillor Roberts MOVED and Councillor Jabbar SECONDED that the motion be put to the VOTE. The MOVE to the VOTE was AGREED.
Councillor Jacques exercised his right of reply.
On being put to the vote, the MOTION was CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
RESOLVED that efforts to provide free lunches for those who need them during school holidays be supported which included:
1. Additional sources of funding be investigated and applied for, including using District budgets, where possible and appropriate
2. Different models of tackling holiday hunger including ‘Feed and Read’ and ‘Feeding Britain’ be researched and put together in a strategy that best meets Oldham’s needs using Council and community resources such as libraries, community and leisure centres and faith buildings.
3. An Oldham Programme to alleviate child holiday hunger be introduced as soon as practically possible.
Motion 2 – Oldham Crown Post Office Closure
Councillor Taylor MOVED and Councillor McLaren SECONDED the following motion:
“This Council is extremely concerned by Post Office Ltd plans to close 74 Crown Post Offices across the UK, including Oldham’s Crown post office, which will be replaced by a franchised service in WH Smiths.
The Council recognises the essential nature of the services provided by this busy branch, including specialist facilities offered, such as, Home Office Biometric Enrolment and Care Quality Commission ID Checks, and the inconvenience its closure will cause for many residents and businesses; especially older and disabled residents due to its current close proximity to vital bus services and disabled parking bays. Reports by Consumer Focus (2012) and Citizens Advice (2016) have identified a number of problems with franchising of post office to WH Smiths, including poor accessibility for people with mobility impairments, longer queuing times, and inferior service and advice on products.
Franchising also means the loss of secure, quality jobs, and good terms and conditions in favour of replacing experienced post office staff with new employees in typically minimum wage part-time roles. This is clearly bad for jobs in the local area and the post office workers.
This privatisation will be financed using millions of pounds of public money that could be put to better use by investing in the post office network. The CWU trade union estimates that staff compensation costs of the latest round of closures will cost at least £30 million and affect 800 staff.
No explanation has been given as to why the profit making Crown post offices are being handed to a failing retailer, with an uncertain future, or what will happen to these services if WH Smiths folds.
This Council believes that:
· Oldham’s Crown post office is a key asset for the community and the expertise and experience of staff there is invaluable.
· This closure will downgrade vital services and result in the loss of a prime high street facility, which is detrimental to our town centre.
· The relentless franchising and closure programme of the profit making Crown post offices points to a lack of vision rather than a plan for growth and innovation that is needed.
· The Government should halt these closures and bring together stakeholders, including the staff trade union, the CWU, and industry experts to develop a new strategy that safeguards the future of the post office network.
This Council resolves:
1. To ask the Leader of the Council to meet, as a matter of urgency, with the Post Office and WH Smiths to urge a stop to the planned franchise in Oldham.
2. To instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to raise the apparent managed decline of the post office network, the adverse impact on the high street, the reduction in service in the franchised premises, and the poor quality jobs that result.
3. To raise awareness of the values of our Crown Post Office and the need for it to remain an asset of and for the people.”
Councillor Fielding MOVED and Councillor Jabbar SECONDED that the MOTION be put to a RECORDED VOTE. The MOVE to a RECORDED VOTE was AGREED.
