Agenda item

To consider Notices of Motion Submitted under Standing Order B36

Meeting of Full Council, Thursday, 23rd February, 2023 2.00 pm (Item 13.)

Minutes:

1. It was moved by County Councillor Sue Whittam and seconded by County Councillor Stuart Morris that:

This Council notes:

During September/October this year the 3 Dads walking group walked 600-miles across the UK to each of the devolved parliaments raising awareness of suicide and ensure the topic is spoken about in schools in a safe and age-appropriate way.

The 3 Dads came together after their daughters took their own lives. They have also launched a petition to get suicide prevention added to the school curriculum and this has now reached over the 100,000 signatures which will enable a debate in Parliament. The debate is yet to take place, but the petition asks for suicide to be spoken about as part of Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) lessons and for the Department for Education (DfE) to include suicide prevention within the statutory guidelines of the new curriculum.

In 2020, the Government made discussion about mental health as part of the RSHE curriculum mandatory. They will review their statutory guidance in 2023 with an aim to bringing in the revised guidance in 2024. The Government is also offering a grant of £1,200 for eligible schools and colleges in England to train a senior mental health lead to develop and implement a whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing.

This Council resolves:

1. To ask the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills and the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing to write to the 3 Dads Walking Group acknowledging the work they are doing to include suicide awareness in schools as part of the review of the RSHE curriculum.

2. To ask the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Education to request that suicide awareness and prevention is carefully considered in the new guidance as a part of the RSHE curriculum, and to also ask for the grants to be extended to train senior mental health leads in schools beyond March 2023.

3. To ask the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills and the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing to continue to promote resources including the many workforce development programmes that are available to all Lancashire Schools and colleges and also encourage them to participate in the upcoming national public consultation process on the proposed changes to the RHSE statutory guidance.

On being put to the vote the motion was CARRIED and it was therefore:

Resolved: - That:

This Council notes:

This Council resolves:

2. It was moved by County Councillor Gina Dowding and seconded by County Councillor John Potter that:

Lancashire County Council notes:

1. The need for more ambitious action on climate and ecology is set out clearly, through, for example:

- The “now or never” UN report of April 2022;

- The Leaders' Pledge for Nature, signed by the UK Government, which stated that - if we fail to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 - we increase the risk of further pandemics, rising global temperatures, and further loss of species;

- An independent net zero review, and subsequent Mission Zero report, of January 2023 which recognises that we cannot achieve our net zero targets without restoring nature; and notes with concern that:

a. More than 2,000 homes and businesses face disappearing by the 2050s in West Lancashire, according to research published in June 2022;

b. A 2020 study concluded that 41.5% of protected land or natural features in Lancashire found poor conditions or the destruction of habitats; and

c. According to the Mammals Society, the populations of swifts, starlings, yellowhammers, greenfinches and swallows have declined by 74%, 64%, 59%, 53% and 47%, respectively, across the North West.

2. In December 2022, Council resolved to prepare a comprehensive strategy for nature recovery for Lancashire. The Lancashire 2050 Plan, published in November 2022, includes - as one of eight priorities - a commitment to meet our low carbon ambitions, promote clean energy, and enhance our rich, natural environment.

3. A Bill was introduced in UK Parliament in May 2022 - the Climate and Ecology Bill - which would require the development of a strategy to ensure that the UK’s environmental response is in line with the latest science. It has cross-party support from over 160 MPs and Peers and would ensure that:

a. A joined-up approach is taken to tackle the interconnected climate and nature crises;

b. The UK does its full and fair share to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5°C; and

c. Biodiversity loss is halted and in reverse by 2030.

Lancashire County Council recognises that:

a. Residents, businesses, public sector bodies, and civil society groups across Lancashire are keen to take action in line with the principles of the Climate and Ecology Bill;

b. The Climate and Ecology Bill will add value to the commitments made by the Council on both climate and nature issues.

Lancashire County Council therefore resolves to:

(i) Support the Climate and Ecology Bill;

(ii) Write to Lancashire’s MPs, letting them know that the motion has been passed - urging them to sign up to support the Bill - or thanking them for already doing so; and write to Zero Hour - the organisers of the cross-party campaign for the Bill - expressing its support (hello@zerohour.uk).

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

Lancashire County Council notes:?

1. The need for more ambitious action on climate and ecology is set out clearly, through, for example:?

- The “now or never” UN report of April 2022; ?

a. More than 2,000 homes and businesses face disappearing by the 2050s in West Lancashire, according to research published in June 2022;?

b. A 2020 study concluded that 41.5% of protected land or natural features in Lancashire found poor conditions or the destruction of habitats; and?

c. According to the Mammals Society, the populations of swifts, starlings, yellowhammers, greenfinches and swallows have declined by 74%, 64%, 59%, 53% and 47%, respectively, across the North West.?

3. The Ecology Bill would ensure that the UK’s environmental response is in line with the latest science. It has cross-party support and would ensure that Biodiversity loss is halted and in reverse by 2030.

