Agenda item

1.  It was moved by County Councillor Noordad Aziz and seconded by County Councillor Mohammed Iqbal that:

 

Council notes the concerning rise in the recreational use of Nitrous Oxide across Lancashire. Every district has seen a massive rise in the discarded canisters used to contain this cheap and highly dangerous drug.

 

Council resolves to write to the Government asking for an urgent review into the regulation and licensing of this product.

 

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

 

Council notes the concerning rise in the recreational use of Nitrous Oxide across Lancashire. Every district has seen a massive rise in the discarded canisters used to contain this cheap and highly dangerous drug.

 

Whilst Lancashire Trading Standards recently spearheaded a campaign to raise awareness of the harm of taking nitrous oxide ('laughing gas') and to offer supporting information to parents, the risks are all too clear and heavy regular use can have a long-term impact on health including possible anaemia and nerve damage.

 

Council welcomes the letter the Home Secretary sent on 3^rd September 2021 to the Chair of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) requesting an updated assessment of the health and social harms of nitrous oxide and, following the assessment, advice on whether nitrous oxide should be controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

 

Council therefore resolves to ask the Chief Executive to write to the Home Secretary for an update to the ACMD assessment and review into the regulation and licensing of this product.

 

The friendly amendment was accepted by County Councillor Aziz and became the substantive motion.

 

The substantive motion, as amended by County Councillor Buckley's friendly amendment, was then put to the vote and was CARRIED. It was therefore:

 

Resolved: - That:

 

Council notes the concerning rise in the recreational use of Nitrous Oxide across Lancashire. Every district has seen a massive rise in the discarded canisters used to contain this cheap and highly dangerous drug.

 

Whilst Lancashire Trading Standards recently spearheaded a campaign to raise awareness of the harm of taking nitrous oxide ('laughing gas') and to offer supporting information to parents, the risks are all too clear and heavy regular use can have a long-term impact on health including possible anaemia and nerve damage.

Council welcomes the letter the Home Secretary sent on 3^rd September 2021 to the Chair of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) requesting an updated assessment of the health and social harms of nitrous oxide and, following the assessment, advice on whether nitrous oxide should be controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

 

Council therefore resolves to ask the Chief Executive to write to the Home Secretary for an update to the ACMD assessment and review into the regulation and licensing of this product.

 

2.  It was moved by County Councillor Lorraine Beavers and seconded by County Councillor Jackie Oakes that:

 

The 'Our Streets Now' campaign demands the right of women, girls and marginalised genders to be safe in public spaces. Lancashire County Council resolves:

 

(i)  To fully support and Promote the Our Streets Now campaign to make street harassment a crime and encourage all elected members and residents to sign the petition.

(ii)  Encourage schools, academies and colleges in Lancashire to each develop a clear policy on tackling harassment, separate to their bullying policy.

(iii)  Urge our schools, academies and colleges to include education around public sexual harassment as part of their PSHE education using the framework, free resources and lesson plans from 'Our Schools Now' (the sister campaign of 'Our Streets Now').

 

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

 

Organisations and groups such as 'Our Streets Now', 'Safe Spaces Now' from UN Women UK and Action Aid's 'Safe Cities for Women' campaign for the rights of women, girls and marginalised individuals to be safe in our public spaces.

 

Violence against women and girls is an awful reality for many, and horrific crimes such as sexual assault have devastating consequences.

 

The Home Office have recently announced the Safety of Women at Night Fund which will award up to £5 million to 22 organisations focused on improving the safety of women and girls at night.  This builds on the £25 million Safer Streets funding which included a range of interventions including educational programmes to raise awareness, more streetlights and extra CCTV.

 

Nevertheless, we must use every possible tool at our disposal to ensure that people feel safe at night when walking home, using transport or enjoying a night out with friends.

 

Lancashire County Council therefore resolves:

 

(i)  To welcome all campaigns that seek to make our streets safer, sexual harassment a crime and encourage elected members and residents to support our police and security services in their efforts to make our public places as safe as possible.

(ii)  To encourage schools and colleges in Lancashire to undertake a full revision of their policies on tackling harassment.

(iii)  To update the school's portal with appropriate educational resources for schools and colleges that wish to include public sexual harassment as part of their PSHE education.

 

The friendly amendment was accepted by County Councillor Beavers and became the substantive motion.

 

The substantive motion, as amended by County Councillor Rear's friendly amendment, was then put to the vote and was CARRIED. It was therefore:

 

Resolved: - That:

 

Organisations and groups such as 'Our Streets Now', 'Safe Spaces Now' from UN Women UK and Action Aid's 'Safe Cities for Women' campaign for the rights of women, girls and marginalised individuals to be safe in our public spaces.

 

Violence against women and girls is an awful reality for many, and horrific crimes such as sexual assault have devastating consequences.

 

The Home Office have recently announced the Safety of Women at Night Fund which will award up to £5 million to 22 organisations focused on improving the safety of women and girls at night.  This builds on the £25 million Safer Streets funding which included a range of interventions including educational programmes to raise awareness, more streetlights and extra CCTV.

 

Nevertheless, we must use every possible tool at our disposal to ensure that people feel safe at night when walking home, using transport or enjoying a night out with friends.

