Agenda

To order that the Minutes of the meetings of the Council held on 24^th October 2024 and 6^th November 2024 be signed as correct records.

(time limit 20 minutes)

There are no petitions for this meeting of the council to consider.

(time limit 20 minutes)

Young People’s Mental Health

Since 2012, young people have been telling the youth council that mental health is an issue that they face every day and that they need support now.  Since this time we have only seen the need for mental health services increase, especially since the COVID pandemic, and although spending on Mental Health services has increased, it has not dented the need for support seen across Oldham and in the UK.

At the last election, Labour had several manifesto points to improve mental health support for children and young people and we would like to see these implemented as soon as possible.

Council recognises that over the past few years the Oldham Youth Council have made ‘Mental Health’ a priority issue, with it coming in the top 5 issues for Make Your Mark. The council also recognises that we have undertaken much work in this area to improve the experiences of Oldham’s young people.  This includes:

·         Oldham Youth Council first commissioned Kooth.com, an online mental health counselling service, for Oldham’s young people.

·         2013 motion to Council asking for an overview and scrutiny of mental health services.

·         2017 motion asking to ensure that adequate funding is made available to schools and colleges to allow them to invest in the early intervention mental health services.

·         2021 motion asking to secure mental health funding for Oldham.

·         Our work with Oldham Theatre Workshop, highlighting mental health and how professionals can work with young people called Standard Day.

·         Our work with Oldham Theatre Workshop, highlighting self-harm, called Boy in the Black.

·         Our campaign called SNAP that promoted Kooth.com and the support they provide for depression, stress/anxiety and eating disorders.

·         Our campaign ‘I Love Me’, raising young people’s self-esteem and confidence.

Council notes:

·         That mental health issues have risen, with a 12% increase in cases since pre COVID.

·         That consultation undertaken by the Youth Council would suggest schools and teachers are still not able to fully support young people’s mental health.

·         That according to several sources the average waiting time to get an appointment for Mental Health assessments in Oldham is 16-18 weeks

·         That the waiting time between initial assessment and treatment could be over a year.

·         In 2022/23, just under £1B was spent on Children and Young People’s mental health compared to the £12.8B on all mental health services.  This was despite the understanding that 50% of mental health illnesses in adults start showing symptoms by the age of 14, and 75% experience symptoms before they are 24.

·         Labour’s manifesto said that in the first term they would invest in front line services recruiting 8,500 new staff to reduce waiting times.

·         That the manifesto also said that labour’s new Young Futures Hubs would have open access to mental health support for children and young people in every community

We propose that Council therefore resolves to ask the Chief Executive to write to the Prime Minister and Secretary of state for Health to request an increase to children and  ...  view the full agenda text for item 7.

(time limit 15 Minutes)

To consider questions submitted by members of the public.

(Time limit 90 minutes)

Leader and Cabinet Members to present their reports.

Non-executive members may ask questions.

a.    Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Building a Better Oldham – including the Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held 14^th October 2024 and 18^th November 2024, the meetings of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority held 25^th October 2024.

b.    Deputy Leader and Decent Home Portfolio Holder

c.    Deputy Leader and Value for Money and Sustainability Portfolio Holder

d.    Children and Young People’s Portfolio Holder

e.    Education and Skills Portfolio Holder

f.     Enterprise Portfolio Holder

g.    Adults, Health and Wellbeing Portfolio Holder

h.    Don’t Trash Oldham Portfolio Holder

i.      Thriving Communities and Culture Portfolio Holder

(time limit 30 minutes)

Motion 1: Get Britain Working
To be moved by Councillor Shah
Seconded by Councillor Mohon Ali

This Council notes the publication of the Get Britain Working White Paper which signals a cross-Government approach to building an economy where everyone can have the opportunity of secure, rewarding and fulfilling work

This Council further notes that Get Oldham Working has been providing support for employees, employers and those seeking employment since 2013 and has created almost 20,000 opportunities including filling 12,000 jobs, nearly 2,000 apprenticeships and 400 traineeships plus helping just under 1,800 residents into work experience placements.

