Agenda item

1.  It was moved by County Councillor Azhar Ali and seconded by County Councillor Julie Gibson that:

 

This council notes:

 

·  Local Government has endured central government funding cuts of nearly 50% since 2010. 

·  Between 2010 and 2020, councils will have lost 60p out of every £1 they have received from central government. 

·  The 2019 LGA survey of council finances found that 1 in 3 councils fear they will run out of funding to provide even their statutory, legal duties by 2022/23. This number rises to almost two thirds of councils by 2024/2025 or later. 

·  The LGA estimates councils will face a funding gap of £8 billion by 2025. 

·  Faced with these cuts from central government, the local government workforce has endured years of pay restraint with the majority of pay points losing 22 per cent of their value since 2009/10.

·  At the same time as seeing their pay go down in real terms, workers experience ever increasing workloads and persistent job insecurity. Across the UK, an estimated 876,000 jobs have been lost in local government since June 2010 – a reduction of 30 per cent. Local government has arguably been hit by more severe job losses than any other part of the public sector.

·  There has been a disproportionate impact on women, with women making up more than three quarters of the local government workforce.

 

This council believes:

 

·  Our workers are public service super heroes. They keep our communities clean, look after those in need and keep our towns and cities running.

·  Without the professionalism and dedication of our staff, the council services our residents rely on would not be deliverable.

·  Government funding has been cut to the extent that a proper pay rise could result in a reduction in local government services.

·  The government needs to take responsibility and fully fund increases in pay; it should not put the burden on local authorities whose funding has been cut to the bone.

 

This council resolves to:

 

·  Support the pay claim submitted by GMB UNISON and Unite on behalf of council and school workers for a £10 per hour minimum wage and a 10 per cent uplift across all other pay points in 2020/21.

·  Call on the Local Government Association to make urgent representations to central government to fund the NJC pay claim.

·  Write to the Chancellor and Secretary of State to call for a pay increase for local government workers to be funded with new money from central government. 

·  Meet with local NJC union representatives to convey support for the pay claim.

·  Encourage all local government workers to join a union.

 

The following amendment was proposed by County Councillor Geoff Driver and seconded by County Councillor Keith Iddon:

 

The Council notes:

 

• Local Government has endured reductions in central government grants of nearly 50% since 2010.
• The 2019 LGA survey of council finances found that 1 in 3 councils fear they will run out of funding to provide even their statutory duties by 2022/23. This rises to almost two thirds of councils by 2024/2025 or later.
• Thanks to the prudent financial management of the Conservative Administration, Lancashire County Council is not one of those councils.
• In 2017, the then Labour Administration at Lancashire County Council, supported by the Liberal Democrats, declared that the council would be unable to set a legal budget to meet its statutory responsibilities for the financial year 2019/2020.
• In 2017, the outgoing Labour Administration, supported by the Liberal Democrats, left a structural deficit in the council’s accounts of over £200m.
• The LGA estimates councils will face a funding gap of £8billion by 2025.

 

The Council believes that:

 

• Lancashire County Council workers are public service super heroes and without their professionalism and dedication, the services our residents rely on would not be delivered.
• All public sector pay awards should be fully funded via grants from central government.

 

The Council resolves to:

 

Request the Chief Executive and Director of Resources to write to the Secretary of State advising him that the council recognises the value of the contribution that Lancashire County Council staff and all public sector workers make to the delivery of public services in the United Kingdom and ask him to consider whether the government can meet the cost of the pay claim submitted by GMB, UNISON and UNITE given its impact on the wider economy.

 

The amendment was put to the vote and was CARRIED and became the

substantive motion.

 

The following amendment was proposed by County Councillor Azhar Ali and seconded by County Councillor Fillis:

 

Lancashire County Council resolves to:

 

Request the Chief Executive and Director of Resources to write to the Secretary of State advising him that the council recognises the value of the contribution that Lancashire County Council staff and all public sector workers make to the delivery of public services in the United Kingdom and ask him to consider whether the government can meet the cost of the pay award claim submitted by GMB, UNISON and UNITE given its impact on the wider economy.

