Agenda item

(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, Oldham Council declared a Climate Emergency, committing to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2038. As part of this, the Council agreed to encourage the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF) to divest from fossil fuels.

 

Investments in Fossil Fuels and Arms:

•      Approximately 6% of GMPF’s portfolio (around £1.5 billion) is invested in fossil fuel companies such as Shell, BP, and Glencore.

GMPF also holds over £241 million in arms companies, including BAE Systems, Boeing, and Honeywell, which supply weapons to regimes implicated in human rights abuses and violations of international law, including in Palestine and Yemen.

 

Momentum for Divestment:

•      On 1 November 2024, Manchester City Council passed a motion calling for GMPF to divest from fossil fuels and arms, joining a growing number of councils across the UK.

•      Councils such as Liverpool, Waltham Forest, Islington, and Inverclyde have also passed motions demanding divestment from fossil fuels and arms.

•      These councils, like Oldham, recognise that investments in fossil fuels and arms are incompatible with their ethical, environmental, and social responsibilities.

 

Human Rights and Legal Context:

•      Arrest warrants issued by international legal bodies against political figures like Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes underline the urgent need to ensure public funds are not complicit in human rights violations.

•      Arms companies in GMPF’s portfolio supply weapons used in illegal wars, repression, and breaches of international law.

 

Environmental and Financial Risks:

•      Fossil fuel investments directly contribute to climate destruction and risk becoming stranded assets as global decarbonisation accelerates.

•      Arms manufacturing and deployment result in environmental devastation, the destruction of habitats, and carbon-intensive recovery processes, further exacerbating the climate crisis.

 

GMPF’s Policy Contradiction:

•      GMPF’s Responsible Investment Policy commits to considering the environmental and social impact of investments, but its holdings in fossil fuels and arms directly contradict this policy.

 

This Council believes:

a.    Investments in fossil fuels and arms perpetuate climate destruction, human suffering, and global instability, making them morally indefensible and financially risky.

b.    Divestment aligns with Oldham’s commitments to human rights, climate action, and ethical governance, while mitigating financial risks.

c.    Arrest warrants against figures like Netanyahu emphasise the urgent need to act decisively against complicity in human rights abuses.

 

This Council resolves to:

•      Demand Divestment:
Request the Leader of the Council to write to GMPF and the Mayor of Greater Manchester, urging GMPF to:

•      Develop a clear plan to divest from fossil fuels and arms within 12 months.

•      Align with GMCA’s 2038 net-zero target (instead of GMPF’s current 2050 target) and establish a medium-term milestone for 2030.

•      Commit to divesting from arms companies supplying weapons to regimes engaged in breaches of international law and human rights abuses.

•      Ensure Transparency:

Request GMPF to implement robust and transparent reporting mechanisms, including annual updates on:

•      Investments in fossil fuels, arms, and companies operating in occupied territories under international law.

•      Progress towards divestment and outcomes of company engagements.

•      Empower Representation:

•      Mandate Oldham’s representative on GMPF to advocate for divestment from fossil fuels and arms at all meetings and provide regular updates to this Council on progress.

•      Collaborate Regionally:

•      Request the Leader of the Council to write to the other nine Greater Manchester councils, urging them to join Oldham, Manchester, and other councils in advocating for ethical investment reforms at GMPF.

5.    Promote Ethical Reinvestment:

•      Work with GMPF to explore reinvestment in industries aligned with Oldham’s ethical and environmental priorities, such as renewable energy, social housing, and sustainable infrastructure.

6.    Engage the Public:

•      Collaborate with residents, advocacy groups, and trade unions to build awareness and support for ethical investment in Greater Manchester.

 

Supporting Statement:

This motion builds on the recent decision by Manchester City Council, which joins other councils like Liverpool, Waltham Forest, Islington, and Inverclyde in calling for divestment from fossil fuels and arms. Oldham has the opportunity to strengthen its leadership on climate and human rights by standing in solidarity with these councils and advocating for change at GMPF.

 

Arrest warrants against figures such as Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes highlight the moral imperative to ensure public investments are not complicit in such acts. Divesting from fossil fuels and arms not only addresses these ethical concerns but also aligns with our fiduciary responsibility to mitigate financial risks and support sustainable, long-term investments.

 

By supporting this motion, Oldham Council can reaffirm its commitment to ethical governance, climate action, and human rights, paving the way for a more sustainable and just future.

 

 

Motion 3: Old Failsworth Library  
To be moved by Councillor Ball
Seconded by Councillor Wilkinson

 

The Old Failsworth Library, on Main Street, Failsworth which was bequeathed to the people of Failsworth by Sidlow Family has fallen into a great state of disrepair. A Nursery that currently rents part of the building is a popular and well used facility in Failsworth and wants to stay in the current building as it is an ideal and well-known location.

 

The Council has not fully utilised The Old Failsworth Library and it is only half used. It is a large and spacious building which could have partially replaced the old Community Centre and allowed local groups to use the space.

 

The state of repair to the building is less than satisfactory. There have been reports of leaks, damp, mould and other issues which should have been addressed before they became too expensive to repair. It is shocking that a public building has been left to rot.

 

The evidence of damp and mould is clear to see. The current tenant has been proactive in trying to maintain the building, while doing so they have continued to ask for repairs to be completed. 

 

Some Failsworth Councillors have contributed in trying to help, and the money donated helped the nursery to source much needed furniture as they had been spending nursery funds allocated for the furniture on trying to spruce up the interior of the building.

 

Councillors and the tenant have written to the former Member of Parliament and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Raynor MP, Jim McMahon MP and Lucy Powell MP to see what help they can provide.

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Inside the nursery we have seen where parts of a ceiling had come down, where the window area had rotted away and with gaps large enough for children to put fingers into the gap. There was a room so cold and damp that OMBC had to fit a very small electric wall heater high up near the ceiling which was inadequate.

 

We know of a number of buildings which are publicly owned, or considered public assets, which have sadly fallen into a state of disrepair. It is disappointing that buildings outside of Oldham Town Centre, such as the Old Failsworth Library are being put at risk and could end up costing the Council more in the long run due to inaction rather than taking proactive steps to protect our public assets.

 

The Council therefore resolves to:

 

1.    Inform and work with all Failsworth Councillors to ensure that the current tenant of the building is kept up to date with all information regarding the lease and the repairs needed to the building.

2.    That Council officers will keep all Failsworth Councillors up to date with quarterly reports on the repairs needed to the building and other issues that may arise.

3.    That the Old Failsworth Library is renovated and brought up to a workable standard so that it can be used by other local community groups and or businesses.

4.    That the underuse of the building for the past decade has meant the Council has lost revenue and the people of Failsworth have lost out on a community facility.

5.    That a plan is put in place involving all Failsworth Councillors to save this building for future community use.