(time limit 30 minutes)
Motion 1
Actions Not Ambitions – A Renewable Energy Future
Councillor Jabbar to MOVE and Councillor Akhtar to SECOND:
We have seen a significant increase in the cost of energy since the start of the War in Ukraine, exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis, meaning that residents and businesses in Oldham are facing energy bills almost twice what they were 18 months ago.
Next month, the Energy Price Guarantee will rise to around £3,000 a year for a typical household, this is an almost £2,000 rise from the Energy Price Cap set in August 2021 at £1,277. Lower and middle-income households in Oldham are struggling with this increase.
A survey by the Federation of Small Businesses in November 2022 found that 25% of their members had seen their energy costs double and 19% have seen their energy costs triple.
Whilst support from central Government has been welcomed by both households and businesses, it has not gone far enough. More than half the residents responding to the GM Residents survey say they are having difficulties paying their bills. Almost a quarter of businesses in the FSBs survey anticipate that with further energy bills rises coming in April they will have to close, downsize or radically restructure.
At a time where oil and gas supplies are restricted, investment in the UK’s renewable energy sector is paramount to creating energy security and ensuring that people in towns like Oldham are not impacted by the effects of a conflict over a thousand miles away.
Oldham has ambitious targets to become the Greenest Borough in Greater Manchester and meet the goal of being a carbon neutral borough by 2030, with the council being carbon neutral by 2025.
In doing this we have invested in renewable energy schemes across Oldham, including our pioneering Mine Water Heat Network. To protect the people of Oldham from further shocks to the energy market, as well as to meet the council’s ambitious climate targets, municipal investment in renewable energy is an innovative way of utilising council owned assets to add value and support the local economy.
Whilst Oldham is not known for its sunny weather, solar panels are able to be used in all weather, with rain and wind helping their efficiency by clearing away dust and debris that block light from reaching the panels. By installing solar panels at council assets and building a solar farm at Wrigley Head, Oldham Council can utilise renewable energy created here in Oldham to meet these targets and reduce our own energy bill in the process.
This Council notes:
• That Oldham Council has been leading the way with innovative renewable energy solutions, including the continuing Oldham Mine Water Heat Network project, Wrigley Head Solar Farm and community energy schemes.
• This Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and became the first Green New Deal Local Authority in the country in 2020.
• As a local authority we are committed to exploring all options to help support residents and make sure that they are able to heat their homes by doubling funding to our Warm Homes programme.
• The work that the council is undertaking across all departments to ensure that our ambitious climate targets are met.
• That central government has backed our Greener Oldham plans with our successful £20m Levelling Up bid – one of only three successful bids in Greater Manchester.
This Council resolves to:
• Ensure that the council continues its ambitious plans for the council to be operating as a carbon neutral council by 2025.
• Continue to work towards a carbon neutral Oldham by 2030, and a carbon neutral Greater Manchester by 2038.
• Explore further options for renewable energy schemes across the Borough.
• Commit to re-evaluating all council owned assets for the viability of having solar panels installed to maximise the renewable energy generated by the Council.
• Explore the creation of a Local Energy Market to sell excess energy generated by council renewable assets to residents at a reasonable price, independent of the main energy providers, and to support the development of privately owned renewable energy generation in Oldham which can also help residents and businesses to reduce their energy bills through schemes likes the Oldham Energy Futures project - piloted in Sholver and Westwood – and the Oldham Green New Deal Delivery Partnership.
This Council further resolves to:
• Work alongside the partner agencies to identify more sites in the Borough which could potentially help Oldham reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.
• Work alongside a future Labour government to support the creation of a national public energy company, where the income generated will be reinvested into the UK, rather than into the pockets of shareholders or other nations who own energy companies operating in the UK.
Motion 2
A Fit and Proper Healthy Start
Councillor Munroe to MOVE and Councillor Chadderton to SECOND:
Lower-income families in Oldham are missing out on thousands of pounds worth of Healthy Start vouchers which help feed babies and young children. The national Healthy Start scheme helps parents, carers and pregnant women pay for milk, formula, fruit and vegetables.