 

In accordance with the requirements of procedural Standing Order B45(4), a

recorded vote was taken. The names of the County Councillors who voted for or against the Motion and those who abstained are set out below:

 

For (34)

 

T Aldridge	B Dawson	N Hennessy	T Martin	J Parr
A Ali	F De Molfetta	S Holgate	J Mein	M Pattinson
L Beavers	K Ellard	D Howarth	J Molineux	K Snape
J Berry	J Fillis	M Iqbal	Y Motala	J Sumner
L Cox	J Gibson	H Khan	L Oades	M Tomlinson
C Crompton	P Greenall	E Lewis	G Oliver	D Whipp
M Dad	P Hayhurst	S Malik	M Parkinson

 

Against (42)

 

M Barron	J Cooney	A Kay	A Riggott	S Turner
P Britcliffe	G Driver	J Marsh	M Salter	A Vincent
I Brown	C Edwards	S Morris	A Schofield	C Wakeford
P Buckley	D Foxcroft	E Nash	J Shedwick	G Wilkins
J Burrows	A Gardiner	D O'Toole	D Smith	P Williamson
S Charles	G Gooch	E Pope	A Snowden	B Yates
A Cheetham	M Green	J Purcell	D Stansfield
S Clarke	A Hosker	J Rear	P Steen
A Clempson	K Iddon	P Rigby	C Towneley

 

Abstain (0)

 

The amendment was therefore LOST.

 

The substantive motion was then put to the vote and was CARRIED.

 

In accordance with the requirements of procedural Standing Order B45(4), a

recorded vote was taken. The names of the County Councillors who voted for or against the Motion and those who abstained are set out below:

 

For (43)

 

M Barron	J Cooney	K Iddon	P Rigby	C Towneley
P Britcliffe	G Driver	A Kay	A Riggott	S Turner
I Brown	C Edwards	J Marsh	M Salter	A Vincent
P Buckley	D Foxcroft	S Morris	A Schofield	C Wakeford
J Burrows	A Gardiner	E Nash	J Shedwick	G Wilkins
S Charles	G Gooch	D O'Toole	D Smith	P Williamson
A Cheetham	M Green	E Pope	A Snowden	B Yates
S Clarke	P Greenall	J Purcell	D Stansfield
A Clempson	A Hosker	J Rear	P Steen

 

Against (5)

 

P Hayhurst

D Howarth

T Martin

L Oades

D Whipp

 

Abstain (27)

 

T Aldridge	M Dad	N Hennessy	J Molineux	K Snape
A Ali	B Dawson	S Holgate	Y Motala	J Sumner
L Beavers	F De Molfetta	M Iqbal	G Oliver	M Tomlinson
J Berry	K Ellard	H Khan	M Parkinson
L Cox	J Fillis	E Lewis	J Parr
C Crompton	J Gibson	S Malik	M Pattison

 

It was therefore:

 

Resolved: - That:

 

The Council notes:

 

• Local Government has endured reductions in central government grants of nearly 50% since 2010.
• The 2019 LGA survey of council finances found that 1 in 3 councils fear they will run out of funding to provide even their statutory duties by 2022/23. This rises to almost two thirds of councils by 2024/2025 or later.
• Thanks to the prudent financial management of the Conservative Administration, Lancashire County Council is not one of those councils.
• In 2017, the then Labour Administration at Lancashire County Council, supported by the Liberal Democrats, declared that the council would be unable to set a legal budget to meet its statutory responsibilities for the financial year 2019/2020.
• In 2017, the outgoing Labour Administration, supported by the Liberal Democrats, left a structural deficit in the council’s accounts of over £200m.
• The LGA estimates councils will face a funding gap of £8billion by 2025.

 

The Council believes that:

 

• Lancashire County Council workers are public service super heroes and without their professionalism and dedication, the services our residents rely on would not be delivered.
• All public sector pay awards should be fully funded via grants from central government.

 

The Council resolves to:

 

Request the Chief Executive and Director of Resources to write to the Secretary of State advising him that the council recognises the value of the contribution that Lancashire County Council staff and all public sector workers make to the delivery of public services in the United Kingdom and ask him to consider whether the government can meet the cost of the pay claim submitted by GMB, UNISON and UNITE given its impact on the wider economy.

 

2.  It was moved by County Councillor Erica Lewis and seconded by County Councillor Nikki Hennessy that:

 

That Lancashire County Council calls upon United Utilities to provide property level flood defences to residents and businesses which routinely flood when rainfall exceeds the capacity of United Utilities' drainage system.

 

Currently, United Utilities offers support to residents where flooding is a result of a failure in their system. However, United Utilities' drains are only required to cope with a 3% flood event, so when there is flooding such as that which occurred as a result of rain on 9 August 2019, or 28 July 2018, or any number of other storms that are considered a less than 3% chance event, the flooding is not considered a failure of United Utilities' system and therefore residents and businesses do not receive support for property level protection.

 

At the moment Government support for property level defences after a flood event is not routine. It was available to some after Storm Desmond but wasn’t provided at all after the November 2017 storms that particularly affected Lancashire.

 

The following amendment was proposed by County Councillor Stephen Clarke and seconded by County Councillor Matthew Salter:

 

That Lancashire County Council calls upon United Utilities and other providers to continue to work towards ensuring property level flood defences to residents and businesses, which routinely flood when rainfall exceeds the capacity of the current drainage systems, is improved.

