Agenda item

(a)  Moved by Councillor Blackman

 

This Council notes:

Southampton City Council is facing significant financial challenges, including rising costs, reduced government funding, and increasing demand for local services. As a result, it is essential that the Council make cost-effective investments to reduce operating costs, generate revenue, and improve long-term financial stability. The Council also recognizes the urgent need to address climate change by reducing carbon emissions, in line with the UK’s legally binding commitment to Net Zero by 2050.

One of our neighbouring councils, Portsmouth, gave the green light to a scheme in August 2023 to install over 7,000 solar panels over car parks in Portsmouth, plus provision for electric car charging. This project will not only help to meet environmental objectives but will also provide financial savings and new revenue streams from the sale of renewable energy.

This Council believes:

Investing in solar panels on council-owned car parks is a smart financial decision that can help Southampton reduce costs, generate additional income, and strengthen the city’s financial resilience. By following the example of Portsmouth, Southampton can demonstrate leadership in both environmental sustainability and sound financial management. Installing solar panels will not only help meet the city’s climate goals but also offer long-term savings, helping to alleviate some of the financial pressures facing the Council. It will also complement the Council's Climate Change and Green Infrastructure Strategies.

This Council resolves to:

1. Conduct a feasibility study on the installation of solar panels on council-owned car parks across Southampton, including key locations such as city centre car parks.
2. Assess the potential financial benefits of this investment, including savings on energy bills, income from selling surplus energy to the grid, and opportunities for securing external funding or green investment.
3. To explore the possibility of including electric vehicle (EV) charging points alongside the solar panels, creating a comprehensive green infrastructure and providing additional revenue streams.

To bring a report back to the Council within six months outlining the findings of the feasibility study, including a financial analysis, environmental benefits, and a plan for the phased installation of solar panels across council-owned car

 

 

 

 

 

(b)  Moved by Councillor P Baillie

 

“As Corporate Parents, Southampton City Council believes that our children in care should be given every chance to succeed.

 

Presently, children stop being in care when they reach the age of 18, even if they’re still living with their foster family. There is no minimum allowance paid to carers when the young person is old enough to leave foster care.

 

For most young people, they turn 18 during the academic year and the lack of an allowance may then lead some carers to stop caring for our young people, who are often then moved into alternative accommodation. This is a major upheaval during a very important time of their lives – a time where their full focus should be on their studies, rather than their living situation.

 

Rather than it stopping based on when the young person turns 18, which could be at any point during the academic year, we want to see the fostering allowance paid to carers extended until the end of the Academic Year (31 August). This will allow greater stability for our looked after children and allow time for job hunting or pre-University preparation. This Councils asks that the Leader of Southampton City Council lobbies our local MPs and Government on this matter in order for this negative anomaly to be changed.”

 

(c) Moved by Councillor Galton

 

Council acknowledges the alarming performance of blue badge processing for both new applications and renewals. This saw a back log of 2074 open applications in June with 342 of these exceeding a 12 week process.

 

Despite improving in recent months, it is still far below what an inclusive and accessible City should be delivering for some of its most vulnerable residents; with around 1800 open cases and over 100 of these still exceeding a 12 week period.

 

In 2022 our scrutiny panel inquiry, Accessible Southampton, made this valid point: “Accessibility is key to inclusive cities. By tackling barriers and building inclusive cities it can enable disabled people, and those with access issues, to access services and contribute fully to public life.”

 

Council accepts:

 

• There can be no greater accessibility barrier than a Council that doesn’t answer it’s phones and emails or respond to a renewal or new blue badge application.
• A blue badge is a lifeline and offers both physical and mental well-being benefits.
• On top of the benefits to the person living with a disability, an accessible City also sees the benefits of the “purple pound” supporting its economic sustainability & growth.
• The failure to either answer a phone, or reply/process an application in a timely manner has seen a significant increase in visits to Gateway for progress updates – this is causing unnecessary distress, failing to deliver a statutory service in a timely manner and costing the Council more in time and money.
• The negative impact of Service Centre staff restructuring in April, that reduced the number of people available to process applications and saw the subsequent loss of knowledge and capacity to be able to process applications in a timely manner.

 

 

As such, Council calls on the executive:

·  to immediately prioritise and put in place temporary additional resources to clear the back log of applications.

·  to establish and then provide the permanent resources needed to maintain an adequate and timely blue badge processing service.

·  To recognise that adopting the mindset that every valid blue badge application is an urgent application is the best way to ensure we remain an accessible City, welcoming and caring for our most vulnerable.

 

(d)  Moved by Councillor McManus

 This Council notes that White Ribbon Day 2024 was observed on 25th November and runs until December 10^th.

 

We acknowledge the significance of this period in raising awareness about men’s violence against women and girls, and the importance of prioritising Primary Prevention to stop violence from happening in the first place.

 

We recognise the ongoing need to address and prevent violence against women and girls, and the need to engage men and boys throughout society. This includes in education, in workplaces, communities and online.

 

We acknowledge the critical role that we, as decision makers, play in shaping and implementing policies that prioritise preventing violence against women and girls and helping to create a more equal society where all individuals, regardless of gender, can live freely without the fear of violence.

 

The White Ribbon Campaign’s mission is to raise awareness about men's violence against women and girls and encourage men to take action to end it.

 

This Council encourages all members to support the campaign by undertaking at least one of the following actions:

• Wearing a white ribbon: A symbol of opposition to violence against women 
• Making the White Ribbon Promise: A commitment to never use, excuse, or remain silent about men's violence against women and girls 
• Calling out inappropriate language: Using gender neutral language and calling out sexist "banter" 
• Signing people to services: When appropriate, knowing how to signpost people to services 
• Saving the Domestic Abuse Helpline: Keeping the number in your phone and sign posting to it when needed 
• Sharing White Ribbon UK's posts: Using social media to share their posts with your followers 
• Becoming a White Ribbon UK Ambassador or Champion: Male volunteers who engage with other men and boys to call out abusive and sexist behaviour 
• Challenging misogyny and sexism: Taking action to challenge misogyny and sexism in the attitudes and behaviours that you witness 

 

 

 

(a)  Motion in the name of Councillor Blackman

 

This Council notes:

Southampton City Council is facing significant financial challenges, including rising costs, reduced government funding, and increasing demand for local services. As a result, it is essential that the Council make cost-effective investments to reduce operating costs, generate revenue, and improve long-term financial stability. The Council also recognizes the urgent need to address climate change by reducing carbon emissions, in line with the UK’s legally binding commitment to Net Zero by 2050.

One of our neighbouring councils, Portsmouth, gave the green light to a scheme in August 2023 to install over 7,000 solar panels over car parks in Portsmouth, plus provision for electric car charging. This project will not only help to meet environmental objectives but will also provide financial savings and new revenue streams from the sale of renewable energy.

This Council believes:

Investing in solar panels on council-owned car parks is a smart financial decision that can help Southampton reduce costs, generate additional income, and strengthen the city’s financial resilience. By following the example of Portsmouth, Southampton can demonstrate leadership in both environmental sustainability and sound financial management. Installing solar panels will not only help meet the city’s climate goals but also offer long-term savings, helping to alleviate some of the financial pressures facing the Council. It will also complement the Council's Climate Change and Green Infrastructure Strategies.

This Council resolves to:

1. Conduct a feasibility study on the installation of solar panels on council-owned car parks across Southampton, including key locations such as city centre car parks.
2. Assess the potential financial benefits of this investment, including savings on energy bills, income from selling surplus energy to the grid, and opportunities for securing external funding or green investment.
3. To explore the possibility of including electric vehicle (EV) charging points alongside the solar panels, creating a comprehensive green infrastructure and providing additional revenue streams.
4. To bring a report back to the Council within six months outlining the findings of the feasibility study, including a financial analysis, environmental benefits, and a plan for the phased installation of solar panels across council-owned car parks.

 

 

 

 

 

An Agreed Revised Motion was tabled at the meeting in the names of Councillor Blackman and Councillor Keogh.

Revised Motion moved by Councillor Blackman and seconded by Councillor Keogh

This Council notes:

 

Southampton City Council is facing significant financial challenges, including rising costs, reduced government funding, and increasing demand for local services. As a result, it is essential that the Council make cost-effective investments to reduce operating costs, generate revenue, and improve long-term financial stability.

 

The Council also recognizes the urgent need to address climate change by reducing carbon emissions, and approved the Corporate Assets Decarbonisation Scheme, phase 2 in 2023. This scheme will deliver energy efficiency and renewable energy measures that have a positive return on investment, as well as delivering CO2e savings required to meet the Council’s ambitions to be net zero by 2030 and the city by 2035, in line with the UK’s legally binding commitment to Net Zero by 2050.

 

One of our neighbouring councils, Portsmouth, gave the green light to a scheme in August 2023 to install over 7,000 solar panels on car parking at its council owned business park in the north of the city of Portsmouth, plus provision for electric car charging. This project will not only help to meet environmental objectives but will also provide financial savings and new revenue streams from the sale of renewable energy for Portsmouth City Council.

 

That Southampton City Council has entered into a strategic partnership agreement with Portsmouth city council to develop our programme for installing solar panel across the city.

 

That we currently have EV charging points in many of our car parks and identified funding to support the roll out of over 500 EV on street charging points.