Pregnant women, parents and carers who have children aged three or under and in receipt of certain benefits are eligible for the scheme. It is estimated millions of pounds worth of Healthy Start Vouchers are unclaimed across the country. Families who are entitled to help face hardship because of complications in the system and delays in being accepted onto the scheme.
The campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed recently conducted research which found that three quarters of mothers who pay for childcare say that it doesn’t make financial sense for them to work. A quarter of parents said that childcare costs equate to almost 75% of their pay packet. And half of parents say that they have had to reduce the number of hours they work because childcare has become unaffordable.
This Council Notes:
· That families in Oldham are struggling to pay expensive childcare bills, and that more often than not this leads to women not being able to work full time
· That the early years sector is struggling to make ends meet and that it requires fundamental urgent reform
· Despite collaborative effort the take up of Healthy Start Vouchers is only 67% of eligible families in Oldham
· The value of Healthy Start Vouchers has not changed since April 2021, despite research from the British Pregnancy Advisory Service showing that the price of some of the cheaper infant formula brands has increased by 22%. In addition, the rate of inflation has also been unequal across food groups with higher inflation on fresh produce meaning those receiving the benefit get less food for their money.
This Council resolves to:
· Instruct the Managing Director of Children and Young People to organise a campaign to further increase take up of Healthy Start vouchers in the Borough
· Ask the Government to increase the value of the Healthy Start vouchers by at least 14% to match general food inflation to support residents with the cost-of-living crisis.
· Continue to push for reform to provide affordable childcare to all Oldhamers
· Ask the responsible Cabinet member(s) to explore whether any extra support can be provided to early years providers in the Borough
· Continue to work with schools on our poverty proofing audits – to make sure children from low income backgrounds can participate fully in all aspects of learning and reduce stigma attached to poverty
· Commit to use the newly developed Equality Impact Assessment Tool to determine the impact of council decisions on Children and Young People.
Minutes:
Motion 1 – Actions Not Ambitions – A Renewable Energy Future
Councillor Jabbar MOVED and Councillor Akhtar SECONDED the following Motion:
We have seen a significant increase in the cost of energy since the start of the War in Ukraine, exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis, meaning that residents and businesses in Oldham are facing energy bills almost twice what they were 18 months ago.
Next month, the Energy Price Guarantee will rise to around £3,000 a year for a typical household, this is an almost £2,000 rise from the Energy Price Cap set in August 2021 at £1,277. Lower and middle-income households in Oldham are struggling with this increase.
A survey by the Federation of Small Businesses in November 2022 found that 25% of their members had seen their energy costs double and 19% have seen their energy costs triple.
Whilst support from central Government has been welcomed by both households and businesses, it has not gone far enough. More than half the residents responding to the GM Residents survey say they are having difficulties paying their bills. Almost a quarter of businesses in the FSBs survey anticipate that with further energy bills rises coming in April they will have to close, downsize or radically restructure.
At a time where oil and gas supplies are restricted, investment in the UK’s renewable energy sector is paramount to creating energy security and ensuring that people in towns like Oldham are not impacted by the effects of a conflict over a thousand miles away.
Oldham has ambitious targets to become the Greenest Borough in Greater Manchester and meet the goal of being a carbon neutral borough by 2030, with the council being carbon neutral by 2025.
In doing this we have invested in renewable energy schemes across Oldham, including our pioneering Mine Water Heat Network. To protect the people of Oldham from further shocks to the energy market, as well as to meet the council’s ambitious climate targets, municipal investment in renewable energy is an innovative way of utilising council owned assets to add value and support the local economy.
Whilst Oldham is not known for its sunny weather, solar panels are able to be used in all weather, with rain and wind helping their efficiency by clearing away dust and debris that block light from reaching the panels. By installing solar panels at council assets and building a solar farm at Wrigley Head, Oldham Council can utilise renewable energy created here in Oldham to meet these targets and reduce our own energy bill in the process.
