(time limit 30 minutes)
Motion 1
Councillor Mushtaq to MOVE and Councillor Moores to SECOND:
Recovery in Education and Young Children’s Development
This Council notes that:
This Council further notes that
This Council therefore resolves:
Motion 2
Councillor Hulme to MOVE and Councillor Jabbar to SECOND:
Climate and Ecological Emergency (CEE) Bill
This Council notes
This Council believes that
The Council resolves to:
Minutes:
Motion 1 - Recovery in Education and Young Children’s Development
Councillor Mushtaq MOVED and Councillor Moores SECONDED the following MOTION:
This Council notes that:
· Sir Kevan Collins, appointed by the Prime Minister as the Government’s Education Recovery Commissioner judged that some £15bn was needed to repair the damage done to the nation’s pupils because of Covid.
· On 2nd June the Government published its plans for education recovery after the pandemic. Its offer, £1.4bn, falls far short and is completely inadequate to build back better from the pandemic and have an education system that supports high standards and strong mental health for everyone.
· The Government’s funding is intended mainly for tutors for children in schools. Other essential support, especially for disadvantaged children is not provided for.
· Moreover, there is no mention of support to ensure good development of children in their early years.
This Council further notes that
· Evidence from research for the Government supports the necessity for greater resources for children in Oldham, who are among the poorest and most vulnerable. Oldham suffered extended periods of lock-down and studies have shown that pupils have fallen behind, losing progress in maths and reading. Progress, about which Oldham is rightfully proud, in reducing the gap in attainment between Oldham’s children and those nationally, has been jeopardised. It has been confirmed in national research that the poorest pupils have lost more learning than the average.
· Prolonged absence from social contact with peers and adults in school has negatively affected the mental health of children and young people.
· Attendance in early years settings in Oldham, as more generally in the country, has fallen during the pandemic. This has implications for their development and school readiness.
This Council therefore resolves:
· To urge the Government to value and invest in all our children, so they are supported to develop well, to learn, succeed, and go on to have bright futures.
· To write to the Prime Minister and call on the Government to scale up its ambition for all our children in their early years, in school and in adolescence, to provide the resources needed to ensure that no child is left behind by putting in the investment called for by its own former Education Recovery Commissioner. This investment must include proper provision for pupil and early years premiums, ensuring access to school lunch throughout the year, and to sports and social activities which promote health and mental wellbeing.
· To continue to use the resources available to the Council for the development of all Oldham’s children – in school, in college and in early years settings – and to encourage families to do what they can to promote the sound development of their children.
Councillor Mushtaq spoke on the Motion.
Councillor Moores spoke on the Motion.
Councillor H Gloster spoke in support of the Motion.
Councillor Sheldon spoke in support of the Motion.
Councillor Ali spoke in support of the Motion.
Councillor Sykes spoke in support of the Motion.
Councillor Mushtaq exercised his right of reply.
On being put to the vote, the MOTION was CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
RESOLVED that:
1. Oldham Council urges the Government to value and invest in all our children, so they are supported to develop well, to learn, succeed, and go on to have bright futures; and
2. Oldham Council to write to the Prime Minister and call on the Government to scale up its ambition for all our children in their early years, in school and in adolescence, to provide the resources needed to ensure that no child is left behind by putting in the investment called for by its own former Education Recovery Commissioner. This investment must include proper provision for pupil and early years premiums, ensuring access to school lunch throughout the year, and to sports and social activities which promote health and mental wellbeing; and
3. The Council to continue to use the resources available to the Council for the development of all Oldham’s children – in school, in college and in early years settings – and to encourage families to do what they can to promote the sound development of their children.
Motion 2 - Climate and Ecological Emergency (CEE) Bill
Councillor Hulme MOVED and Councillor Jabbar SECONDED the following MOTION:
This Council notes
1. The ongoing climate crisis is the biggest challenge we face in our world. Climate breakdown is causing global temperatures and sea levels to continue to rise and we are experiencing more unseasonal and extreme weather events are taking place.
2. That Oldham Council has declared a climate emergency and is pursuing a Green New Deal strategy to meet ambitious targets of a zero carbon Oldham by 2030 including creating new sustainable, green jobs.
3. The work by local organisations such as the RSPB and City of Trees alongside the Council to improve natural habitats across the Borough and at a regional level by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to meet their 2038 target
4. That despite Parliament declaring a Climate Emergency in 2019, the Government’s actions haven’t matched its words. An emergency requires strong, decisive action to reverse the climate and ecological crisis. One in seven native British species are now at risk of extinction and tree-planting targets have been missed by over 50%.
This Council believes that
1. That the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill would create the powers needed to take strong, urgent action on both the climate and ecological emergencies missing from the current Climate Change Act. The bill would require the Government to: ensure that the UK reduces greenhouse gas emissions in line with its legally-binding international obligations to limit global heating to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels; protects and restores habitats, woodlands, wetlands and the wider natural world and establish a representative Citizens’ Assembly to involve people from all parts of the UK in deciding which policies are needed to avoid irreversible environmental damage.
2. Local Authorities across the country will need national Government funding if we are to stop climate breakdown.
The Council resolves to:
2. Raise awareness of the bill and the ongoing climate emergency as well as local projects tackling the issue;
3. Ask the Chief Executive to write to: the Environment Minister, the Rt. Hon. George Eustice MP; the President of the COP26 Climate Conference, the Rt. Hon. Alok Sharma MP, and the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Boris Johnson MP, informing them of this Council’s support for the Bill and urging government time be allocated to the Bill to enable it to become law.
Councillor Moores spoke on the Motion.
Councillor Jabbar spoke on the Motion.
Councillor C Gloster spoke in support of the Motion.
Councillor Hulme exercised his right of reply.
On being put to the vote, XX votes were cast in FAVOUR of the MOTION and 5 were cast AGAINST with 1 ABSENTION. The MOTION was therefore CARRIED.
RESOLVED that:
1. Oldham Council support the campaign to get the Climate and Ecological Emergency (CEE) Bill passed and ask the Chief Executive to write to Oldham’s three MPs urging them to pledge to support the Bill; and
2. Oldham Council raise awareness of the bill and the ongoing climate emergency as well as local projects tackling the issue; and
3. The Chief Executive be requested to write to: the Environment Minister, the Rt. Hon. George Eustice MP; the President of the COP26 Climate Conference, the Rt. Hon. Alok Sharma MP, and the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Boris Johnson MP, informing them of this Council’s support for the Bill and urging government time be allocated to the Bill to enable it to become law.