Agenda item

(i)             COMMUNITY COHESION IN BURY

 

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

 

THIS COUNCIL NOTES THAT:

 

Bury is home to wide diverse multifaith and multicultural communities and as a Borough we are proud of our record of social cohesion.

 

As Councillors, we strive to provide leadership to all our communities. We believe in working together to ensure that all members of all communities feel secure within Bury and can go about their daily lives safely and without fear of intimidation.

 

Significant world events have taken place over the past few weeks that have had a major impact on communities in Bury.

 

THIS COUNCIL ACKNOWLEDGES THAT;

 

We want to work to reaffirm our commitment to ensuring the safety and support of all parts of the Bury community. As community leaders, we acknowledge the importance of creating an environment where everyone feels safe and supported in their daily lives.

 

We believe organisations that receive public funding should remain politically neutral.

 

The events in Israel and Gaza are a great tragedy and have caused significant anxiety in all communities. We recognise there is a great deal of suffering on both sides.

 

As Local Councillors, we cannot affect the international situation but we need to be mindful of the impact our actions have on community relations here in Bury.

 

THIS COUNCIL RESOLVES:

 

To support the UK Government position on a Two State solution.

 

To support all sovereign nations right to defend itself against all unprovoked attacks

 

Write to both the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition supporting their calls for  humanitarian pauses in the ongoing conflict as part of the International humanitarian effort to support innocent Palestinians.

 

To explore with the Multi- Faith Forum what action can be taken collectively by the communities of Bury to ensure we can all stand together during challenging times such as the present.

 

Form a cross-party group of councillors to examine how the Council can co-ordinate local efforts to provide aid and any other humanitarian support to the region. To liaise with charities, NGO’s and others who are active in the region to assess what actions if any this Council can take to support their work.

 

To agree organisations who are not politically neutral should not be publicly funded.

 

(ii)            Addressing the impact of branded, non-standard trimmings and fabric pattern specific items on the cost of secondary school uniforms

 

Proposed by: Cllr Carol Birchmore, Cllr Donald Berry, Cllr Andrea Booth, Cllr Des Duncalfe, Cllr Glyn Marsden, Cllr James Mason, Cllr Mike Smith and Cllr Mary Walsh

As the cost-of-living crisis bites further parents are now facing the additional costs of ensuring that their children are clothed in the correct uniform. This is an additional drain on resources that parents struggling to put food on the table cannot afford.

In May 2023 the Children’s Society estimated that parents spend around £422 per year on their child’s school uniform. A look at websites of Bury MBC schools shows disparity between costs at different schools. One of the issues driving up the price of school uniforms is the inclusion of school branded items. These branded items are not restricted to simply the blazer and tie but also include branded and specified fabric pattern skirts (often tartan) and branded items of PE kit. The use of branded items is not restricted to private schools or academies but includes local authority schools. Several schools are listing a preferred supplier for the uniform. The most expensive badged blazer was one for a local authority school which was listed as costing £48.75 with a school skirt for the same school costing £30. Branded/specific fabric skirts typically cost around £22. Compulsory branded games T shirts cost between £15 and £20 and shorts/skorts ranging between £10 and £20 depending on the school.

With an increasing cost of living crisis many parents are struggling to afford uniforms especially for year 7 pupils who require full kitting out. The Government recognised school uniform costs as an issue and the Department for Education issued statutory guidance on the “Cost of School Uniforms” issued November 2021 and further non statutory guidance on school uniforms updated June 2023 designed to support schools in developing and implementing their school uniform policy. This guidance should be read in conjunction with “Education (Guidance about Costs of School Uniforms) Act 2021. This guidance states that:

“Parents should not have to think about the cost of a school uniform when choosing which school(s) to apply for. Therefore, schools need to ensure that their uniform is affordable.”

And with regards to branded items:

          “Schools should keep the use of branded items to a minimum.”

The difficulty with the legislation is that it fails to clearly define what exactly the term “affordable” means and in terms of keeping branded items to a “minimum”, what would be a considered acceptable minimum.

While offering school uniform grants can help some sectors it does not have the universal impact that reducing the overall cost of uniform purchase would have.

While the work of groups such as FRGS at Gigg Lane and school’s own uniform swaps is much appreciated, needed and should be encouraged with its significant economic and environmental advantages it would be great to ensure that “affordable” new uniforms are exactly that, irrelevant of parental income.

