(time limit 30 minutes)
Motion 1
Councillor to Jabbar to MOVE and Councillor Taylor to SECOND:
Don’t Take It Out on Us; Properly Funded Public Services
Council Services cannot take any more cuts imposed by central government. Since 2010 Oldham has had 45% of its funding from central government cut, and since 2010 successive Conservative Governments have forced local authorities to raise council tax in an attempt to meet this shortfall.
For over a decade Conservative Governments have forced councils – of every political persuasion – to raise council tax in order to run necessary services, leading to an abhorrent situation where the council runs less services despite increasing Council Tax. This is not sustainable.
We cannot afford more cuts, adult social care and children’s services are the two biggest items in the Council’s budgets. Cuts to these services would be hugely regressive and frankly put our residents across the Borough in danger.
Councils across the country are struggling to meet contractual inflationary pressures brought on by inflation of over 10%, and current estimates mean this Council’s budget will not be able to cover these costs without further cuts.
The National Audit Office estimates that between 2010/11 and 2020-21 government funded spending power in Oldham reduced by 53.7% in real terms, that in 2019-20 social care accounted for 53.6% of all service spend for Oldham Council, and that in 2010-11 central government funding to Oldham’s revenue budget equated to £203m and in 2019-20 that figure was £39.5m.
This Council notes:
This Council resolves:
This Council further resolves:
Motion 2
Councillor Moores to MOVE and Councillor Chadderton to SECOND:
Investing in Children’s Social Workers
The crisis in social care does not just impact adults social care and care homes, children’s social care is experiencing a huge shortage of qualified social workers. This is in part due to the number of social workers opting to follow the agency route rather than having a permanent base at a local authority as part of the children’s social care team.
In May 2022 the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care was published and it recommended a number of regulatory reforms such as requiring newly qualified social workers to have completed two years of the propose early career framework before they can take up agency positions, to establish ‘locum staff banks’ run by local authorities on a not-for-profit basis so they could turn to them when demand calls for it.
The shortage of social workers is a national problem that requires national solutions, here in Oldham we are working to try and do our bit, including investing in making Oldham an attractive place to be a social worker, and working with our colleagues across Greater Manchester to limit private businesses’ profiteering.
This Council notes:
This Council Resolves to instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Department for Education:
This Council further resolves to:
Minutes:
Motion 1 – Don’t Take It Out On Us: Properly Funded Public Services
Councillor Jabbar MOVED and Councillor Mushtaq SECONDED the following Motion:
Council Services cannot take any more cuts imposed by central government. Since 2010 Oldham has had 45% of its funding from central government cut, and since 2010 successive Conservative Governments have forced local authorities to raise council tax in an attempt to meet this shortfall.
For over a decade Conservative Governments have forced councils – of every political persuasion – to raise council tax in order to run necessary services, leading to an abhorrent situation where the council runs less services despite increasing Council Tax. This is not sustainable.
We cannot afford more cuts, adult social care and children’s services are the two biggest items in the Council’s budgets. Cuts to these services would be hugely regressive and frankly put our residents across the Borough in danger.
Councils across the country are struggling to meet contractual inflationary pressures brought on by inflation of over 10%, and current estimates mean this Council’s budget will not be able to cover these costs without further cuts.
The National Audit Office estimates that between 2010/11 and 2020-21 government funded spending power in Oldham reduced by 53.7% in real terms, that in 2019-20 social care accounted for 53.6% of all service spend for Oldham Council, and that in 2010-11 central government funding to Oldham’s revenue budget equated to £203m and in 2019-20 that figure was £39.5m.
This Council notes:
• Local Government in England is responsible for delivering more services than any other tier of government.
• Local Authorities across the country are struggling as a result of a decade of austerity, the impact of Brexit, the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, the cost-of-living crisis and the market reaction to the catastrophic September Mini-Budget left a huge hole in public finances.
• The Autumn Statement did not provide Local Authorities with the assurance they need and Oldham Council faces huge inflationary pressures in the coming year.
• That this administration has an ambitious £3m We Can Help cost-of-living support package for Oldham residents
• That the Secretary of State for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities acknowledged last month that Council Tax is regressive
• The provisional local government finance settlement will not be delivered until the week commencing 21st December and the full settlement will not be known until February 2023.
• Oldhamers cannot afford to pay for the mistakes of this government.
This Council resolves:
• To aid the LGA’s Don’t Take It Out on Us Campaign, and highlight the extent of cuts of local government financing in Oldham
• Ask the Borough’s MPs to join our calls for properly funded local government and social care
• To work collaboratively and cross-party with colleagues in Oldham, Greater Manchester and nationally to lobby for fair funding for local government and social care.
This Council further resolves:
• Continue to work with our partners across Oldham to provide good quality and cost-effective public services for Oldhamers.
• To invite all Group Leaders to write jointly to the Government to ask them to properly and fairly fund local government and social care so that local authorities aren’t forced to hike Council Tax and invite Oldham residents to sign the letter
• To call for multi-year financial settlements to enable local authorities to plan properly and deliver the best services for our residents
• Instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to urge him to expedite the review into Council Tax so our residents aren’t continually hammered by this regressive tax.
AMENDMENT
Councillor Arnott MOVED and Councillor McManus SECONDED the following AMENDMENT:
Councils are not forced to increase council tax by any government of whatever hue. Since the 2011 Localism Act was introduced by the Conservative led Coalition government there has been a cap on the amount Councils can raise in council tax. If Councils like Oldham wanted to increase Council tax beyond the cap then a referendum is held, giving the electorate the final say. The permissible amount however is not a mandatory amount it is down to each local authority.
