Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from County Councillors David Howarth, Keith Iddon and Alan Schofield.

County Councillors Mohammed Iqbal MBE, Sobia Malik, Yousuf Motala and Lian Pate joined the meeting virtually.

Announcements

Deaths

The Chairman reported the recent death of former County Councillor David Nelson who sadly passed away on Saturday 28 August 2021.

The Council observed a one-minute silence.

Recognitions

-  Lancashire Care Capacity Tracker

At the invitation of the Chairman, County Councillor Graham Gooch, Cabinet Member for Adult Services, drew Full Council's attention to Adult Social Care being recently recognised with the Association for Public Service Excellence Award in the 'Best Health and Wellbeing Initiative (including Social Care)' category.

-  Lancashire Trading Standards Service

At the invitation of the Chairman, County Councillor Peter Buckley, Cabinet Member for Community and Cultural Services, drew Full Council's attention to the Trading Standards Service being recently recognised at the Anti-Counterfeiting Group 2021 Awards for Excellence in Anti-Counterfeiting Enforcement at a virtual event. The team and senior office, Lara Mason, both received 'highly commended' at the event.

-  Children's Services, Residential and Outreach Workers

County Councillor Cosima Towneley, Cabinet Member for Children and Families, drew Full Council's attention to the service being recently recognised as the Best Council Services Team of the Year at the Municipal Journal Awards.

-  Schools and Residential Care Catering Service

At the invitation of the Chairman, County Councillor Rear, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, drew Full Council's attention to the service being recently shortlisted for two industry awards; the Public Sector Catering Awards, with the service being shortlisted in the Marketing Award category; and the Association for Public Service Excellence, Service Awards for Best Service Team of the Year (Catering Service).

Full Council congratulated and thanked all those involved in the achievement of these awards.

None declared.

Questions submitted under Standing Order B28.

County Councillors Jackie Oakes, Anna Hindle, Jeff Couperthwaite, Anne Cheetham and Andy Fewings asked their respective questions as follows:

County Councillor Shaun Turner, Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change; County Councillor Cosima Towneley, Cabinet Member for Children and Families; County Councillor Peter Buckley, Cabinet Member for Community and Cultural Services; County Councillor Alan Vincent, Cabinet Member for Resources, HR and Property (Deputy Leader), replied respectively.

Due to a limit of 30 minutes for Question Time, the following question was not asked and will be subject to a written response copied to all councillors.

Resolved: - That the Minutes of the Ordinary and Extraordinary General Meetings held on 15 July 2021 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

County Councillor Phillippa Williamson moved a report asking Full Council to consider the recommendations of the Cabinet in relation to the Corporate Priorities 2021 - 2025 and Communications Strategy 2021 - 2025.

Resolved: - That:

(i)  The Corporate Priorities 2021 - 2025, as set out at Appendix 'A' to the Cabinet report, now presented, be adopted.

(ii)  The Communications Strategy 2021 - 2025, as set out at Appendix 'B' to the Cabinet report, now presented, be approved.

(iii)  The Chief Executive and Director of Resources, in consultation with the Leader of the County Council, be authorised to undertake an update of the corporate strategy, as set out in the report, now presented.

County Councillor Phillippa Williamson moved a report asking Full Council to consider the recommendation of the Cabinet in relation to adopting the rules for Questions for Cabinet.

Resolved: - That the Cabinet's recommendation to adopt the rules for Questions to Cabinet and to authorise the Director of Corporate Services to make the necessary changes to the county council's constitution, as set out in the report, now presented, be approved.

It was noted that this report had been withdrawn.

County Councillor Eddie Pope moved a report asking Full Council to consider the Lancashire County Pension Fund Annual Report for the year ending 31 March 2021.

Resolved: - That the performance and state of the Lancashire County Pension Fund and investment activities for the year ended 31 March 2021, as set out in the report and detailed in the Lancashire County Pension Fund Annual Report 2021/21, as set out in the report, now presented, be noted.

County Councillor Phillippa Williamson moved a report asking Full Council to consider a draft timetable of Full Council, Cabinet and Committee meetings for the period 1 June 2022 to 31 May 2023.