 

Lancashire County Council therefore resolves:

 

(i)  To welcome all campaigns that seek to make our streets safer, sexual harassment a crime and encourage elected members and residents to support our police and security services in their efforts to make our public places as safe as possible.

(ii)  To encourage schools and colleges in Lancashire to undertake a full revision of their policies on tackling harassment.

(iii)  To update the school's portal with appropriate educational resources for schools and colleges that wish to include public sexual harassment as part of their PSHE education.

 

 

3.  It was moved by County Councillor Alan Cullens and seconded by County Councillor Scott Smith that:

 

This council has previously declared a commitment to achieving Carbon Net Zero by 2030. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change runs a global campaign called the Race to Zero which encourages businesses, cities, regions and investors to show leadership and support for a cleaner, healthier zero carbon recovery - one that prevents future threats, creates decent jobs and unlocks sustainable growth.

 

The campaign requires stakeholders outside of national governments to sign a net zero pledge before planning the actions required, implementing them and then regularly publishing their progress against the targets in their plan.

 

This council supports this campaign and resolves that the Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change signs the Race to Zero pledge on behalf of the County Council.

 

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

 

Add at the end:

 

"publishes this council's plan on how it will achieve this goal and writes to Lancashire's other key organisations to encourage them to also sign the pledge".

 

The friendly amendment was accepted by County Councillor Cullens and became the substantive motion.

 

The substantive motion, as amended by County Councillor Dowding's friendly amendment, was then put to the vote and was CARRIED. It was therefore:

 

Resolved: - That:

 

This council has previously declared a commitment to achieving Carbon Net Zero by 2030. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change runs a global campaign called the Race to Zero which encourages businesses, cities, regions and investors to show leadership and support for a cleaner, healthier zero carbon recovery - one that prevents future threats, creates decent jobs and unlocks sustainable growth.

 

The campaign requires stakeholders outside of national governments to sign a net zero pledge before planning the actions required, implementing them and then regularly publishing their progress against the targets in their plan.

 

This council supports this campaign and resolves that the Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change signs the Race to Zero pledge on behalf of the County Council and publishes this council's plan on how it will achieve this goal and writes to Lancashire's other key organisations to encourage them to also sign the pledge.

 

4.  It was moved by County Councillor Azhar Ali and seconded by County Councillor Erica Lewis that:

 

In the recent Spending Review, the Chancellor made the announcement of the Shared Prosperity Fund, the replacement for EU structural funds.  Despite a commitment to match EU funding levels – which were around £2.5 billion a year once match funding is included – just £0.4 billion has been allocated for 2022/3 rising to £1.5 billion in 2024/25.

 

Economic Development in Lancashire has benefitted massively from the injection of EU funds during the lifetime of the programmes and whilst the recent announcement is welcome, it in no way makes up for the loss of funding.

 

Council therefore resolves to write to the Right Honourable Rishi Sunak, MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, to ask for his assurance that:

 

·  Lancashire will receive its fair share of these replacement funds.

·  Further replacement funding will be made available to make up for the shortfall.

 

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

 

In the recent Spending Review, the Chancellor, the Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP, made the announcement of the Shared Prosperity Fund a total of £2.6 billion focused on helping people into jobs and get on in life across the UK. He also announced further significant funding awards for Lancashire as part of the Government's Levelling Up agenda, notably £20m to support the expansion of the University of Central Lancashire’s Burnley campus and a £6.5m investment in three theatres in Colne Town Centre.

 

Economic Development in Lancashire has benefitted massively from the injection of these and other funds during the lifetime of the various programmes, and the recent Community Renewal Fund award is most welcome.

 

Council therefore resolves to write to the Right Honourable Rishi Sunak, MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, to thank them for these recent awards and to seek their assurance that:

 

·  Lancashire will receive its fair share of UK Shared Prosperity Funds.

·  Lancashire will remain central to the Governments Levelling Up agenda.

·  Lancashire will remain under consideration for all future funding initiatives to help support this Council's recently adopted corporate priority of Supporting Economic Growth.

 

The friendly amendment was accepted by County Councillor Ali and became the substantive motion.

 

The substantive motion, as amended by County Councillor Riggott's friendly amendment, was then put to the vote and was CARRIED. It was therefore:

 

Resolved: - That:

 

In the recent Spending Review, the Chancellor, the Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP, made the announcement of the Shared Prosperity Fund a total of £2.6 billion focused on helping people into jobs and get on in life across the UK. He also announced further significant funding awards for Lancashire as part of the Government's Levelling Up agenda, notably £20m to support the expansion of the University of Central Lancashire’s Burnley campus and a £6.5m investment in three theatres in Colne Town Centre.

 

Economic Development in Lancashire has benefitted massively from the injection of these and other funds during the lifetime of the various programmes, and the recent Community Renewal Fund award is most welcome.

 

Council therefore resolves to write to the Right Honourable Rishi Sunak, MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, to thank them for these recent awards and to seek their assurance that:

 

·  Lancashire will receive its fair share of UK Shared Prosperity Funds.

·  Lancashire will remain central to the Governments Levelling Up agenda.

·  Lancashire will remain under consideration for all future funding initiatives to help support this Council's recently adopted corporate priority of Supporting Economic Growth.