Agenda item

A notice of motion has been received from the following Councillors: A Arif,  Bayley, Boles, Boroda, Cummins, Farooq, Fitzgerald, Frith, Gold, Green, Grimshaw, Haroon, Hayes, Ibrahim, McGill, Morris, Moss, O'Brien, Pilkington, Quinn Alan, Quinn Deborah, Rafiq, Rizvi, Rubinstein, Ryder, Smith Lucy Staples-Jones Gareth, Tariq, Thorpe, Walmsley, Whitby.

Entitled Let’s Fix It”: Bury Demands a Fair Deal On Funding

This Council notes that:

1. Since the beginning of austerity in 2010, local government funding has seen the biggest departmental cut across government, with a 60% reduction.
2. In Bury, this has led to cuts of nearly £150m since 2010.
3. It also comes at a time when demand pressures for adult’s and children’s social care, SEND and inflation are at their highest levels in decades.
4. A recent BBC investigation has discovered a £5 billion “black hole” in local authority budgets, with the average Council facing a £33m gap by 2025-26, a rise of 60% from two years ago.
5. SIGOMA (Special Interest Group of Municipal Authorities) has reported that at least 26 member Councils are at risk of effective bankruptcy within the next two years.

This Council further notes that:

1.    A recent study by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, an independent economic think tank, concludes that Bury’s local government funding was underfunded by 8.5% compared to the national average – the equivalent of nearly £14m a year less to spend on services.

2.    A fair funding review of local government has been promised since 2016 but not happened and currently there is no indication of when it will be carried out and implemented.

This Council resolves to:

1. Launch a public campaign calling on the Government to fix the broken system of local government finance and give Bury what it needs and deserves.
2. Highlight as part of this campaign what the Council and residents can do to support reducing costs and demands on local services.
3. Write to our Members of Parliament, requesting they support our campaign and lobby Ministers for a fair deal for Bury.

Corporate Parenting in Bury

A MOTION HAS BEEN RECEIVED IN THE NAMES OF COUNCILLORS ARIF, BERNSTEIN, BROWN, DEAN, GARTSIDE, HARRIS, HUSSAIN, LANCASTER, McBRIAR, RYDEHEARD, VERNON

This Council notes that:

One of the most crucial roles which we as Elected Members and as a Council as a whole have is that of corporate parents.

This is a role with significant responsibility and through our decision making and actions the children and young people who are in our care, should always be at the forefront of our minds.

During the meeting of the Corporate Parenting Board, the Children In Care Council (CICC) often report that we as a council could do more to take a proactive approach for our looked after children.

The Council acknowledges that:

We take a more active role in the lives of our looked after children, providing them as much support as possible in fulfilling our duty as Corporate Parents.

As part of a more active role we must continue with participating in the lives of all the children and young people who come into our care providing help and support throughout their lives.

This Council resolves to:

Encourage all stakeholders and partners involved in decision making in relation to looked after children to meet regularly to discuss good practice and improve joined up working to improve timely and better outcomes for all. The outcome of this to be reported to the Corporate Parenting Board and Children’s and Young Peoples Scrutiny Committee.      

Regularly provide updates to the CICC as to decisions made by this Council and the impacts it will have on their day to day lives.

Instruct all Councillors to attend Corporate Parenting training on an annual basis to ensure a clear understanding of their role as Corporate Parents.

Ensure all Council employees understand their role in supporting Corporate Parenting initiatives such understanding to be included in annual staff appraisals.  

Work with all stakeholders to provide opportunities for our looked after children.

Instruct the Chief Executive to contact Bury Football Club, as a community asset, to ascertain if tickets can be provided to our looked after children and their carers, to ensure family activities are made available.

Offer free membership to our children in care and care leavers to Castle Leisure Centre to provide leisure activities.

To maintain contact with Children and Young People who have been in our care throughout their lives by sending Birthday, Christmas cards and acknowledging other issues of significance in their life’s

Council considered a notice of motion received from Councillors: A Arif,  Bayley, Boles, Boroda, Cummins, Farooq, Fitzgerald, Frith, Gold, Green, Grimshaw, Haroon, Hayes, Ibrahim, McGill, Morris, Moss, O'Brien, Pilkington, Quinn Alan, Quinn Deborah, Rafiq, Rizvi, Rubinstein, Ryder, Smith Lucy Staples-Jones Gareth, Tariq, Thorpe, Walmsley, Whitby.

Entitled Let’s Fix It”: Bury Demands a Fair Deal On Funding

This Council notes that:

1. Since the beginning of austerity in 2010, local government funding has seen the biggest departmental cut across government, with a 60% reduction.
2. In Bury, this has led to cuts of nearly £150m since 2010.
3. It also comes at a time when demand pressures for adult’s and children’s social care, SEND and inflation are at their highest levels in decades.
4. A recent BBC investigation has discovered a £5 billion “black hole” in local authority budgets, with the average Council facing a £33m gap by 2025-26, a rise of 60% from two years ago.
5. SIGOMA (Special Interest Group of Municipal Authorities) has reported that at least 26 member Councils are at risk of effective bankruptcy within the next two years.