In recent correspondence with the Department for Education in response to a request for guidance on the issue they stated that:

“The school's governing body will want to consider, when developing their uniform policy, why each individual branded item is considered necessary and whether the overall number of branded items in that policy can properly be described as the minimum necessary.”

And also, that, with regards to the guidance on school uniforms issued in November 2021:

“The guidance is clear that cost and value for money for parents should be the most important consideration for governing boards when considering how school uniform should be sourced. Parents should be able to purchase generic items of uniform from a range of retailers, giving them choice and value for money. Schools should be able to demonstrate that they have obtained best value for money from their suppliers and how the views of pupils and parents have been considered in their decision.”

Correspondence Department for Education, Ministerial and Public Communications Division, 9^th October 2023

This council resolves to:

Ask the relevant Cabinet Portfolio holder to write to all Bury schools requesting:

• They review their uniform policy in line with the DfE November 2021 guidance to ensure that they are fully complying with the required guidelines when developing their uniform policy.
• They reconsider the use of mandatory branded school uniform items where unbranded items can be bought at more affordable prices.

Also, we ask the council to write to secondary schools within Bury MBC to request:

• Schools look at ways to ensure effective communication with parents and pupils when designing their uniform policy or when making any significant changes. They should consider these views when determining uniform policy.
• Schools undertake an audit of uniform policy and report back on identified means of reducing/minimising the cost of the school uniforms to make them affordable to all parents.
• Schools commit to choosing a PE kit which is practical, comfortable and affordable, minimising the use of branded items e.g. choosing non branded socks and shorts/skorts and games socks.

 

(iii)          Health Inequalities

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

Across the country, there are significant health inequalities that result in people living a poorer quality of life, and often reducing life expectancy.

The NHS states that health inequalities are unfair and avoidable differences in health across the population, and between different groups within society. These include how long people are likely to live, the health conditions they may experience and the care that is available to them.

The conditions in which we are born, grow, live, work and age can impact our health and wellbeing. These are sometimes referred to as wider determinants of health.

The Marmot Review and the Public Health white paper ‘Healthier Lives, Healthy People’ (2010) both recommend that planning, transport, housing, environment, and health systems should be fully integrated to address the social determinants of health.

This council acknowledges this and the upcoming Bury Health Inequalities paper will adopt this into the Bury system, subject to a formal launch next month. The council resolves to build on this work by becoming a Marmot area/place.

A Marmot place is one which has a significant commitment to tackle health inequalities through action on the social determinants of health - the social and economic conditions which shape our health - and has strong and effective plans and policies to achieve these reductions in health inequalities. 

This council notes:

• Government spending has decreased most in the most deprived places and cuts in services outside health and social care have hit more deprived communities hardest.
• Approximately 16.6%% of children aged 0-15 in Bury (an estimated 6400 children) live in income deprived homes , with this percentage rising to almost 31% in some of the most deprived wards: well above the regional or national averages. Poverty and deprivation can damage the health and wellbeing of children and young people and have severe impacts on ‘life chances’.
• Life expectancy is 10 years lower for men and 8 years lower for women in the most deprived areas of Bury than in the least deprived areas.
• The Marmot review into health inequalities of 2020 found that Covid 19 death rates were a quarter higher in Greater Manchester than the rest of England. The more impoverished a local authority, the higher its mortality rate.

Therefore this council resolves to:

• Ensure Bury aligns its approach with a ‘Marmot Town’ and joins a growing number of ‘Marmot Places’, which include cities, towns and regions (including Greater Manchester), that are working with UCL Institute of Health Equity to reduce health inequalities.
• together with its partner organisations, be required to establish innovative ways of tackling inequalities within existing resources, working in partnership with communities using a coproduction approach.
• through the Health Scrutiny Committee, and the Health and Wellbeing Board, hold the leaders across the health and care system to account for looking beyond the interests of their own organisations and driving forward improvement in health and wellbeing outcomes for the residents of Bury, leading a cultural change to a health and care system in which different organisations work together to narrow the gap in inequalities across the town.
• set itself an ambition to integrate preventive action into all decision making to tackle inequalities utilising a “Health in all Policies” approach.

 

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

THIS COUNCIL NOTES THAT:

 

Bury is home to wide diverse multifaith and multicultural communities and as a Borough we are proud of our record of social cohesion.