This Council notes:
· 57% of respondents to the GM Residents Survey say they are struggling to pay their energy bills.
· Since the We Can Help initiative was launched in September 2022, over £100,000 has gone to residents directly to help them with their energy bills, an increase of 200% compared to the same time period last year.
• That Oldham Council has been leading the way with innovative renewable energy solutions, including the continuing Oldham Mine Water Heat Network project, Wrigley Head Solar Farm and community energy schemes.
• This Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and became the first Green New Deal Local Authority in the country in 2020.
• As a local authority we are committed to exploring all options to help support residents and make sure that they are able to heat their homes by doubling funding to our Warm Homes programme.
• The work that the council is undertaking across all departments to ensure that our ambitious climate targets are met.
• That central government has backed our Greener Oldham plans with our successful £20m Levelling Up bid – one of only three successful bids in Greater Manchester.
This Council resolves to:
• Ensure that the council continues its ambitious plans for the council to be operating as a carbon neutral council by 2025.
• Continue to work towards a carbon neutral Oldham by 2030, and a carbon neutral Greater Manchester by 2038.
• Explore further options for renewable energy schemes across the Borough.
• Commit to re-evaluating all council owned assets for the viability of having solar panels installed to maximise the renewable energy generated by the Council.
• Explore the creation of a Local Energy Market to sell excess energy generated by council renewable assets to residents at a reasonable price, independent of the main energy providers, and to support the development of privately owned renewable energy generation in Oldham which can also help residents and businesses to reduce their energy bills through schemes likes the Oldham Energy Futures project - piloted in Sholver and Westwood – and the Oldham Green New Deal Delivery Partnership.
This Council further resolves to:
• Work alongside the partner agencies to identify more sites in the Borough which could potentially help Oldham reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.
• Work alongside a future Labour government to support the creation of a national public energy company, where the income generated will be reinvested into the UK, rather than into the pockets of shareholders or other nations who own energy companies operating in the UK.
1st AMENDMENT
Councillor Al-Hamdani MOVED and Councillor C. Gloster SECONDED the following AMENDMENT
We have seen a significant increase in the cost of energy since the start of the War in Ukraine, exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis, meaning that residents and businesses in Oldham are facing energy bills almost twice what they were 18 months ago.
Next month, the Energy Price Guarantee will rise to around £3,000 a year for a typical household, this is an almost £2,000 rise from the Energy Price Cap set in August 2021 at £1,277. Lower and middle-income households in Oldham are struggling with this increase.
A survey by the Federation of Small Businesses in November 2022 found that 25% of their members had seen their energy costs double and 19% have seen their energy costs triple.
Whilst support from central Government has been welcomed by both households and businesses, it has not gone far enough. More than half the residents responding to the GM Residents survey say they are having difficulties paying their bills. Almost a quarter of businesses in the FSBs survey anticipate that with further energy bills rises coming in April they will have to close, downsize or radically restructure.
At a time where oil and gas supplies are restricted, investment in the UK’s renewable energy sector is paramount to creating energy security and ensuring that people in towns like Oldham are not impacted by the effects of a conflict over a thousand miles away.
Oldham has ambitious targets to become the Greenest Borough in Greater Manchester and meet the goal of being a carbon neutral borough by 2030, with the council being carbon neutral by 2025.
In doing this we have invested in renewable energy schemes across Oldham, including our pioneering Mine Water Heat Network. To protect the people of Oldham from further shocks to the energy market, as well as to meet the council’s ambitious climate targets, municipal investment in renewable energy is an innovative way of utilising council owned assets to add value and support the local economy.
Whilst Oldham is not known for its sunny weather, solar panels are able to be used in all weather, with rain and wind helping their efficiency by clearing away dust and debris that block light from reaching the panels. By installing solar panels at council assets and building a solar farm at Wrigley Head, Oldham Council can utilise renewable energy created here in Oldham to meet these targets and reduce our own energy bill in the process.
This Council notes:
· 57% of respondents to the GM Residents Survey say they are struggling to pay their energy bills.
