Agenda

To receive any apologies.

To authorise the signing of the minutes of the Council Meeting held on 20^th July, 2022 attached.

Matters especially brought forward by the Lord Mayor and the Leader.

To receive any requests for Deputations, Presentation of Petitions or Public Questions.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Transport and District Regeneration seeking approval to incur expenditure against the Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) programme for all TCF schemes for the financial year of 2022/23 and 2023/24.

Report of the Leader of the Council outlining activities of the Executive (Cabinet) and updating on key activities as aligned to the priorities set out in the Corporate Plan.

(a)  Moved by Councillor Shields

“This Council notes the alarming consequences of the cost-of-living crisis, which has already seen many individuals and families in Southampton struggling to eat and is set to get worse.

This Council welcomes the Labour administration co-convening a Southampton Cost of Living summit this October and requests that it looks to work with organisations, businesses, and other bodies across the city to find practical ways to support residents in greatest need.

This Council agrees that a key objective should be an end to food poverty in our city and we therefore commit to:

1.  Join other cities across the UK, including nearby Portsmouth, to declare Southampton a Right to Food City

2.  Build on the City Council’s child obesity strategy by taking steps to support community kitchens and other local healthy food initiatives

3.  Designate a lead member for food poverty in Southampton to act as a champion and coordinate cross-party and multi-agency efforts

This Council further calls on the city’s three MPs to press our new prime minister to adopt and pursue Government policies that ensure a comprehensive and meaningful response to the wider cost of living crisis.”

(b)  Moved by Councillor Guthrie

Southampton City Council notes that 1 in 4 adults and one child in six will experience a mental health problem in any year, mental ill health costs some £119 billion each year in England alone.  Southampton has higher proportions of GP registered patients with deprivation and severe mental illness than the England average, risk factors linked to poor mental health can include deprivation, poor physical health, loneliness, lack of social interaction and a range of other individual factors including social relationships.  People with severe mental illness in England die on average 15-20 years earlier than the general population and timely diagnosis, treatment and support can improve long term health and wellbeing.  The Covid-19 pandemic and the current pressure on the cost of living has put extra strain on people’s mental health, and this is likely to last for some time after.

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.  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, we have and will continue to commit to appointing an elected member as ‘mental health champion’ across the council.  We will support the member champions to enable them to take on this role.

The council will also continue to support positive mental health in our community, including in local schools, neighbourhoods and workplaces and continue to work on reducing inequalities  ...  view the full agenda text for item 8.

To consider any question of which notice has been given under Council Procedure Rule 11.2.

To deal with any appointments to Committees, Sub-Committees or other bodies as required.

NOTE: There will be prayers by Mayor’s Chaplain Will Rosie in the Mayor’s Reception Room at 1.45 pm for Members of the Council and Officers who wish to attend.