 

As Councillors, we strive to provide leadership to all our communities. We believe in working together to ensure that all members of all communities feel secure within Bury and can go about their daily lives safely and without fear of intimidation.

 

Significant world events have taken place over the past few weeks that have had a major impact on communities in Bury.

 

THIS COUNCIL ACKNOWLEDGES THAT;

 

We want to work to reaffirm our commitment to ensuring the safety and support of all parts of the Bury community. As community leaders, we acknowledge the importance of creating an environment where everyone feels safe and supported in their daily lives.

 

We believe organisations that receive public funding should remain politically neutral.

 

The events in Israel and Gaza are a great tragedy and have caused significant anxiety in all communities. We recognise there is a great deal of suffering on both sides.

 

As Local Councillors, we cannot affect the international situation but we need to be mindful of the impact our actions have on community relations here in Bury.

 

THIS COUNCIL RESOLVES:

 

To support the UK Government position on a Two State solution.

 

To support all sovereign nations right to defend itself against all unprovoked attacks

 

Write to both the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition supporting their calls for  humanitarian pauses in the ongoing conflict as part of the International humanitarian effort to support innocent Palestinians.

 

To explore with the Multi- Faith Forum what action can be taken collectively by the communities of Bury to ensure we can all stand together during challenging times such as the present.

 

Form a cross-party group of councillors to examine how the Council can co-ordinate local efforts to provide aid and any other humanitarian support to the region. To liaise with charities, NGO’s and others who are active in the region to assess what actions if any this Council can take to support their work.

 

To agree organisations who are not politically neutral should not be publicly funded.

 

On being put with 8 Members voting for, 36 Members voting against and the Mayor Abstaining, the Mayor declared the motion lost.

 

Proposed by: Cllr Carol Birchmore, Cllr Donald Berry, Cllr Andrea Booth, Cllr Des Duncalfe, Cllr Glyn Marsden, Cllr James Mason, Cllr Mike Smith and Cllr Mary Walsh

Addressing the impact of branded, non-standard trimmings and fabric pattern specific items on the cost of secondary school uniforms

 

As the cost-of-living crisis bites further parents are now facing the additional costs of ensuring that their children are clothed in the correct uniform. This is an additional drain on resources that parents struggling to put food on the table cannot afford.

In May 2023 the Children’s Society estimated that parents spend around £422 per year on their child’s school uniform. A look at websites of Bury MBC schools shows disparity between costs at different schools. One of the issues driving up the price of school uniforms is the inclusion of school branded items. These branded items are not restricted to simply the blazer and tie but also include branded and specified fabric pattern skirts (often tartan) and branded items of PE kit. The use of branded items is not restricted to private schools or academies but includes local authority schools. Several schools are listing a preferred supplier for the uniform. The most expensive badged blazer was one for a local authority school which was listed as costing £48.75 with a school skirt for the same school costing £30. Branded/specific fabric skirts typically cost around £22. Compulsory branded games T shirts cost between £15 and £20 and shorts/skorts ranging between £10 and £20 depending on the school.

With an increasing cost of living crisis many parents are struggling to afford uniforms especially for year 7 pupils who require full kitting out. The Government recognised school uniform costs as an issue and the Department for Education issued statutory guidance on the “Cost of School Uniforms” issued November 2021 and further non statutory guidance on school uniforms updated June 2023 designed to support schools in developing and implementing their school uniform policy. This guidance should be read in conjunction with “Education (Guidance about Costs of School Uniforms) Act 2021. This guidance states that:

“Parents should not have to think about the cost of a school uniform when choosing which school(s) to apply for. Therefore, schools need to ensure that their uniform is affordable.”

And with regards to branded items:

              “Schools should keep the use of branded items to a minimum.”

The difficulty with the legislation is that it fails to clearly define what exactly the term “affordable” means and in terms of keeping branded items to a “minimum”, what would be a considered acceptable minimum.

While offering school uniform grants can help some sectors it does not have the universal impact that reducing the overall cost of uniform purchase would have.

While the work of groups such as FRGS at Gigg Lane and school’s own uniform swaps is much appreciated, needed and should be encouraged with its significant economic and environmental advantages it would be great to ensure that “affordable” new uniforms are exactly that, irrelevant of parental income.