This Council further notes that:

1.    A recent study by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, an independent economic think tank, concludes that Bury’s local government funding was underfunded by 8.5% compared to the national average – the equivalent of nearly £14m a year less to spend on services.

2.    A fair funding review of local government has been promised since 2016 but not happened and currently there is no indication of when it will be carried out and implemented.

This Council resolves to:

1. Launch a public campaign calling on the Government to fix the broken system of local government finance and give Bury what it needs and deserves.
2. Highlight as part of this campaign what the Council and residents can do to support reducing costs and demands on local services.
3. Write to our Members of Parliament, requesting they support our campaign and lobby Ministers for a fair deal for Bury.

An amendment was moved by Councillor Bernstein and seconded by Councillor Vernon to:

This Council notes that:

1. Since the beginning of austerity in 2010, local government funding has seen the biggest departmental cut across government, with a 60% reduction.
2. In Bury, this has led to nearly £150m in reduced core funding since 2010.  However since 2019 in excess of £100 million has been allocated to Bury to spend on agreed projects as well as Bury Council received in excess of $79 million additional support during the COVID pandemic.
3. It also comes at a time when demand pressures for adult’s and children’s social care, SEND and inflation are at their highest levels in decades.
4. A recent BBC investigation has discovered a £5 billion “black hole” in local authority budgets, with the average Council facing a £33m gap by 2025-26, a rise of 60% from two years ago.  However it should be noted that some BBC investigations historically have not followed best practice.
5. SIGOMA (Special Interest Group of Municipal Authorities), (whose leadership is all Labour Councillors and a Labour MP) has reported that at least 26 member Councils are at risk of effective bankruptcy within the next two years.

This Council further notes that:

1.    A recent study by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, an independent economic think tank, concludes that Bury’s local government funding was underfunded by 8.5% compared to the national average – the equivalent of nearly £14m a year less to spend on services.

2.    A fair funding review of local government has been promised since 2016 but not happened and currently there is no indication of when it will be carried out and implemented.

This Council resolves to:

1. Write an all party letter to the Secretary of State for Levelling up Housing and Communities calling on the Government to undertake a Local Government Fair Funding Review.
2. Highlight what the Council and residents can do to support reducing costs and demands on local services.
3. Recognise the Government’s commitment through the GM Devolution Trailblazer deal to give GMCA single capital and revenue funding settlements at the next spending review, agreed directly through a single process with the government.
4. Accept the opportunity the single funding settlement will give to enable the council to have more accountability for its spending.
5. Write to our GM Mayor and nine other GM Leaders urging them to ensure Bury receives an equitable share within any single funding settlement

Members moved to vote on the amendment:

On being put with 11 Members voting for, and 36 members voting against, the Mayor declared the amendment lost.

Members voted on the substantive motion:

On being put, with 36 members voting for, and 11 Members voting against, the Mayor declared the motion carried.

(ii) Corporate Parenting in Bury

Council considered a motion received in the names of COUNCILLORS ARIF, BERNSTEIN, BROWN, DEAN, GARTSIDE, HARRIS, HUSSAIN, LANCASTER, McBRIAR, RYDEHEARD, VERNON

Members agreed to an alteration to the motion submitted by the Members detailed above that:

This Council notes:

One of the most crucial roles which we as Elected Members and as a Council as a whole have is that of corporate parents.

This is a role with significant responsibility and through our decision making and actions the children and young people who are in our care, should always be at the forefront of our minds.

During the meeting of the Corporate Parenting Board, the Children In Care Council (CICC) often report that we as a council could do more to take a proactive approach for our looked after children.

The Council acknowledges that:

We take a more active role in the lives of our looked after children, providing them as much support as possible in fulfilling our duty as Corporate Parents.

As part of a more active role we must continue with participating in the lives of all the children and young people who come into our care providing help and support throughout their lives.

This Council resolves to:

Encourage all stakeholders and partners involved in decision making in relation to looked after children to meet regularly to discuss good practice and improve joined up working to improve timely and better outcomes for all. The outcome of this to be reported to the Corporate Parenting Board and Children’s and Young Peoples Scrutiny Committee.      

Regularly provide updates to the CICC as to decisions made by this Council and the impacts it will have on their day to day lives.

Instruct all Councillors to attend Corporate Parenting training on an annual basis to ensure a clear understanding of their role as Corporate Parents.

Ensure all Council employees understand their role in supporting Corporate Parenting initiatives such understanding to be included in annual staff appraisals.  

Work with all stakeholders to provide opportunities for our looked after children.

Instruct the Chief Executive to contact Bury Football Club, as a community asset, to ascertain if tickets can be provided to our looked after children and their carers, to ensure family activities are made available.

To maintain contact with Children and Young People who have been in our care throughout their lives by sending Birthday, Christmas cards and acknowledging other issues of significance in their life’s

DELETE

Offer free membership to our children in care and care leavers to Castle Leisure Centre to provide leisure activities.

ADD

Add ‘Ensure Corporate Parenting champions are on all council committees in order for all decision made by Bury Council to be consulted on with our looked after children and young people.

On being put with all Members present including the Mayor voting in favour, the Mayor declared the motion carried.