|
Councillor |
|
Councillor |
|
|
Ahmad |
FOR |
Hussain, F. |
FOR |
|
Akhtar |
FOR |
Jabbar |
FOR |
|
Alexander, A. |
FOR |
Jacques |
FOR |
|
Alexander, G. |
ABSENT |
Judd |
FOR |
|
Ali |
FOR |
Larkin |
ABSENT |
|
Azad |
FOR |
Leach |
FOR |
|
Ball |
FOR |
Malik |
FOR |
|
Bashforth, M. |
FOR |
McLaren |
FOR |
|
Bashforth, S. |
FOR |
Moores |
ABSENT |
|
Briggs |
FOR |
Murphy |
FOR |
|
Brownridge |
FOR |
Mushtaq |
FOR |
|
Byrne |
ABSTAIN |
Phythian |
FOR |
|
Chadderton |
FOR |
Price |
FOR |
|
Chauhan |
FOR |
Qumer |
FOR |
|
Cosgrove |
FOR |
Rehman |
FOR |
|
Curley |
FOR |
Roberts |
FOR |
|
Davis |
FOR |
Salamat |
ABSENT |
|
Dean |
FOR |
Shah |
FOR |
|
Fielding |
FOR |
Sheldon |
ABSTAIN |
|
Garry |
FOR |
Shuttleworth |
FOR |
|
Gloster, C. |
FOR |
Stretton |
FOR |
|
Gloster, H. |
FOR |
Sykes |
FOR |
|
Goodwin |
FOR |
Taylor |
FOR |
|
Haque |
ABSENT |
Toor |
ABSENT |
|
Harkness |
FOR |
Turner |
ABSENT |
|
Harrison |
FOR |
Ur-Rehman |
ABSENT |
|
Heffernan |
FOR |
Williams |
FOR |
|
Hewitt |
FOR |
Williamson |
FOR |
|
Hudson |
ABSENT |
Iqbal |
FOR |
|
Hussain, A. |
ABSENT |
|
|
Councillor Taylor did not exercise her right of reply.
On being put to the vote, 47 votes were cast in FAVOUR of the MOTION and 0 votes were cast AGAINST with 2 ABSTENTIONS. The MOTION was therefore CARRIED.
RESOLVED that:
1. The Leader of the Council be asked to meet, as a matter of urgency, with the Post Office and WH Smiths to urge a stop to the planned franchise in Oldham.
2. The Chief Executive be instructed to write to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to raise the apparent managed decline of the post office network, the adverse impact on the high street, the reduction in service in the franchised premises, and the poor quality jobs that result.
3. Awareness be raised of the values of our Crown Post Office and the need for it to remain an asset of and for the people.
The Mayor informed the meeting that the time limit for this item had expired and Councillor Shah a Mover of the Motion and Councillor Jabbar as Seconder of the Motion requested the following motion be rolled over for discussion at the Council meeting.
Motion 3 – Air Quality
Councillor Shah MOVED and Councillor Jabbar SECONDED the following motion:
“This council notes that air quality remains a significant issue affecting the life quality of the residents of Oldham, with levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) driven up primarily by road transport. Local modelling has identified a number of stretches of road in the borough where NO2 levels are expected to exceed legal limits beyond 2020, mainly on major roads near our town centres.
Air pollution recognises no boundaries, so a response is needed from individuals, from local governments and from national government. This council notes the important work ongoing across Greater Manchester to campaign for clean air, and welcomes the commitment of the Combined Authority to hit World Health Organisation targets for air quality by 2030 as part of being a WHO BreatheLife City. Greater Manchester councils have also pledged to be 100% fossil fuel free by 2050.
Given the scale of the challenge, this council notes with concern that national government has recently removed grants to encourage the take up of electric vehicles, and acknowledges the criticism of this decision by the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee.
This council resolves:
1) To work closely with the GMCA to deliver the Clean Air Plan, and to continue to promote the GM Clean Air campaign to encourage residents to think about how they can do their bit to reduce air pollution.
2) To ask the Chief Executive to seek immediate clarification from the Secretary of State on how national government will support Oldham’s ambitions to improve air quality, particularly given recent decisions to cut grants for electric vehicles.
3) To seek new opportunities to further establish Oldham as the region’s greenest borough and improve the life chances of residents and particularly young people beyond the Clean Air Plan, including:
a) Reducing air pollution caused by vehicle use around schools at the start and end of each school day.
b) Incentivising the use of electric vehicles through improved access to charging points and other preferential schemes, preparing the borough for a future where 3 million charging points will be needed nationally by 2040.
c) Growing trees in key sites in the borough to dampen pollution effects and make more liveable places.”
RESOLVED that the Motion be rolled over the next Council meeting to be held on 12th December 2018.