This Council supports the approach laid out in the White Paper which will provide:

·         support for people to get back into work if they are outside the workforce (and help to stay in employment if they have a health condition)

·         access to training, an apprenticeship, or help to find work for young people (including help to avoid losing touch with the workforce at a young age)

·         help for people to get a job, upskill, and get on in their career, whether they are unemployed or in employment, alongside clear obligations on people to take up support and do in return everything they can to work

·         support for employers to recruit, retain and develop staff

This Council welcomes the joined-up proposals including investing in the NHS to get people treated more quickly, expansion of mental health support and setting up a Jobs and Careers Service (replacing JobCentre +) with the focus on supporting people back into work by providing a personalised service. Every 18-to-21-year old in England will have access to an apprenticeship, quality training and education opportunities or help to find a job under a new ‘Youth Guarantee’. The Connect to Work scheme will provide voluntary employment offers to people with disabilities, health conditions or complex barriers to work.

This Council looks forward to the outcome of the Independent Review to better support employers to take on, and keep in work, people with disabilities.

This Council believes that the experience of Get Oldham Working and the Greater Manchester Live Well programme means Oldham is well placed to make the most of these opportunities, in particular the investment from the Greater Manchester trailblazer to mobilise local work, health and skills support.

This Council resolves to:

1.    Organise a Get Britain Working summit as soon as practicable to brief partners on the White Paper and to work through the opportunities from the Labour Government’s investment, including the trailblazer, to design a Get Britian Working Plan for Oldham.

2.    Review the impact of Get Oldham Working and consider how Get Britain Working can enhance our local offer building on the good links with 800 local employers, integrated and personalised advice, guidance and skills support and mental health therapy already available.

3.    Do everything possible to ensure Oldham residents benefit from the opportunities offered by Get Britain Working, including ensuring that our young people make the most of the ‘Youth Guarantee’.

Motion 2: B  ...  view the full agenda text for item 10.

(time limit 30 minutes)

Motion 1: Social Care Funding Crisis: National Insurance Contributions  
To be moved by Councillor Al-Hamdani
Seconded by Councillor Hamblett

Council notes that: From April next year employer’s National Insurance contributions will increase by 1.2% and the threshold at which employers must contribute to National Insurance will be reduced to all employees earning £5,000 or more.

The Institute of General Practice Management has estimated that the rise will mean the average GP surgery’s tax bill will go up by around £20,000 a year. The 6,275 GP practices in England could end up facing a total of £125.5M a year in additional costs. This and other key parts of our health services unlike hospital staff are not except from this increase.

This is the equivalent of providing 2.24 million GP appointments, at £56 per appointment. The average GP surgery could therefore lose the equivalent of 357 appointments a year.

The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) has revealed that, by its calculations, local authorities would face £1.8B in extra costs in 2025-26 due to increases in employers’ NICs and the national living wage (NLW) announced in the last Budget, along with inflation.

While principal councils will be exempt from the rise in employer NICs, the Government it has offered no such protection to care providers, which the Nuffield Trust has estimated will face £940m in extra costs from the measure in 2025–26.

Council further notes that:

This is likely to have a significant impact on the cost of the social care to Oldham Council, which is already this year facing a £20 million overspend predicted, with overspend on adult social care at £3.8m, and children’s services at £6.6m. This increase in NICs will severely hamper the Council’s attempts to cut its overspend and could wipe out any predicted improvements in its financial position as a result of changes to the formula for spending indicated.

Council resolves to:

1.    Write to the Minister for Housing, Communities and Local Government to demand that the NIC exemption is changed to ensure that health services and social care – which makes up such a significant proportion of local government spending – are included, in line with their statement that “Reform and prevention are critical if we are to turn around the cycle of system failure and cost escalation.”

2.    To write to local MPs Jim McMahon, Debbie Abrahams, and Lucy Powell asking for their support in a review of the impact of the increase, including:

•      the cost implications for funding health and social care in Oldham of the NIC increase;

•      the implications for Council Tax rises to meet the demand for social care funding;

•      the potential reduction in availability of GP services which are already stretched.

Motion 2: Ethical Investment: Divestment from Fossil Fuels and Arms by the Greater Manchester Pension Fund
To be moved by Councillor Kouser
Seconded by Councillor Montaz Ali Azad

This Council notes - Oldham’s Ethical and Climate Leadership:

•      In July 2019,  ...  view the full agenda text for item 11.

A report thatadvises Council of theperformance ofthe TreasuryManagement functionfor the first half of 2024/25 and provides a comparison of performanceagainst the 2024/25 Treasury Management Strategy and the Treasury Management PrudentialIndicators.

To consider actions taken arising from previous Council meetings.

The Council is asked to consider a proposed draft calendar of meetings for the 2025/26 Municipal Year.

A report seeking approval for the updated Gambling Policy.