Agenda item

Motions

Meeting of Council, Wednesday, 15th March, 2023 2.00 pm (Item 62.)

(a) Proposed by Councillor Blackman

“The Southampton Young Carer Strategy 2021 to 2026 has a vision that Southampton is a city where children and young carers have the same opportunities as other children to get a good start in life, so they can fulfil their potential and become successful adults.

The Southampton Young Carer Strategy notes that in 20/21 some 420 young people in Southampton were in touch with the Young Carer Service with 80 receiving regular support.

Caring for someone can be very isolating, worrying, and stressful. For young and young adult carers, this can negatively impact on their experiences and outcomes in education, having a lasting effect on their life chances.

Each year Carers Trust organises Young Carers Action Day (YCAD) to raise public awareness of the challenges faced by young people because of their caring role, and to campaign for greater support for young and young adult carers to meet their needs. Young Carers Action Day is 15 March 2023 and this year’s theme is ‘Make Time for Young Carers’.

Council resolves that we commend the young and young adult carers across Southampton and that we promote YCAD on an annual basis. We also continue in the context of the Southampton Young Carer Strategy to promote and work with local care organisations.

Council resolves that the Leader of the Council writes to the Government calling on them to ensure that young carers are actively identified and provided with the support they need. In addition, the Leader writes to our three local Members of Parliament and ask them to join the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Young Carers and Young Adult Carers.”

(b) Proposed by Councillor Keogh

“Councils up and down the country are facing unprecedented financial pressures which are not of their own making but due to national policy; Southampton is no exception.

Government measures to reduce public sector spending in the previous decade have seen a significant reduction in local government funding, with the Council’s settlement funding assessment reducing by almost a half.

What is clearly needed is a long-term plan from national government to change their direction and offer fairer, long-term funding to local authorities.

Southampton City Council alongside other councils has been let down by this Government failing to properly fund and protect public services, so this Council joins other Councils of all political backgrounds, in calling for clear action to improve the financial outlook for local authorities.

This morning the Chancellor will have delivered his budget statement to Parliament. For the good of the residents of Southampton, should the Chancellor’s statement fail to deliver a funding step change that offers long-term financial stability to councils that Southampton communities deserve, Council resolves that the Leader of the Council writes immediately to the Prime Minister highlighting the injustices, the shortfalls contained within impact on the city’s residents and requests fair and sustainable funding for local government.”

As corporate parents, councillors have a collective responsibility for providing the best possible care and safeguarding for the children who are looked after by us as an authority. All corporate parents should commit to acting as mentors, hearing the voices of looked after children and young people and to consider their needs in any aspect of council work. Councillors should be champions of our looked after children and challenge the negative attitudes and prejudice that exists in all aspects of society.

Southampton City Council therefore resolves that when making any decisions in relation to its policies or formulating its Council Plan it recognises that care experienced people are a vulnerable group who face barriers to access to services and opportunities. That in the delivery of Council services the Council includes consideration of the elimination of barriers to and promotion of opportunities for care experience and this be included alongside reporting of the Council’s compliance with its Public Sector Equality Duty.

That this Council will treat care experience in a similar manner to a Protected Characteristic so that future services and policies made and adopted by the Council should be assessed through equality impact assessments updated to include consideration of care experienced to determine the impact of changes on people with care experience, alongside those who share a Protected Characteristic. To formally call upon all other bodies to treat care experience in a similar manner and to actively remove barriers and promote opportunities for them until such time as it may be introduced by legislation as a protected group. For the Council to proactively seek out and listen to the voices of care experienced people when developing new policies based on their views.”

Minutes:

(a) Councillor Blackman moved and Councillor Fielker seconded

Southampton Young Carers

The Southampton Young Carer Strategy notes that in 20/21 some 420 young people in Southampton were in touch with the Young Carer Service with 80 receiving regular support.

UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE MOTION WAS UNANIMOUSLY DECLARED CARRIED.

(b) Councillor Keogh moved and Councillor Leggett seconded

Financial Pressures

“Councils up and down the country are facing unprecedented financial pressures which are not of their own making but due to national policy; Southampton is no exception.

What is clearly needed is a long-term plan from national government to change their direction and offer fairer, long-term funding to local authorities.

UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE MOTION WAS DECLARED CARRIED.

Care Experienced People

“Southampton City Council believes that care experienced people face significant barriers that impact them throughout their lives. Despite the resilience of many care experienced people, society too often does not take their needs into account. Care experienced people often face barriers and stigma across housing, health, education, relationships, employment and in the criminal justice system. As corporate parents, councillors have a collective responsibility for providing the best possible care and safeguarding for the children who are looked after by us as an authority. All corporate parents should commit to acting as mentors, hearing the voices of looked after children and young people and to consider their needs in any aspect of council work. Councillors should be champions of our looked after children and challenge the negative attitudes and prejudice that exists in all aspects of society. Southampton City Council therefore resolves that when making any decisions in relation to its policies or formulating its Council Plan it recognises that care experienced people are a vulnerable group who face barriers to access to services and opportunities. That in the delivery of Council services the Council includes consideration of the elimination of barriers to and promotion of opportunities for care experience and this be included alongside reporting of the Council’s compliance with its Public Sector Equality Duty. That this Council will treat care experience in a similar manner to a Protected Characteristic so that future services and policies made and adopted by the Council should be assessed through equality impact assessments updated to include consideration of care experienced to determine the impact of changes on people with care experience, alongside those who share a Protected Characteristic. To formally call upon all other bodies to treat care experience in a similar manner and to actively remove barriers and promote opportunities for them until such time as it may be introduced by legislation as a protected group. For the Council to proactively seek out and listen to the voices of care experienced people when developing new policies based on their views.”

UPON BEING OUT TO THE VOTE THE MOTION WAS UNANIMOUSLY DECLARED CARRIED.