· Centrica – owners of British Gas and Britain’s largest energy provider- posted profits of £3.3 billion in 2022, up from £948 million in 2021 as a result of the war in Ukraine.
· Since the We Can Help initiative was launched in September 2022, over £100,000 has gone to residents directly to help them with their energy bills, an increase of 200% compared to the same time period last year.
· That Oldham Council has been leading the way with innovative renewable energy solutions, including the continuing Oldham Mine Water Heat Network project, Wrigley Head Solar Farm and community energy schemes.
· This Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and became the first Green New Deal Local Authority in the country in 2020.
· As a local authority we are committed to exploring all options to help support residents and make sure that they are able to heat their homes by doubling funding to our Warm Homes programme.
· The work that the council is undertaking across all departments to ensure that our ambitious climate targets are met.
· That central government has backed our Greener Oldham plans with our successful £20m Levelling Up bid – one of only three successful bids in Greater Manchester.
This Council resolves to:
• Continue to work towards a carbon neutral Oldham by 2030, and a carbon neutral Greater Manchester by 2038.
• Explore further options for renewable energy schemes across the Borough. Specifically, by identifying companies who could be involved in running a Mine Water Heat Network and working with them to develop a successful plan for Oldham Borough.
• Commit to re-evaluating all council owned assets for the viability of having solar panels installed to maximise the renewable energy generated by the Council.
• Explore the creation of a Local Energy Market to sell excess energy generated by council renewable assets to residents at a reasonable price, independent of the main energy providers, and to support the development of privately owned renewable energy generation in Oldham which can also help residents and businesses to reduce their energy bills through schemes likes the Oldham Energy Futures project - piloted in Sholver and Westwood – and the Oldham Green New Deal Delivery Partnership.
• Request that Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF) divest from fossil fuel companies by 2030 at the latest
• Request GMPF provide an annual report - until such a time that they are fully divested - to record active interventions they are making to change those companies’ policies to become carbon neutral.
This Council further resolves to:
• Work alongside the partner agencies to identify more sites in the Borough which could potentially help Oldham reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.
• Work alongside future governments to support the creation of a national public energy company, where the income generated will be reinvested into the UK, rather than into the pockets of shareholders or other nations who own energy companies operating in the UK.
• Reaffirm our commitment to a true windfall tax on the runaway profits of oil and gas giants. This tax revenue is needed to support families who are struggling.
On being put to the Vote the AMENDMENT was CARRIED.
2nd AMENDMENT
Councillor Quigg MOVED and Councillor Sharp SECONDED the following AMENDMENT
We have seen a significant increase in the cost of energy since the start of the War in Ukraine, exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis, meaning that residents and businesses in Oldham are facing energy bills almost twice what they were 18 months ago.
Next month, the Energy Price Guarantee will rise to around £3,000 a year for a typical household, this is an almost £2,000 rise from the Energy Price Cap set in August 2021 at £1,277. Lower and middle-income households in Oldham are struggling with this increase.
A survey by the Federation of Small Businesses in November 2022 found that 25% of their members had seen their energy costs double and 19% have seen their energy costs triple.
Whilst support from central Government has been welcomed by both households and businesses, it has not gone far enough. More than half the residents responding to the GM Residents survey say they are having difficulties paying their bills. Almost a quarter of businesses in the FSBs survey anticipate that with further energy bills rises coming in April they will have to close, downsize or radically restructure.
At a time where oil and gas prices are high due to the illegal War launched by the Russian Federation on the Ukraine, investment in the UK’s domestic hydrogen, coal, oil, gas, and renewable energy sectors is paramount to creating energy security.
Oldham has ambitious targets to become the Greenest Borough in Greater Manchester and meet the goal of being a carbon neutral borough by 2030, with the council being carbon neutral by 2025.
In doing this we have invested in renewable energy schemes across Oldham, including our pioneering Mine Water Heat Network as well as to meet the council’s ambitious climate targets, municipal investment in renewable energy is an innovative way of utilising council owned assets to add value and support the local economy.
