Agenda

To order that the Minutes of the meetings of the Council held on the dates listed below, be approved and signed as correct records.

a.    18^th December 2024 (reconvened to 20^th January 2025)

b.    12^th February 2025 (Extraordinary Meeting – Request for an inquiry into CSE)

c.    12^th February 2025 (Extraordinary Meeting – Placces for Everyone)

d.    6^th March 2025 (appointment of Chief Executive and the designation of Section 151 Officer)

e.    6^th March 2025 (Budget Meeting)

(time limit 20 minutes)

There are no petitions for this Council meeting 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 official sources the average waiting time to get an appointment for Mental Health assessments in Oldham is 16-18 weeks.

·         That consultation undertaken by the Youth Council would suggest that while the average wait time is 16-18 weeks some young people could wait for up to 6 months for an initial assessment and that the wait for treatment could be over a year after that appointment.

·         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  ...  view the full agenda text for item 7.

(time limit 15 Minutes)

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 2^nd December 2024, 16^th December 2024, 20^th January 2025 and 3^rd March 2025; urgent decisions made during 2024/25; the minutes of meetings of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority held 29^th November 2024, 13^th December 2024, 31^st January 2025 and 7^th February 2025; and the minutes of the meetings of the AGMA Executive Board held 7^th February 2025.

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: Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs)

To be Moved by: Councillor Taylor
to be Seconded by: Councillor Davis

This Council notes with concern the increasing number of Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in Oldham and the impact this has on local communities, housing standards, and infrastructure. While HMOs can provide an important source of affordable accommodation, their proliferation in certain areas has led to issues including overcrowding, pressure on local services, and a decline in housing quality. In the past 5 years the number of licensed HMOs in Oldham has almost doubled.

This Council further notes that current national planning regulations allow certain HMOs (Class C4, up to six residents) to be established without the need for planning permission. This limits the ability of local authorities to manage their spread and ensure they are appropriately located and regulated.

This Council welcomes the recent announcement by the Chancellor of an additional £2 billion for social and affordable housing. This funding provides an opportunity to address the shortage of genuinely affordable homes and to ensure that people in Oldham have access to safe, secure, and high-quality housing.

This Council calls on the new Labour Government to reverse the changes introduced by the Conservative and Liberal Democrat Coalition Government in 2010 which removed the requirement for planning permission for small houses of multiple occupation.

This council further requests that the Chief Executive writes to the borough’s 3 MPs and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, asking for their support in reversing the aforementioned changes.

Motion 2: Special Education Needs and Disabaility (SEND)

To be Moved by: Councillor Mohon Ali
to be Seconded by: Councillor Nasheen

This Council notes that In Oldham, as of January 2024, there were 8,694 pupils identified with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). This represents 18.8% of the school-age population in the area. Among these, 6.0% have an Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP), while 12.9% receive SEN support.

The positive improvements to services for children and young people with SEND in Oldham continue at pace, led by the SEND Local Inclusion Partnership Executive Board chaired by Dame Christine Lenehan. This new governance structure has improved strategic planning and focused on: improved access to health services; better quality and more timely Education, Health and Care Plans and Annual Reviews; smooth transitions between early years, children’s and adult services. This has been achieved by focusing on co-production with parents, carers, and young people. Our aim is to ensure children with SEND are safe, healthy, happy, and able to achieve their potential

The Department for Education has confirmed Oldham has made good progress.

There is significant pressure on the services for children with SEND in Oldham and across England, and this Council welcomes the steps being taken by the Labour Government to reform the system put in place in the 2014 Children and Families Act.

This Council further notes the launch of ‘Inclusion in practice’ evidence-gathering project to help shape  ...  view the full agenda text for item 10.

Time limit 30 minutes

Motion 1: Tackling Fly-Tipping and Exploring Free Bulky Waste Collection to Reduce Costs

To be Moved by Councillor Ghafoor

To be Seconded by Councillor Wahid

Council Notes:

1.    Fly-tipping is a persistent and worsening issue in Oldham, causing environmental damage, attracting anti-social behaviour, and placing a significant financial burden on the Council.

2.    In the last year alone, Oldham Council responded to 5,672 fly-tipping incidents, costing over £600,000 in cleanup and enforcement efforts.

3.    Over 69% of fly-tipping in Oldham occurs in back alleyways (53%) and on highways (16%), with a significant proportion of this waste consisting of bulky household items such as sofas, mattresses, and white goods.

4.    Currently, residents must pay £23 to dispose of up to three bulky waste items, plus £7 per additional item and £10 per fridge/freezer. This financial barrier discourages responsible disposal and contributes to illegal dumping.

Council Believes:

1.    The cost of clearing fly-tipped waste often far exceeds the revenue generated from bulky waste collection charges.

2.    Reintroducing a free three-item bulky waste collection service could significantly reduce the number of items being illegally dumped in alleyways and on highways.

3.    If, for example, 10,000 households accessed the free service annually, the lost revenue would be £230,000 per year. However, if this measure led to a substantial reduction in fly-tipping, it could generate net savings by reducing cleanup and enforcement costs.

Council Resolves to:

1.    Commission an urgent cost-benefit analysis comparing the potential savings from reduced fly-tipping against the costs of reintroducing a free three-item bulky waste collection service for residents.

2.    Explore external funding opportunities or efficiency measures within waste management services to support this initiative.

3.    Request that the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood Services reports back to full Council within three months on the financial implications and potential impact of this policy change.

By taking a proactive approach, this Council can tackle the root causes of fly-tipping, keep our alleyways and highways clean, and ensure taxpayers' money is spent more effectively.

Motion 2: Expressing disappointment at government failure to compensate the WASPI Women

To be Moved by Councillor Bishop
To be Seconded by Councillor Sykes

The 1995 and 2011 Pension Acts saw the State Pension age for women rise from 60 to 66 but the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) consistently failed to adequately communicate these changes. As a result, tens of thousands of women were plunged into poverty.  One-in-four affected women struggled to buy food and one third fell into debt.  This was an avoidable scandal. 

A landmark Ombudsman report in March 2024 told the Government to pay compensation and apologise to 3.6 million, women born in the 1950’s who were affected by the lack of communication in relation to their State Pension age.  The report concluded ministers failed to properly notify those impacted by the changes. However, the DWP – under the new Labour Government - has indicated it does not accept the findings of the report.

Women Against  ...  view the full agenda text for item 11.

To update Council on actions from previous meetings.  Appendix 1 will be circulated ahead of the meeting

To update Council on changes to the composition of political groups.