In recent correspondence with the Department for Education in response to a request for guidance on the issue they stated that:

“The school's governing body will want to consider, when developing their uniform policy, why each individual branded item is considered necessary and whether the overall number of branded items in that policy can properly be described as the minimum necessary.”

And also, that, with regards to the guidance on school uniforms issued in November 2021:

“The guidance is clear that cost and value for money for parents should be the most important consideration for governing boards when considering how school uniform should be sourced. Parents should be able to purchase generic items of uniform from a range of retailers, giving them choice and value for money. Schools should be able to demonstrate that they have obtained best value for money from their suppliers and how the views of pupils and parents have been considered in their decision.”

Correspondence Department for Education, Ministerial and Public Communications Division, 9^th October 2023

This council resolves to:

Ask the relevant Cabinet Portfolio holder to write to all Bury schools requesting:

• They review their uniform policy in line with the DfE November 2021 guidance to ensure that they are fully complying with the required guidelines when developing their uniform policy.
• They reconsider the use of mandatory branded school uniform items where unbranded items can be bought at more affordable prices.

Also, we ask the council to write to secondary schools within Bury MBC to request:

• Schools look at ways to ensure effective communication with parents and pupils when designing their uniform policy or when making any significant changes. They should consider these views when determining uniform policy.
• Schools undertake an audit of uniform policy and report back on identified means of reducing/minimising the cost of the school uniforms to make them affordable to all parents.
• Schools commit to choosing a PE kit which is practical, comfortable and affordable, minimising the use of branded items e.g. choosing non branded socks and shorts/skorts and games socks.

 

On being put with 44 Members voting for, 0 Members voting against and the Mayor Abstaining, the Mayor declared the motion carried.

 

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.

 

Across the country, there are significant health inequalities that result in people living a poorer quality of life, and often reducing life expectancy.

The NHS states that health inequalities are unfair and avoidable differences in health across the population, and between different groups within society. These include how long people are likely to live, the health conditions they may experience and the care that is available to them.

The conditions in which we are born, grow, live, work and age can impact our health and wellbeing. These are sometimes referred to as wider determinants of health.

The Marmot Review and the Public Health white paper ‘Healthier Lives, Healthy People’ (2010) both recommend that planning, transport, housing, environment, and health systems should be fully integrated to address the social determinants of health.

This council acknowledges this and the upcoming Bury Health Inequalities paper will adopt this into the Bury system, subject to a formal launch next month. The council resolves to build on this work by becoming a Marmot area/place.

A Marmot place is one which has a significant commitment to tackle health inequalities through action on the social determinants of health - the social and economic conditions which shape our health - and has strong and effective plans and policies to achieve these reductions in health inequalities. 

This council notes:

• Government spending has decreased most in the most deprived places and cuts in services outside health and social care have hit more deprived communities hardest.
• Approximately 16.6%% of children aged 0-15 in Bury (an estimated 6400 children) live in income deprived homes , with this percentage rising to almost 31% in some of the most deprived wards: well above the regional or national averages. Poverty and deprivation can damage the health and wellbeing of children and young people and have severe impacts on ‘life chances’.
• Life expectancy is 10 years lower for men and 8 years lower for women in the most deprived areas of Bury than in the least deprived areas.
• The Marmot review into health inequalities of 2020 found that Covid 19 death rates were a quarter higher in Greater Manchester than the rest of England. The more impoverished a local authority, the higher its mortality rate.

Therefore this council resolves to:

• Ensure Bury aligns its approach with a ‘Marmot Town’ and joins a growing number of ‘Marmot Places’, which include cities, towns and regions (including Greater Manchester), that are working with UCL Institute of Health Equity to reduce health inequalities.
• together with its partner organisations, be required to establish innovative ways of tackling inequalities within existing resources, working in partnership with communities using a coproduction approach.
• through the Health Scrutiny Committee, and the Health and Wellbeing Board, hold the leaders across the health and care system to account for looking beyond the interests of their own organisations and driving forward improvement in health and wellbeing outcomes for the residents of Bury, leading a cultural change to a health and care system in which different organisations work together to narrow the gap in inequalities across the town.
• set itself an ambition to integrate preventive action into all decision making to tackle inequalities utilising a “Health in all Policies” approach.

·       On being put with 44 Members voting for, 0 Members voting against and the Mayor Abstaining, the Mayor declared the motion carried.