Whilst Oldham is not known for its sunny weather, solar panels are able to be used in all weather, with rain and wind helping their efficiency by clearing away dust and debris that block light from reaching the panels. By installing solar panels at council assets and building a solar farm at Wrigley Head, Oldham Council can utilise renewable energy created here in Oldham to meet these targets and reduce energy bills for Oldham Council in the process.
This Council notes:
· 57% of respondents to the GM Residents Survey say they are struggling to pay their energy bills.
· Since the We Can Help initiative was launched in September 2022, over £100,000 has gone to residents directly to help them with their energy bills, an increase of 200% compared to the same time period last year.
• That Oldham Council has been leading the way with innovative renewable energy solutions, including the continuing Oldham Mine Water Heat Network project, Wrigley Head Solar Farm and community energy schemes.
• This Council declared a climate emergency in w2019 and became the first Green New Deal Local Authority in the country in 2020.
• As a local authority we are committed to exploring all options to help support residents and make sure that they are able to heat their homes by doubling funding to our Warm Homes programme.
• The work that the council is undertaking across all departments to ensure that our ambitious climate targets are met.
• That the Conservative government has delivered a £20m Levelling Up bid – one of only three successful bids in Greater Manchester.
This Council resolves to:
•
Ensure that the council continues its ambitious
plans for the council to be operating as a carbon neutral council
by 2025. but only when it
publishes a full cost benefit analysis of how much more it will
cost taxpayers to reach carbon neutrality so council taxpayers
understand where their council tax money is being spent.
• Continue to work towards a carbon neutral Oldham by 2030, and a carbon neutral Greater Manchester but only when it publishes a full cost benefit analysis of how much more it will cost taxpayers to reach carbon neutrality so council taxpayers understand where their council tax money is being spent.
• Explore further options for renewable energy schemes across the Borough which do not involve taxpayer subsidies for big landowners, other local authorities, or multinational corporations.
• Commit to re-evaluating all council owned assets for the viability of having solar panels installed to maximise the renewable energy generated by the Council.
Sell any excess energy generated by council renewable assets to residents, local NHS and local care homes at a reasonable price, independent of the main energy providers, through the Greater Manchester Local Energy Market and to support the development of privately owned renewable energy generation in Oldham which can also help residents and businesses to reduce their energy bills through schemes likes the Oldham Energy Futures project - piloted in Sholver and Westwood – and the Oldham Green New Deal Delivery Partnership.
This Council further resolves to:
• Work alongside the partner agencies to identify more sites in the Borough which could potentially help Oldham reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.
• Condemn the Russian Federation for its invasion of Ukraine and further condemn the Russian Federation for manipulating energy and food supplies to fund its war effort.
• Oppose the Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone and soon to be Parking Levy.
· Support the suspension of green levies on energy bills to help bring energy bills down.
· Source more of our own domestic energy supplies, whether hydrogen, coal, oil, gas, nuclear, or renewables from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and not from foreign or unstable regimes abroad and back calls for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in becoming energy independent.
· Deliver on the Labour administrations local election manifesto promise to pay each household in Oldham £600 to help with energy bills.
A vote was taken on the 2nd AMENDMENT, which was LOST.
On being put to the Vote the MOTION as AMENDED (1st AMENDMENT) was CARRIED.
RESOLVED: That the Council
1. Ensures that it continues its ambitious plans for the council to be operating as a carbon neutral council by 2025.
2. Continues to work towards a carbon neutral Oldham by 2030, and a carbon neutral Greater Manchester by 2038.
3. Explores further options for renewable energy schemes across the Borough. Specifically, by identifying companies who could be involved in running a Mine Water Heat Network and working with them to develop a successful plan for Oldham Borough.
4. Commits to re-evaluating all council owned assets for the viability of having solar panels installed to maximise the renewable energy generated by the Council.
