The following Notices of Motion have been received:-
(i) Investigatory Powers Bill
This Council notes:
- the Investigatory Powers Bill, announced in the Queen’s Speech in May 2015, currently receiving consideration by Parliament.
This Council recognises :
- the need for our security and police services to have appropriate powers to maintain national security and tackle crime, but
The Council believes:
- that these powers need to be appropriately balanced by the basic right for individual privacy and by appropriate judicial process and oversight.
This Council is therefore particularly opposed to powers outlined in the Bill which seek to:
- force Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and telecoms companies must keep records of everyone’s communication data related to browsing history, phone calls, text messages, gaming, social media activity, IMs, and more for 12 months;
- authorise the use of bulk or thematic surveillance warrants, which would give authorities the power to access the personal information of thousands of people at once who “share a common purpose” or “carry out a particular activity”.
- Establish power to grant warrants for surveillance to the Home Secretary, without a proper process of judicial approval or oversight.
This Council resolves to:
- Write to the Home Secretary, and to both of our Members of Parliament, expressing the concerns of this Council as outlined above.
- Circulate information on this resolution through the communications, giving residents information on how they can campaign against the Bill in its current form.
In the names of Councillors T Pickstone and M D’Albert
(ii) Hate Crime
The number of anti-Semitic, other religious and racially-motivated crimes in Greater Manchester reported to the Police increased by nearly one third in the year to September 2015. Greater Manchester now has the second highest rate for any conurbation in the country behind London.
These incidents isolate and marginalise individuals and communities on the basis of prejudice against faith and culture and reduce the quality of life both for the targets of the hate crimes, and for all residents of Bury.
Bury Council therefore resolves to:
(1) Condemn, in the strongest terms, recent acts of violence and hate crimes targeted against the Jewish and Muslim communities in the Borough of Bury;
(2) Urge all political parties in Bury to take swift and firm action against anti-Semitism, racism, xenophobia, and discrimination that might exist within their own organisations and membership;
(3) Provide ongoing support for the Jewish and Muslim communities in Bury; and
(4) Invite the Greater Manchester Lead for Crime and Policing to address the full Council on a regular basis on the work being done to tackle this issue.
In the names of Councillors I Bevan, R Caserta, J Daly, I Gartside, D Gunther, M Hankey, J Harris, R Hodkinson, K Hussain, G Keeley, S Nuttall, R Walker, and Y Wright
(iii) Mental Health Challenge
This council notes:
1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in any given year.
The World Health Organisation predicts that depression will be the second most common health condition worldwide by 2020.
Mental ill health costs some £105 billion each year in England alone.
People with a severe mental illness die up to 20 years younger than their peers in the UK.
There is often a circular relationship between mental health and issues such as housing, employment, family problems or debt.
This council believes:
As a local authority we have a crucial role to play in improving the mental health of everyone in our community and tackling some of the widest and most entrenched inequalities in health.
Mental health should be a priority across all the local authority’s areas of responsibility, including housing, community safety and planning.
All councillors, whether members of the Executive or Scrutiny and in our community and casework roles, can play a positive role in championing mental health on an individual and strategic basis.
This council resolves:
To sign the Local Authorities’ Mental Health Challenge run by Centre for Mental Health, Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health Providers Forum, Mind, Rethink Mental Illness, Royal College of Psychiatrists and YoungMinds.
We commit to appoint an elected member as ‘mental health champion’ across the council.
We will seek to identify a member of staff within the council to act as ‘lead officer’ for mental health.
The council will also:
Support positive mental health in our community, including in local schools, neighbourhoods and workplaces.
Work to reduce inequalities in mental health in our community.
Work with local partners to offer effective support for people with mental health needs.
Tackle discrimination on the grounds of mental health in our community.
Proactively listen to people of all ages and backgrounds about what they need for better mental health.
Sign up to the Time To Change Pledge
In the names of Councillors P Adams, N Bayley, J Black, S Briggs, D Cassidy, M Connolly, E FitzGerald, L Fitzwalter, J Grimshaw, S Haroon, P Heneghan, T Holt, A Isherwood, M James, D Jones, J Kelly, S Kerrison, J Lewis, J Mallon, A Matthews, E O’Brien, N Parnell, C Preston, A Quinn, R Shori, A Simpson, R Skillen, Sarah Southworth, Susan Southworth, T Tariq, J Walker, S Walmsley and M Whitby
Minutes:
Three Notices of Motion had been received and set out in the Summons.
(i) Investigatory Powers Bill
A motion had been received and set out in the Summons in the names of:-
Councillors M D’Albert and T Pickstone
It was moved by Councillor Pickstone and seconded by Councillor D’Albert that:-
This Council notes:
The Investigatory Powers Bill, announced in the Queen’s Speech in May 2015, currently receiving consideration by Parliament.
This Council recognises :
The need for our security and police services to have appropriate powers to maintain national security and tackle crime, but
The Council believes:
That these powers need to be appropriately balanced by the basic right for individual privacy and by appropriate judicial process and oversight.
Council is therefore particularly opposed to powers outlined in the Bill which seek to: Force Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and telecoms companies must keep records of everyone’s communication data related to browsing history, phone calls, text messages, gaming, social media activity, IMs, and more for 12 months;
Authorise the use of bulk or thematic surveillance warrants, which would give authorities the power to access the personal information of thousands of people at once who “share a common purpose” or “carry out a particular activity”.
Establish power to grant warrants for surveillance to the Home Secretary, without a proper process of judicial approval or oversight.
This Council resolves to:
Write to the Home Secretary, and to both of our Members of Parliament, expressing the concerns of this Council as outlined above.
Circulate information on this resolution through the communications, giving residents information on how they can campaign against the Bill in its current form.
It was moved by Councillor Walmsley and seconded by Councillor Haroon as an amendment:-
That the Motion be amended as follows:
Paragraph 2 – Remove “but” and replace with “and the major implications the proposed Bill has on individual privacy for members of the public.”
Paragraph 3 - Add “The Powers must be transparent, necessary and proportionate and must be accompanied by strong safeguards and independent scrutiny therefore must be built in. The Powers should also only be used in connection with the investigation of the most serious crime or to protect in life-threatening situations.”
Paragraph 7 – Add “which must include the following:
- Justification from the Home Secretary on the Governments significant extension of powers in the widening of access to Internet Connection Records which will include information about website accessed beyond those related to communications services and illegal material;
-Ask the Home Secretary to consider whether the Powers in connection with their collection and use is proportionate and justified;
-Write to Ivan Lewis MP for Bury South and David Nuttall MP for Bury North to make them aware of the Council position and ask that this be represented in Parliament”
The amendment was put to the vote and with 41 voting for, 7 against with the Mayor abstaining was declared carried.
The substantive motion was put to the vote and with 41 voting for, 7 against and Mayor abstaining the substantive motion was declared carried.
(ii) Hate Crime
A motion had been received and set out in the Summons in the names of:
Councillors I Bevan, R Caserta, J Daly, I Gartside, D Gunther, M Hankey, J Harris, R Hodkinson, K Hussain, G Keeley, S Nuttall, R Walker, and Y Wright
It was moved by Councillor Harris and seconded by Councillor Hussain that:-
The number of anti-Semitic and other religious and racially-motivated crimes in Greater Manchester reported to the Police increased by nearly one third in the year to September 2015. Greater Manchester now has the second highest rate for any conurbation in the country behind London.
These incidents isolate and marginalise individuals and communities on the basis of prejudice against faith and culture and reduce the quality of life both for the targets of the hate crimes, and for all residents of Bury.
Bury Council therefore resolves to:
(1) Condemn, in the strongest terms, recent acts of violence and hate crimes targeted against the Jewish and Muslim communities in the Borough of Bury;
(2) Urge all political parties in Bury to take swift and firm action against anti-Semitism, racism, xenophobia, and discrimination that might exist within their own organisations and membership;
(3) Provide ongoing support for the Jewish and Muslim communities in Bury; and
(4) Invite the Greater Manchester Lead for Crime and Policing to address the full Council on a regular basis on the work being done to tackle this issue.
It was moved by Councillor Lewis and seconded by Councillor James as an amendment as follows:-
Deletion of Paragraph 2 to be replaced with the following:
“Hate crimes encompass prejudice against belief, race, gender, disability, culture, sexual orientation & identity, and they are intended to isolate and marginalise individuals and communities. They reduce the quality of life both for the targets of these hate crimes, and for all residents of Bury.”
(1) - Delete “the Jewish and Muslim” and replace with “minority”.
(2) – Delete “anti-Semitism , racism, xenophobia, and”, and replace with “all”.
(3) – Delete “ the Jewish and Muslim” and replace with “all the minority”.
On being put, with no-one voting against and the Mayor abstaining, the Mayor declared the amendment carried.
On being put, with no-one voting against and the Mayor abstaining, the Mayor declared the substantive motion carried.
(iii)Mental Health Challenge
A motion had been received and set out in the summons in the names of:
Councillors P Adams, N Bayley, J Black, S Briggs, , D Cassidy, M Connolly, E FitzGerald, L Fitzwalter, J Grimshaw, S Haroon, P Heneghan, T Holt, A Isherwood, M James, D Jones, J Kelly, S Kerrison, J Lewis, J Mallon,
A Matthews, E O’Brien, N Parnell, C Preston, A Quinn, R Shori, A Simpson, R Skillen, Sarah Southworth, Susan Southworth, T Tariq, J Walker, S Walmsley and M Whitby.
It was moved by Councillor Simpson and seconded by Councillor Adams that:-
This council notes:
1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in any given year.
The World Health Organisation predicts that depression will be the second most common health condition worldwide by 2020.
Mental ill health costs some £105 billion each year in England alone.
People with a severe mental illness die up to 20 years younger than their peers in the UK.
There is often a circular relationship between mental health and issues such as housing, employment, family problems or debt.
This council believes:
As a local authority we have a crucial role to play in improving the mental health of everyone in our community and tackling some of the widest and most entrenched inequalities in health.
Mental health should be a priority across all the local authority’s areas of responsibility, including housing, community safety and planning.
All councillors, whether members of the Executive or Scrutiny and in our community and casework roles, can play a positive role in championing mental health on an individual and strategic basis.
This council resolves:
To sign the Local Authorities’ Mental Health Challenge run by Centre for Mental Health, Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health Providers Forum, Mind, Rethink Mental Illness, Royal College of Psychiatrists and YoungMinds.
We commit to appoint an elected member as ‘mental health champion’ across the council.
We will seek to identify a member of staff within the council to act as ‘lead officer’ for mental health.
The council will also:
Support positive mental health in our community, including in local schools, neighbourhoods and workplaces.
Work to reduce inequalities in mental health in our community.
Work with local partners to offer effective support for people with mental health needs.
Tackle discrimination on the grounds of mental health in our community.
Proactively listen to people of all ages and backgrounds about what they need for better mental health.
Sign up to the Time To Change Pledge
On being put, with no-one voting against and the Mayor abstaining, the Mayor declared the motion carried.