Issue - meetings
Motions
Meeting: 16/09/2019 - Council (Item 16)
To debate the motions submitted in accordance with Standing Order 41.
Members are asked to note that the motions submitted will be circulated as a supplementary paper in advance of the meeting, in accordance with Standing Order 41(c).
Additional documents:
- 16.2 Motion - Labour Group (1), item 16 PDF 86 KB
- 16.3 Motion - Labour Group (2), item 16 PDF 86 KB
- Webcast for Motions
Decision:
16.1 The following motion submitted by the Conservative Group was approved:
Protecting and Raising the Quality of Adult Social Care in Brent
This Council notes:
· The unprecedented times that the country is facing and the role local government has in providing local stability and leadership in these tumultuous times.
· The irreplaceable role that local council plays at the heart of communities, providing key public services that protect the most defenceless in society – children at risk, disabled adults and vulnerable older people and the services we all rely on, like clean streets, libraries and children’s centres.
· That councils up and down the UK are at breaking point, with disproportionate reductions in local council funding and comparison to the rest of the public sector.
· That councils had to spend an extra £800m in the last financial year to meet the demand on vital services to protect children and that, with an ageing population and growing demand, adult social care faces a gap of over £2bn in the next financial year.
· In Brent, as with all other council departments, adult social care has had to make significant budget savings in the past, and continues to need to make savings in the future, with a target of reducing the overall spend by £4.1m on adult social care by 2021. This is in the context of an aging population and increasing demand for services.
· Brent has an estimated prevalence of 2,470 patients living with dementia, of whom only 1,834 (74.2%) are diagnosed. This leaves an estimated 1034 undiagnosed patients living with dementia who could benefit from early diagnosis and follow up and support in the community. Brent seeks to address this gap in service with a view to providing early interventions to support people with dementia and their carers to live longer in their own homes.
· The extra £1.5bn for social care in the Government’s recent spending round - £1 billion through a new grant and £500 million through the adult social care precept.
· To implement reform – which will involve difficult choices about how to raise money to pay for services – the Government must set up an independent, cross-party inquiry on social care funding, as the Institute for Government recommended last year. This would be the best mechanism to build the public and parliamentary support needed to deliver change, with the last major attempt to reform social care funding. Then, once political support is secured, legislation will have to be passed.
· This council also notes and commends the work done with partners progressing Brent as a Dementia Friendly Borough which has been recognised nationally. This will include GP practices, leisure services, libraries, the Alzheimer’s Society, supermarkets such as Tesco, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, London Ambulance Service, Metropolitan Police, London Fire Brigade, local cinemas and art venues.
The Council therefore resolves:
To write to the Health Secretary Matt Hancock MP and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sajid Javid MP.
The Council requests that the Leader of the Council: ... view the full decision text for item 16
Minutes:
Before moving on to consider the motions listed on the summons, the Mayor reminded members of the changes agreed last year to the way in which the debate on motions would be undertaken. He advised that a total of 30 minutes would be set aside for the consideration of all three motions submitted for debate, based on an initial allocation of 10 minutes per motion. Should the time taken to consider the first motion be less than 10 minutes the remaining time available would be split between the other motions on a rolling basis.
16.1 Motion from the Conservative Group – Protecting and Raising the Quality of Adult Social Care in Brent
The Mayor invited Councillor Colwill, Leader of the Conservative Group, to move the Motion on behalf of the Conservative Group.
Councillor Colwill stated that the Conservative group recognised that there were unprecedented circumstances related to adult social care with over 2,470 Brent residents diagnosed with Dementia and Learning Difficulties. He welcomed and felt it important to recognise the additional Government funding that had been allocated to local authorities in respect of adult social care, which he would be seeking to ensure was ring-fenced in order to protect those most vulnerable and support carers. Councillor Colwill concluded that there were a great many people suffering from Dementia and resources should be encouraged toward early diagnosis.
Councillor Muhammed Butt advised he would be formally seconding the Motion.
The Mayor then invited other Members to speak on the motion, with the following contributions received.
Councillor Farah, responding on behalf of the Labour Group as Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, advised that he welcomed the motion, which he felt represented a rejection of austerity and highlighted the issue of the national lack of funding for social care. He thanked Councillor Colwill for submitting the Motion and confirmed he would be willing to write to the Minister outlining the concerns raised and explore how best to take forward the other recommendations.
As no further Members had indicated they wished to speak, the Mayor invited Councillor Colwill to exercise his right of reply.
In summing up, Councillor Colwill thanked Councillor Farah for his support and reiterated the seriousness of the issue.
The Mayor then put the motion (as set out below) to a vote, by show of hands, which was unanimously declared CARRIED.
“This Council notes:
· The unprecedented times that the country is facing and the role local government has in providing local stability and leadership in these tumultuous times.
· The irreplaceable role that local council plays at the heart of communities, providing key public services that protect the most defenceless in society – children at risk, disabled adults and vulnerable older people and the services we all rely on, like clean streets, libraries and children’s centres.
· That councils up and down the UK are at breaking point, with disproportionate reductions in local council funding and comparison to the rest of the public sector.
· That councils had to spend an extra £800m ... view the full minutes text for item 16