 

The Council recognises the concern for residents and businesses that flooding and the risk of flooding causes. To understand and manage the complex multi-agency response required to ensure flood defences and responses are properly informed, thought-through and coordinated a Flooding Working Group has already been set up. This will need to cover issues like drainage capacity, the planning system, support provided after a flood event and many other areas.

 

An example of the complexity is that Currently, United Utilities offers support to residents where flooding is a result of a failure in their system. However, United Utilities' drains are only required to cope with a 3% flood event, so when there is flooding such as that which occurred as a result of rain on 9 August 2019, or 28 July 2018, or any number of other storms that are considered a less than 3% chance event, the flooding is not considered a failure of United Utilities' system and therefore residents and businesses do not receive support for property level protection.

 

The Working Group is already working with United Utilities and other organisations such as Yorkshire Water, to understand these complex issues and make appropriate recommendations.

 

The Group will report to External Scrutiny in November 2019 and then Cabinet. The Council recognises the concerns outlined and resolves to ask the Cabinet Member to ensure the Flooding Working Group is fully aware and take it into their considerations as part of their work.

 

The amendment was put to the vote and was CARRIED and became the substantive motion.

 

The substantive motion was then put to the vote and was CARRIED. It was therefore:

 

Resolved: - That:

 

Lancashire County Council calls upon United Utilities and other providers to continue to work towards ensuring property level flood defences to residents and businesses, which routinely flood when rainfall exceeds the capacity of the current drainage systems, is improved.

 

The Council recognises the concern for residents and businesses that flooding and the risk of flooding causes. To understand and manage the complex multi-agency response required to ensure flood defences and responses are properly informed, thought-through and coordinated a Flooding Working Group has already been set up. This will need to cover issues like drainage capacity, the planning system, support provided after a flood event and many other areas.

 

An example of the complexity is that Currently, United Utilities offers support to residents where flooding is a result of a failure in their system. However, United Utilities' drains are only required to cope with a 3% flood event, so when there is flooding such as that which occurred as a result of rain on 9 August 2019, or 28 July 2018, or any number of other storms that are considered a less than 3% chance event, the flooding is not considered a failure of United Utilities' system and therefore residents and businesses do not receive support for property level protection.

 

The Working Group is already working with United Utilities and other organisations such as Yorkshire Water, to understand these complex issues and make appropriate recommendations.

 

The Group will report to External Scrutiny in November 2019 and then Cabinet. The Council recognises the concerns outlined and resolves to ask the Cabinet Member to ensure the Flooding Working Group is fully aware and take it into their considerations as part of their work.

 

3.  It was moved by County Councillor David Foxcroft and seconded by County Councillor Christian Wakeford that:

 

This council welcomes the changes to the Ofsted inspection regime which began in September. These changes will see a more balanced approach to the development of students at all levels of the curriculum and a renewed emphasis on the personal development, behaviour and attitudes of young people as well as the quality of the education they receive.

 

Ofsted plays a vital component in assessing the education provision across Lancashire. This Council requests the Chief Executive and Director of Resources to write to the Secretary of State for Education and Minister of State for School Standards reaffirming Lancashire County Council's commitment to working with Ofsted to raise standards and to support all Lancashire’s schools to achieve the highest possible outcomes for our children.

 

On being put to the vote, the motion was CARRIED.

 

In accordance with the requirements of procedural Standing Order B45(4), a recorded vote was taken. The names of the county councillors who voted for or against the Motion and those who abstained are set out below:

 

For (45)

 

T Ashton	A Clempson	A Hosker	J Rear	P Steen
M Barron	J Cooney	K Iddon	P Rigby	J Sumner
P Britcliffe	G Driver	A Kay	A Riggott	C Towneley
I Brown	C Edwards	J Marsh	M Salter	S Turner
P Buckley	D Foxcroft	S Morris	A Schofield	A Vincent
J Burrows	A Gardiner	E Nash	J Shedwick	C Wakeford
S Charles	G Gooch	D O'Toole	D Smith	G Wilkins
A Cheetham	M Green	E Pope	A Snowden	P Williamson
S Clarke	P Greenall	J Purcell	D Stansfield	B Yates

 

Against (29)

 

T Aldridge	M Dad	J Gibson	S Malik	M Parkinson
A Ali	B Dawson	N Hennessy	T Martin	J Parr
L Beavers	F De Molfetta	S Holgate	J Mein	M Pattison
J Berry	G Dowding	M Iqbal	J Molineux	K Snape
L Cox	K Ellard	H Khan	Y Motala	M Tomlinson
C Crompton	J Fillis	E Lewis	G Oliver

 

Abstain (4)

 

P Hayhurst

D Howarth

E Oades

D Whipp