Lancashire County Council recognises that: ?

a. Residents, businesses, public sector bodies, and civil society groups across Lancashire are keen to take action in line with the principles of the Ecology Bill;

b. ?The Ecology Bill will add value to the commitments made by the Council on both climate and nature issues.?

Lancashire County Council therefore resolves to:?

1. Support the Ecology Bill;?

2. Write to Lancashire’s MPs, letting them know that the motion has been passed - urging them to sign up to support the Bill - or thanking them for already doing so; and write to Zero Hour - the organisers of the cross-party campaign for the Bill - expressing its support (hello@zerohour.uk).?

The friendly amendment was accepted by County Councillor Dowding and became the substantive motion. The substantive motion, as amended by County Councillor Fewings's friendly amendment, was then put to the vote and was LOST.

3. It was moved by County Councillor Samara Barnes and seconded by County Councillor Julie Gibson that:

This council notes the campaign to make care experienced a protected characteristic and that several councils across the UK have already supported this campaign.

Lancashire County Council believes that Care experienced people face significant barriers that impact them throughout their lives;

· Despite the resilience of many care experienced people, society too often does not take their needs into account.

· Care experienced people often face discrimination and stigma across housing, health, education, relationships, employment and in the criminal justice system.

· Care experienced people often face a postcode lottery of support.

· As corporate parents, councillors have a collective responsibility for providing the best possible care and safeguarding for the children who are looked after by us as an authority.

· All corporate parents should commit to acting as mentors, hearing the voices of looked after children and young people and to consider their needs in any aspect of council work.

· Councillors should be champions of our looked after children and challenge the negative attitudes and prejudice that exists in all aspects of society.

· The Public Sector Equality Duty requires public bodies, such as councils, to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation of people with protected characteristics.

· Lancashire County Council acknowledges that Children entering the care system are often split from their siblings and placed outside their home Local Authority Area. That they don’t choose to enter the care system, that they don’t choose to be split up from their siblings and don’t choose to be placed outside their local area.

Lancashire County Council therefore RESOLVES:

(i) When making any decisions in relation to its policies or formulating its Council Plan that it recognises that Care Experienced people are a vulnerable group who face discrimination.

(ii) That it recognises that Councils have a duty to put the needs of vulnerable people at the heart of decision-making through co-production and collaboration.

(iii)That the Council commits to including care experience alongside Protected Characteristics in the publication and review of its Equality Objectives and the annual publication of information relating to people who share a Protected Characteristic in services and employment.

(iv)That this council will treat care experience as if it were a Protected Characteristic so that future Equality Impact Assessments include the impact of changes on people with care experience, alongside those who formally share a Protected Characteristic where relevant.

(v) To formally call upon all other bodies to treat care experience as if it were a Protected Characteristic.

(vi)To formally call upon all other bodies to adopt corporate parenting for children in care and care leavers.

(vii) For the Council to proactively seek out and listen to the voices of care experienced people when developing relevant new policies - outside of the Children, Families and Skills committee.

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

This council notes the campaign to make care experienced a protected characteristic and that several councils across the UK have already supported this campaign.

Lancashire County Council believes that some Care experienced people face significant barriers that impact them throughout their lives;

· Despite the resilience of some care experienced people, society too often does not take their needs into account.

· Care experienced people may face discrimination and stigma across housing, health, education, relationships, employment and in the criminal justice system.

· Care experienced people may face a postcode lottery of support.

· As corporate parents, councillors have a collective responsibility for providing the best possible care and safeguarding for the children who are looked after by us as an authority.

· All corporate parents should commit to acting as mentors, hearing the voices of looked after children and young people and to consider their needs in any aspect of council work.

· Councillors should be champions of our looked after children and challenge the negative attitudes and prejudice that exists in all aspects of society.

· The Public Sector Equality Duty requires public bodies, such as councils, to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation of people with protected characteristics.

· Lancashire County Council acknowledges that Children entering the care system may be separated from their siblings and/or placed outside their home Local Authority Area:

Lancashire County Council therefore RESOLVES:

(i) When making decisions in relation to policies or plans to revisit present strategies that recognise care experienced people as a vulnerable group who can face discrimination.

(ii) That we recognise the Council has a duty to put the needs of vulnerable people at the heart of decision-making through co-production and collaboration with them.

(iii) That the Council commits to consider those with care experience in the publication and review of its Equality Objectives and the annual publication of information relating to people who share a protected characteristic in services and employment.

(iv) That the Council considers the impact of care experience in conjunction when reviewing relevant strategy and / or policiesalongside protected characteristics

(v) To promote our Corporate Parenting principles to other bodies and consider care experience with Council strategy alongside protected characteristic policy.

(vi) To formally call upon other bodies to adopt corporate parenting for children in care and care leavers.

(vii) For the Council to thank the corporate parenting board for their leadership under Councillor Clarke, recognised as Good in the January 2022 Ofsted report.

Following a brief adjournment, the friendly amendment was accepted by County Councillor Barnes and became the substantive motion. The substantive motion, as amended by County Councillor Towneley's friendly amendment, was then put to the vote and was CARRIED and it was therefore: