(a) Councillor T Thomas to move:
Southampton City Council welcomes the opportunity, in response to a request to their ward councillors from Southampton members of Solent WASPI, the local branch of Women Against State Pension Inequality, to support their call upon the Government to make fair transitional state pension arrangements for all women born on or after 6th April 1951, who have unfairly borne the burden of the increase to the State Pension Age with lack of appropriate notification.
Hundreds and possibly thousands of Southampton women, and hundreds of thousands nationally, had significant pension changes imposed on them by the Pensions Acts of 1995 and 2011 with little or no personal notification of the changes. Some women had only two years notice of a six-year increase to their state pension age.
Many women born in the 1950's are now living in hardship. Retirement plans have been shattered with devastating consequences. Many of these women are already out of the labour market, caring for elderly relatives, providing childcare for grandchildren, or suffer discrimination in the workplace so struggle to find employment.
Council therefore instructs the Leader to write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions accordingly.
(b) Councillor Noon to move:
This Council greatly values and appreciates the important contribution of primary care to the City’s health and wellbeing. An essential part of the primary care system is provided by community pharmacies. This Council is alarmed, therefore, at plans by central government to drastically reduce funding for community pharmacy in 2016/17 (a 12% cut) and subsequent years.
Council, therefore, urges the Health & Wellbeing Board to seek assurances from Government Ministers that no community pharmacies in Southampton will be placed at risk of closure as a result of the national strategy and to work in partnership with the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Local Pharmaceutical Committee and the City’s GPs to vigorously protect and promote the City’s valuable primary care services.
(c) Cllr Keogh to move:
This Council believes that a key principle underpinning the Brexit negotiations and agreement should be the achievement and maintenance of a strong and stable national economy because this supports the growth and development of local economies such as Southampton, ensuring our residents have the best outcomes in terms of employment opportunities, disposable incomes and access to reliable public services. It will intrinsically affect major employers in the City such as the University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust, our two Universities and ABP.
This Council asks that the Leader of the Council write to the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union requesting that he sets out the economic tests that will underpin our Brexit negotiations and agreement.
(d) Cllr Fitzhenry to move:
Council calls on the Executive to quickly implement an action plan to address the falling standards of our City's appearance and reinvigorate the energy to deliver our City's long term ambitions to be the cultural and economic powerhouse on the south coast.
Continually residents, visitors and businesses are complaining about the appalling state of our city centre car parks, the lack of enforcement and growing problem of begging, the dreadful state of our broken pavements and the filthy state of our streets, green spaces and parks.
Council urges the Executive to take action now to ensure our ambitions as a City are supported by real commitment of this Authority.
(e) Cllr Moulton to move:
Full Council expresses its concern about the way the City Council ?is making it extremely difficult for residents of Southampton to get in contact. Council regrets the fact that the current approach seeks to force rather than encourage residents to use online services and that inadequate provision is made for those without computer skills or for those who have queries which do not fit the prescriptive online processes. Full Council calls on the Executive to urgently review its approach to customer services and to ensure that the needs of all Southampton residents are catered for.
Minutes:
(a) Women Against State Pension Inequality
Councillor T Thomas moved and Councillor Morrell seconded:
Southampton City Council welcomes the opportunity, in response to a request to their ward councillors from Southampton members of Solent WASPI, the local branch of Women Against State Pension Inequality, to support their call upon the Government to make fair transitional state pension arrangements for all women born on or after 6th April 1951, who have unfairly borne the burden of the increase to the State Pension Age with lack of appropriate notification.
Hundreds and possibly thousands of Southampton women, and hundreds of thousands nationally, had significant pension changes imposed on them by the Pensions Acts of 1995 and 2011 with little or no personal notification of the changes. Some women had only two years notice of a six-year increase to their state pension age.
Many women born in the 1950's are now living in hardship. Retirement plans have been shattered with devastating consequences. Many of these women are already out of the labour market, caring for elderly relatives, providing childcare for grandchildren, or suffer discrimination in the workplace so struggle to find employment.
Council therefore instructs the Leader to write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions accordingly.
UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE MOTION WAS DECLARED CARRIED
RESOLVED that the motion be approved.
(b) Central Government Proposal to Reduce Funding for Community Pharmacies
Councillor Noon moved and Councillor Bogle seconded:
This Council greatly values and appreciates the important contribution of primary care to the City’s health and wellbeing. An essential part of the primary care system is provided by community pharmacies. This Council is alarmed, therefore, at plans by central government to drastically reduce funding for community pharmacy in 2016/17 (a 12% cut) and subsequent years.
Council, therefore, urges the Health & Wellbeing Board to seek assurances from Government Ministers that no community pharmacies in Southampton will be placed at risk of closure as a result of the national strategy and to work in partnership with the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Local Pharmaceutical Committee and the City’s GPs to vigorously protect and promote the City’s valuable primary care services.
Amendment moved by Councillor White and Councillor J Baillie seconded:
First paragraph, third line, delete “This Council is alarmed, therefore, at plans by central government to drastically reduce funding for community pharmacy in 2016/17 (a 12% cut) and subsequent years.”
And replace with: “This Council is concerned by plans from central government to reduce funding for community pharmacies by 4% in 2016/17, then rising to a total reduction of 7.5% from April 2017.”
Second paragraph, first line, delete “therefore,” and delete “seek assurances from Government Ministers that no” and replace with “write to the Minister with responsibility for Pharmacy matters and call upon him to reconsider the imminent funding changes to”
Second paragraph, second line, delete “in Southampton will be placed at risk of closure as a result of the national strategy and to work in partnership with the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Local Pharmaceutical Committee and the City’s GPs to vigorously protect and promote the City’s valuable primary care services.”
And replace with: “and to work in close cooperation with both national and local community pharmacy representative organisations and to consider a revised strategy which would see the development of a series of clinical pharmacy services, such as those supporting patients with long term conditions, alongside the development of the role of community pharmacy in self-care and illness prevention, which would lead to savings in acute hospitals.”
Add new third paragraph: “Further, Council expresses its concern at the planned £30,000 cut in Council Public Health funding for Emergency Contraception, which would see the community pharmacy emergency contraception service in Southampton threatened and urges the Executive to rethink this proposal.”
Amended motion to read:
This Council greatly values and appreciates the important contribution of primary care to the City’s health and wellbeing. An essential part of the primary care system is provided by community pharmacies.
This Council is concerned by plans from central government to reduce funding for community pharmacies by 4% in 2016/17, then rising to a total reduction of 7.5% from April 2017.
Council urges the Health & Wellbeing Board to write to the Minister with responsibility for Pharmacy Matters and call upon him to reconsider the imminent funding changes to community pharmacies and to work in close cooperation with both national and local community pharmacy representative organisations and to consider a revised strategy which would see the development of a series of clinical pharmacy services, such as those supporting patients with long term conditions, alongside the development of the role of community pharmacy in self-care and illness prevention, which would lead to savings in acute hospitals.
Further, Council expresses its concern at the planned £30,000 cut in Council Public Health funding for Emergency Contraception, which would see the community pharmacy emergency contraception service in Southampton threatened and urges the Executive to rethink this proposal.
UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE AMENDMENT IN THE NAME OF COUNCILLOR WHITE WAS DECLARED LOST.
UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE MOTION WAS DECLARED CARRIED.
RESOLVED that the motion be approved.
NOTE: Councillor P Baillie declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest and left the meeting.
Councillor J Baillie declared a Personal Interest and remained in the meeting and took part.
(c) Brexit Negotiations
Councillor Keogh moved and Councillor Furnell seconded
This Council believes that a key principle underpinning the Brexit negotiations and agreement should be the achievement and maintenance of a strong and stable national economy because this supports the growth and development of local economies such as Southampton, ensuring our residents have the best outcomes in terms of employment opportunities, disposable incomes and access to reliable public services. It will intrinsically affect major employers in the City such as the University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust, our two Universities and ABP.
This Council asks that the Leader of the Council write to the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union requesting that he sets out the economic tests that will underpin our Brexit negotiations and agreement.
Amendment moved by Councillor Moulton and seconded by Councillor Hannides.
Second paragraph, second line, delete: “requesting that he sets out the economic tests that will underpin our Brexit negotiations and agreement.”
Replace with: “expressing Council's view that the democratic decision of the British people in the June referendum should be respected by the Government and Parliament, that Government should trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty by the Spring of 2017, signalling the start of the process of withdrawing from the EU, that government seeks to get the best possible post EU deal for the country and Southampton and that Parliament should not seek to frustrate efforts by the Government to achieve this or to bind its hands in that negotiation.”
Add new third paragraph: “Further, Council notes the concerns that have been raised by ABP in relation to EU Port Services Regulations, which it has argued will undermine investment in UK ports and urges the Government to ensure that this is given proper consideration in its negotiations with the EU.”
Amended motion to read:
This Council believes that a key principle underpinning the Brexit negotiations and agreement should be the achievement and maintenance of a strong and stable national economy because this supports the growth and development of local economies such as Southampton, ensuring our residents have the best outcomes in terms of employment opportunities, disposable incomes and access to reliable public services. It will intrinsically affect major employers in the City such as the University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust, our two Universities and ABP.
This Council asks that the Leader of the Council write to the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union expressing Council's view that the democratic decision of the British people in the June referendum should be respected by the Government and Parliament, that Government should trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty by the Spring of 2017, signalling the start of the process of withdrawing from the EU, that government seeks to get the best possible post EU deal for the country and Southampton and that Parliament should not seek to frustrate efforts by the Government to achieve this or to bind its hands in that negotiation.
Further, Council notes the concerns that have been raised by ABP in relation to EU Port Services Regulations, which it has argued will undermine investment in UK ports and urges the Government to ensure that this is given proper consideration in its negotiations with the EU.
UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE AMENDMENT IN THE NAME OF COUNCILLOR MOULTON WAS DECLARED LOST.
UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE MOTION WAS DECLARED CARRIED.
RESOLVED that the motion be approved
(d) State of City
Councillor Fitzhenry moved and Councillor Fuller seconded
Council calls on the Executive to quickly implement an action plan to address the falling standards of our City's appearance and reinvigorate the energy to deliver our City's long term ambitions to be the cultural and economic powerhouse on the south coast.
Continually residents, visitors and businesses are complaining about the appalling state of our city centre car parks, the lack of enforcement and growing problem of begging, the dreadful state of our broken pavements and the filthy state of our streets, green spaces and parks.
Council urges the Executive to take action now to ensure our ambitions as a City are supported by real commitment of this Authority.
UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE MOTION WAS DECLARED LOST.
RESOLVED that the motion be rejected.
(e) Council approach to Customer Services
Councillor Moulton moved and Councillor Fitzhenry seconded
Full Council expresses its concern about the way the City Council ?is making it extremely difficult for residents of Southampton to get in contact. Council regrets the fact that the current approach seeks to force rather than encourage residents to use online services and that inadequate provision is made for those without computer skills or for those who have queries which do not fit the prescriptive online processes. Full Council calls on the Executive to urgently review its approach to customer services and to ensure that the needs of all Southampton residents are catered for.
Amendment moved by Councillor Hammond and seconded by Councillor Payne.
First line – delete “expresses its concern” and replace with “recognises the concern” delete “the City Council is making it extremely” and replace with “it is felt by some it has become”
Second line – insert after “to get in contact”, “with the City Council”
Second Line – Delete “Council regrets the fact that the current approach seeks to force rather than encourage residents to use online services and that inadequate provision is made for those without computer skills or for those who have queries which do not fit the prescriptive online processes”
Replace with “Council accepts that although no existing contact channels have been switched off, a number of residents have struggled with the new IVR system when using the telephone”.
Sixth line – after “urgently” delete “review its approach to customer services” and replace with “conduct a full review on telephone customer interaction”.
Amended motion to read:
Full Council recognises the concern about the way it is felt by some, that it has become difficult for residents of Southampton to get in contact with the City Council. Council accepts that although no existing contact channels have been switched off, a number of residents have struggled with the new IVR system when using the telephone. Full Council calls on the Executive to urgently conduct a full review on telephone customer interaction and to ensure that the needs of all Southampton residents are catered for.
UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE AMENDMENT IN THE NAME OF COUNCILLOR HAMMOND WAS CARRIED.
RESOLVED that the amended motion be approved.