(a) Councillor Fielker, seconder Councillor Margetts
Social Care Reform
Council notes the 10% rise in National Insurance tax by this Conservative Government will affect the working poor in Southampton the most. This comes as food and energy prices increase and cuts are being made to Universal Credit. Southampton families don’t deserve to be hit by this triple whammy.
Council further notes that the extra money raised by this hike in National Insurance will go mainly to the NHS and does little to support adults with disabilities, improve the pay of care workers, address the crisis of staff shortages or protect the savings and investments of people who need residential care. Small business owners will be disproportionately hit and local authority budgets will be expected to plug the gap between the care cap and actual cost.
This Council believes that reform of social care can only be fixed by a fairer taxation system and fair funding to local government.
Therefore, Council resolves to:
· Commit to not cutting services in other areas that local residents rely on, to fill a gap made by government’s failure to effectively reform social care.
· Call on government to guarantee to meet the costs of the social care cap, while making the taxation system fairer to reduce inequality.
· Work with the LGA and others to lobby government to set out a programme which fundamentally reforms social care.
(b) Councillor Renyard, seconder Councillor Bunday
Crime and Policing
Council expresses its concern at the level of crime and anti-social behaviour affecting our communities and the everyday lives of our residents who no longer feel safe in their homes and neighbourhoods.
Council condemns Government for being soft on crime and the causes of crime and regrets how austerity measures have put a strain on local policing, which has had a negative impact for Southampton people.
Council believes Southampton residents are not getting value for money on policing and deserve better, and we therefore call on Government and the newly elected Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner to:
· Ensure Southampton residents get their fair share of necessary funding and resources needed to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour on our streets.
· Provide policing levels that go higher than pre-2010 numbers, and therefore, not just replacing police officers lost by this Government’s previous police cuts.
· Value neighbourhood policing and work more closely with Southampton City Council, to bring forward a plan for ‘Police Hubs’ across the entire city (starting with the one being proposed for Bitterne), so that policing can be brought closer to our local communities again.
Minutes:
a) Councillor Fielker moved and Councillor Margetts seconded
Social Care Reform
Council notes the 10% rise in National Insurance tax by this Conservative Government will affect the working poor in Southampton the most. This comes as food and energy prices increase and cuts are being made to Universal Credit. Southampton families don’t deserve to be hit by this triple whammy.
Council further notes that the extra money raised by this hike in National Insurance will go mainly to the NHS and does little to support adults with disabilities, improve the pay of care workers, address the crisis of staff shortages or protect the savings and investments of people who need residential care. Small business owners will be disproportionately hit and local authority budgets will be expected to plug the gap between the care cap and actual cost.
This Council believes that reform of social care can only be fixed by a fairer taxation system and fair funding to local government.
Therefore, Council resolves to:
• Commit to not cutting services in other areas that local residents rely on, to fill a gap made by government’s failure to effectively reform social care.
• Call on government to guarantee to meet the costs of the social care cap, while making the taxation system fairer to reduce inequality.
• Work with the LGA and others to lobby government to set out a programme which fundamentally reforms social care.
UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE MOTION WAS DECLARED LOST.
RESOLVED: that the motion be rejected.
b) Councillor Renyard moved and Councillor Bunday seconded
Crime and Policing
Council expresses its concern at the level of crime and anti-social behaviour affecting our communities and the everyday lives of our residents who no longer feel safe in their homes and neighbourhoods.
Council condemns Government for being soft on crime and the causes of crime, and regrets how austerity measures have put a strain on local policing, which has had a negative impact for Southampton people.
Council believes Southampton residents are not getting value for money on policing and deserve better, and we therefore call on Government and the newly elected Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner to:
· Ensure Southampton residents get their fair share of necessary funding and resources needed to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour on our streets.
· Provide policing levels that go higher than pre-2010 numbers, and therefore, not just replacing police officers lost by this Government’s previous police cuts.
· Value neighbourhood policing and work more closely with Southampton City Council, to bring forward a plan for ‘Police Hubs’ across the entire city (starting with the one being proposed for Bitterne), so that policing can be brought closer to our local communities again.
Amendment moved by Councillor Vassiliou and Councillor Moulton seconded:
Paragraph 1, first line, delete ‘expresses its concern’ and replace with ‘is concerned’
Paragraph 1, second line, delete ‘who no longer feel safe in their homes and neighbourhoods.’
Paragraph 2,delete all ‘Council condemns Government for being soft on crime and the causes of crime and regrets how austerity measures have put a strain on local policing, which has been a negative impact for Southampton people’ and replace with ‘Council welcomes extra 20,000 new police being recruited nationally. The tough new criminal justice measures being brought in by the government and action particularly in respect to domestic violence and violence against women and girls.’
Paragraph 3, first all, delete, ‘believes’ replace with ‘resolves to ensure that’
And delete ‘are not getting’ replace with ‘get’
Paragraph 3, second line, delete, ‘deserve better, and we’
Add new paragraph ‘Council resolves to ensure that Southampton residents get value for money on policing and we therefore call on Government and the newly elected Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner to:’
Delete bullet point 2 ‘Provide policing levels that go higher than pre-2010 numbers, and therefore, not just replacing police officers lost by this Government’s previous police cuts.’
Replace with new bullet point 2 ‘• Ensure Southampton gets the additional police it needs as part of the extra 600 police being recruited by Hampshire Constabulary.’
Bullet point 3, second line, delete, ‘to bring forward a plan for ‘Police Hubs’ across the entire city (starting with the one being proposed for Bitterne), so that policing can be brought closer to our local communities again.’ Replace with ‘by making use of the additional funding allocated by Hampshire Constabulary as part of its new ASB Task Force and also the new £500k Community Fund created in Southampton to tackle anti-social behaviour.’
Add new bullet point 4 ‘• Ensure policing can be brought closer to our local communities, as already being demonstrated by the welcome reopening of Bitterne Police Station.”
Amended Motion to read:
Council is concerned at the level of crime and anti-social behaviour affecting our communities and the everyday lives of our residents.
Council welcomes extra 20,000 new police being recruited nationally. The tough new criminal justice measures being brought in by the government and action particularly in respect to domestic violence and violence against women and girls.
Council resolves to ensure that Southampton residents get value for money on policing and we therefore call on Government and the newly elected Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner to:
• Ensure Southampton residents get their fair share of necessary funding and resources needed to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour on our streets.
• Ensure Southampton gets the additional police it needs as part of the extra 600 police being recruited by Hampshire Constabulary.
• Value neighbourhood policing and work more closely with Southampton City Council, by making use of the additional funding allocated by Hampshire Constabulary as part of its new ASB Task Force and also the new £500k Community Fund created in Southampton to tackle anti-social behaviour.
• Ensure policing can be brought closer to our local communities, as already being demonstrated by the welcome reopening of Bitterne Police Station.
UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE AMENDMENT IN THE NAME OF COUNCILLOR VASSILIOU WAS DECLARED CARRIED.
UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE AMENDED MOTION WAS DECLARED CARRIED.
RESOLVED: that the amended motion be approved.