This mechanism was introduced after a decade of inflation busting council tax rises under the last Labour government which failed to stop Councils from behaving like the Sheriff of Nottingham from the tale of Robin Hood, which as a result saw council tax double in under a decade. After more than a decade in power in Oldham, Labour is forcing residents to pay one of the highest council tax rates in the Country.
This Labour administration chooses to increase Council tax, taking money out of people’s pockets in Oldham. This is down to the failure by this Council to plan and manage its finances properly. As such it is time the Council looked to help people in Oldham by reducing waste and spending public money wisely and instead of writing letters take direct action to help local people. That is why this Council should freeze council tax to help hard pressed taxpayers.
This Council notes:
• Local Government in England is responsible for delivering more services than any other tier of government.
• The Autumn Statement did not provide Local Authorities with the assurance they need and Oldham Council faces huge inflationary pressures in the coming year.
• That this Council has a £3m We Can Help cost-of-living support package for Oldham residents
• The provisional local government finance settlement will not be delivered until the week commencing 21st December and the full settlement will not be known until February 2023.
• Oldhamers cannot afford to pay for the mistakes of this government. poorly managed and badly led Labour Borough Council.
This Council resolves to:
• Ask when the Borough’s MPs will use an opposition day debate or table a private members bill in Parliament with calls for properly funded local government and social care.
• To stop wasting taxpayer’s money and work collaboratively and cross-party with colleagues in Oldham, Greater Manchester and nationally to lobby for fair funding for local government and social care.
This Council further resolves:
• To work with our partners across Oldham to provide outstanding good quality and cost-effective public services for Oldhamers.
• For the relevant Cabinet member to write to the relevant Government Department/Minister and ask them to confirm if they will be looking to initiate a review which looks at the way adult social care is funded in England and look at ways it can be better funded.
• To call for multi-year financial settlements to enable local authorities to plan properly and deliver the best services for our residents
• To FREEZE council tax for the next financial year.
A vote was taken on the AMENDMENT which was LOST.
On being put to the vote the MOTION was CARRIED.
RESOLVED
To aid the LGA’s Don’t Take It Out on Us Campaign, and highlight the extent of cuts of local government financing in Oldham:
a. Asks the Borough’s MPs to join our calls for properly funded local government and social care.
b. That the Council works collaboratively and cross-party with colleagues in Oldham, Greater Manchester and nationally to lobby for fair funding for local government and social care.
This Council further resolves:
c. Continue to work with our partners across Oldham to provide good quality and cost-effective public services for Oldhamers.
d. To invite all Group Leaders to write jointly to the Government to ask them to properly and fairly fund local government and social care so that local authorities aren’t forced to hike Council Tax and invite Oldham residents to sign the letter
e. Calls for multi-year financial settlements to enable local authorities to plan properly and deliver the best services for our residents.
f. Instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to urge him to expedite the review into Council Tax so our residents aren’t continually hammered by this regressive tax.
Motion 2 – Investing in Children’s Social Workers
Councillor Moores MOVED and Councillor Chadderton SECONDED the following Motion:
The crisis in social care does not just impact adults social care and care homes, children’s social care is experiencing a huge shortage of qualified social workers. This is in part due to the number of social workers opting to follow the agency route rather than having a permanent base at a local authority as part of the children’s social care team.
In May 2022 the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care was published and it recommended a number of regulatory reforms such as requiring newly qualified social workers to have completed two years of the propose early career framework before they can take up agency positions, to establish ‘locum staff banks’ run by local authorities on a not-for-profit basis so they could turn to them when demand calls for it.
The shortage of social workers is a national problem that requires national solutions, here in Oldham we are working to try and do our bit, including investing in making Oldham an attractive place to be a social worker, and working with our colleagues across Greater Manchester to limit private businesses’ profiteering.
This Council notes:
• The Northern Ireland Department of Health has announced that from June 2023 they will no longer be using agency social workers.
• Private businesses are profiteering of the back of the crisis in children’s social care, with the ADCS warning of the increased cost pressures and concerns of quality.
• That agency social workers have their place within the system and for some it is the optimum career path.
• A stable workforce leads to the best possible service for Oldham’s children. Those in the system want to stick with the same social worker.
• In July of this year the President of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services called for an outright ban on agency workers.
This Council Resolves to instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Department for Education:
• To ask them follow in Northern Ireland’s footsteps and impose a ban or a quota on Agency Social Workers.
• To publish its response to the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care as soon as possible and establish further regulation on agency social work as recommended.
• To establish a fund for local authorities to set up not-for-profit staff banks to be the first port of call for temporary workers.
This Council further resolves to:
• To instruct the Director of Children’s Services (DCS) to work with colleagues across Greater Manchester, and potentially the North West, to work together to attempt to reduce the reliance on agency social workers.
• To invest in Children’s Services in order to recruit, retain and train the best social workers available and make Oldham an attractive place to be a social worker.
On being put to the vote the MOTION was CARRIED.
RESOLVED
Council Resolves to instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Department for Education:
1. To ask them follow in Northern Ireland’s footsteps and impose a ban or a quota on Agency Social Workers.
2. To publish its response to the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care as soon as possible and establish further regulation on agency social work as recommended.
3. To establish a fund for local authorities to set up not-for-profit staff banks to be the first port of call for temporary workers.
Council further resolves to:
4. To instruct the DCS to work with colleagues across Greater Manchester, and potentially the North West, to work together to attempt to reduce the reliance on agency social workers.
5. To invest in Children’s Services in order to recruit, retain and train the best social workers available and make Oldham an attractive place to be a social worker.