Resolved: - That the timetable of Full Council, Cabinet and Committee meetings for the period 1 June 2022 to 31 May 2023 inclusive, as set out at Appendix 'A' to the report, now presented, be approved.

An item of urgent business may only be considered under this heading where, by reason of special circumstances to be recorded in the Minutes, the Chairman is of the opinion that the item should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.  Wherever possible, the Chief Executive should be given advance warning of any Member’s intention to raise a matter under this heading.

There was no urgent business to be considered.

County Councillor Phillippa Williamson moved the report of the Cabinet from its meetings on 8 July 2021 and 2 September 2021, together with details of an urgent Key Decision taken since the last meeting of Full Council.

Resolved: - That the report of the Cabinet, now presented, be noted.

County Councillor Rupert Swarbrick moved the report of the Audit, Risk and Governance Committee from its meeting on 26 July 2021.

Resolved: - That the report of the Audit, Risk and Governance Committee, now presented, be noted.

County Councillor Phillippa Williamson moved the report of the Employment Committee from its meeting on 13 September 2021.

Resolved: - That the report of the Employment Committee, now presented, be noted.

County Councillor Eddie Pope moved the report of the Pension Fund Committee from its meeting on 17 September 2021.

Resolved: - That the report of the Pension Fund Committee, now presented, be noted.

County Councillor David O'Toole moved the report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees from their meetings as follows:

Education and Children's Services Scrutiny Committee – 1 September 2021

Health Scrutiny Committee – 14 September 2021

Internal Scrutiny Committee – 10 September 2021

Resolved: - That the report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees, now presented, be noted.

County Councillor David O'Toole moved the report of the Lancashire Combined Fire Authority from its meeting on 13 September 2021.

Resolved: - That the report of the Lancashire Combined Fire Authority, now presented, be noted.

1.  It was moved by County Councillor Jean Parr and seconded by County Councillor Samara Barnes that:

Women and girls of Lancashire are suffering from misogyny, expressed in sexual harassment, domestic abuse and death. Lancashire women suffer a higher than average rate of deaths – the femicide census ranks Lancashire as 13th highest for female killings in a list of 42 police forces in the UK. There is evidence of a link between domestic abuse and terrorism: misogyny affects everyone, not just women.

Council therefore resolves that the Chief Executive and Director of Resources writes to the Minister of State for Crime and Policing, Kit Malthouse MP, with the following requests:

(i)  That he prepares legislation to make misogyny a hate crime, to be recorded as such by all police forces across the UK, and be prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service with as much vigour as other hate crimes.

(ii)  That police forces should be required to record all instances of femicide, the killing of a woman or girl by a man, with immediate effect.

(iii)  That a task force be set up before the end of this year to assess the extent and impact of incel (involuntary celibate) groups both online and offline, and to work with voluntary groups and experts who have already begun work in this field.

(iv)  That all incidents of domestic violence should be treated as violent assault or grievous bodily harm, to be prosecuted automatically without the victim being required to make a formal complaint.

(v)  That policing resources should be increased to ensure that police forces are able to deal with these new responsibilities. At the very least they should return to pre 2010 strength.

(vi)  That resources be made available to further study the links between domestic abuse and the perpetrators of terrorist actions.

The following friendly amendment was proposed by County Councillor Cosima Towneley in accordance with Standing Order B42:

Women and girls in Lancashire are suffering from misogyny manifested in sexual harassment domestic abuse and death. This type of misogyny affects a wider circle than the women involved and the impact on children can be considerable. 62% of children living in an abusive household are harmed directly, with 90% being witness to the abuse between parents.

There is no excuse for misogyny or indeed misandry or gender based sexual harassment or abuse of any sort.

This council offers its wholehearted support to the victims of such harassment, abuse and violence, as well as to the police officers who protect and support our communities and resolves to ask the Chief Executive to write to Andrew Snowden, Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner, to request he make personal representation on the following:

1. That legislation regarding domestic violence and coercive control be strictly and robustly applied by all police forces across England and Wales and be prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service whenever there is sufficient evidence to make a conviction likely, even if the prosecution is not supported by the victim.
2. That  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.