5. Explores the creation of a Local Energy Market to sell excess energy generated by council renewable assets to residents at a reasonable price, independent of the main energy providers, and to support the development of privately owned renewable energy generation in Oldham which can also help residents and businesses to reduce their energy bills through schemes likes the Oldham Energy Futures project - piloted in Sholver and Westwood – and the Oldham Green New Deal Delivery Partnership.
6. Requests that Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF) divest from fossil fuel companies by 2030 at the latest
7. Requests that GMPF provide an annual report - until such a time that they are fully divested - to record active interventions they are making to change those companies’ policies to become carbon neutral.
8. Works alongside the partner agencies to identify more sites in the Borough which could potentially help Oldham reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.
9. Works alongside future governments to support the creation of a national public energy company, where the income generated will be reinvested into the UK, rather than into the pockets of shareholders or other nations who own energy companies operating in the UK.
10. Reaffirms its commitment to a true windfall tax on the runaway profits of oil and gas giants. This tax revenue is needed to support families who are struggling.
Motion 2 – A Fit and Proper Healthy Start
Councillor Munroe MOVED and Councillor Chadderton SECONDED the following Motion:
Lower-income families in Oldham are missing out on thousands of pounds worth of Healthy Start vouchers which help feed babies and young children. The national Healthy Start scheme helps parents, carers and pregnant women pay for milk, formula, fruit and vegetables.
Pregnant women, parents and carers who have children aged three or under and in receipt of certain benefits are eligible for the scheme. It is estimated millions of pounds worth of Healthy Start Vouchers are unclaimed across the country. Families who are entitled to help face hardship because of complications in the system and delays in being accepted onto the scheme.
The campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed recently conducted research which found that three quarters of mothers who pay for childcare say that it doesn’t make financial sense for them to work. A quarter of parents said that childcare costs equate to almost 75% of their pay packet. And half of parents say that they have had to reduce the number of hours they work because childcare has become unaffordable.
This Council Notes:
· That families in Oldham are struggling to pay expensive childcare bills, and that more often than not this leads to women not being able to work full time
· That the early years sector is struggling to make ends meet and that it requires fundamental urgent reform
· Despite collaborative effort the take up of Healthy Start Vouchers is only 67% of eligible families in Oldham
· The value of Healthy Start Vouchers has not changed since April 2021, despite research from the British Pregnancy Advisory Service showing that the price of some of the cheaper infant formula brands has increased by 22%. In addition, the rate of inflation has also been unequal across food groups with higher inflation on fresh produce meaning those receiving the benefit get less food for their money.
This Council resolves to:
· Instruct the Managing Director of Children and Young People to organise a campaign to further increase take up of Healthy Start vouchers in the Borough
· Ask the Government to increase the value of the Healthy Start vouchers by at least 14% to match general food inflation to support residents with the cost-of-living crisis.
· Continue to push for reform to provide affordable childcare to all Oldhamers
· Ask the responsible Cabinet member(s) to explore whether any extra support can be provided to early years providers in the Borough
· Continue to work with schools on our poverty proofing audits – to make sure children from low-income backgrounds can participate fully in all aspects of learning and reduce stigma attached to poverty
· Commit to use the newly developed Equality Impact Assessment Tool to determine the impact of council decisions on Children and Young People.
On being put to the vote the MOTION was CARRIED
RESOLVED:
1. That the Council instructs the Managing Director of Children and Young People to organise a campaign to further increase take up of Healthy Start vouchers in the Borough.
2. That the Chief Executive be requested to write to the Secretary of State for Education asking the Government to increase the value of the Healthy Start vouchers by at least 14% to match general food inflation to support residents with the cost-of-living crisis.
3. That the Council continues to push for reform to provide affordable childcare to all Oldhamers.
4. That the responsible Cabinet member(s) be requested to explore whether any extra support can be provided to early years providers in the Borough.
5. That the Council continued to work with schools on our poverty proofing audits – to make sure children from low-income backgrounds can participate fully in all aspects of learning and reduce stigma attached to poverty.
6. That the Council commits to use the newly developed Equality Impact Assessment Tool to determine the impact of council decisions on Children and Young People.