 

This Council believes:

 

Investing in solar panels on suitable council owned assets mayhelp Southampton reduce costs, generate additional income, and strengthen the city’s financial resilience and help meet the city’s climate goals outlined in the Council's Green City Plan

 

This Council resolves to:

 

Continue the current work which is investigating installation of solar panels on our high-rise car parks

 

Assess the financial costs and benefits and feasibility of this investment, including savings on energy bills, income from selling surplus energy to the grid, and opportunities for securing external funding or green investment.

 

To explore the possibility of including more electric vehicle (EV) charging points in council-owned car parks and on street charging points alongside the solar panels, creating a comprehensive green infrastructure and providing additional revenue streams.

 

To submit an annual report to OSMC detailing a review of our progress at a time of their choosing.

 

UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE MOTION IN THE NAME OF COUNCILLOR BLACKMAN WAS DECLARED CARRIED,

RESOLVED: that the motion be approved.

 

(b)  Moved by Councillor P Baillie and seconded by Councillor Winning

“As Corporate Parents, Southampton City Council believes that our children in care should be given every chance to succeed.

 

Presently, children stop being in care when they reach the age of 18, even if they’re still living with their foster family. There is no minimum allowance paid to carers when the young person is old enough to leave foster care.

 

For most young people, they turn 18 during the academic year and the lack of an allowance may then lead some carers to stop caring for our young people, who are often then moved into alternative accommodation. This is a major upheaval during a very important time of their lives – a time where their full focus should be on their studies, rather than their living situation.

 

Rather than it stopping based on when the young person turns 18, which could be at any point during the academic year, we want to see the fostering allowance paid to carers extended until the end of the Academic Year (31 August). This will allow greater stability for our looked after children and allow time for job hunting or pre-University preparation. This Councils asks that the Leader of Southampton City Council lobbies our local MPs and Government on this matter in order for this negative anomaly to be changed.”

 

UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE MOTION IN THE NAME OF COUNCILLOR P BAILLIE WAS DECLARED CARRIED,

RESOLVED: that the motion be approved.

 

(c)  Moved by Councillor Galton and seconded by Councillor Laurent

Council acknowledges the alarming performance of blue badge processing for both new applications and renewals. This saw a back log of 2074 open applications in June with 342 of these exceeding a 12 week process.

 

Despite improving in recent months, it is still far below what an inclusive and accessible City should be delivering for some of its most vulnerable residents; with around 1800 open cases and over 100 of these still exceeding a 12 week period.

 

In 2022 our scrutiny panel inquiry, Accessible Southampton, made this valid point: “Accessibility is key to inclusive cities. By tackling barriers and building inclusive cities it can enable disabled people, and those with access issues, to access services and contribute fully to public life.”

 

 

 

 

Council accepts:

 

• There can be no greater accessibility barrier than a Council that doesn’t answer it’s phones and emails or respond to a renewal or new blue badge application.
• A blue badge is a lifeline and offers both physical and mental well-being benefits.
• On top of the benefits to the person living with a disability, an accessible City also sees the benefits of the “purple pound” supporting its economic sustainability & growth.
• The failure to either answer a phone, or reply/process an application in a timely manner has seen a significant increase in visits to Gateway for progress updates – this is causing unnecessary distress, failing to deliver a statutory service in a timely manner and costing the Council more in time and money.
• The negative impact of Service Centre staff restructuring in April, that reduced the number of people available to process applications and saw the subsequent loss of knowledge and capacity to be able to process applications in a timely manner.

 As such, Council calls on the executive:

·  to immediately prioritise and put in place temporary additional resources to clear the back log of applications.

·  to establish and then provide the permanent resources needed to maintain an adequate and timely blue badge processing service.

·  To recognise that adopting the mindset that every valid blue badge application is an urgent application is the best way to ensure we remain an accessible City, welcoming and caring for our most vulnerable.

 

Amendment moved by Councillor Letts and seconded by Councillor Finn

1^st Paragraph, 1^st sentence after the remove “alarming”. 2^nd sentence after renewals insert “which have exceeded the 12-week target. In June 342 of 2074”, delete “This saw a back log of 2074, after applications” delete “in June with 342 of these exceeding a” insert “had not been processed within”, 3^rd sentence after “week” insert “s” and delete”process”

 

2^nd Paragraph delete paragraph and insert “Council recognises that changes have been made to the administration which has led to a reduction the number of people waiting over 12 weeks to 100”.

 

Insert new Paragraph 3 “Council acknowledges that all Blue Badge renewals and applications should be processed within 12 weeks of receipt”

 

3^rd Paragraph, delete 1^st, 4^th and 5^th bullet points and replace with

• A failure to process blue badge applications in a timely manner may cause distress to applicants
• The redesign of the Service Centre has led to temporary delay in processing blue badge applications

3^rd Paragraph insert new bullet point 6

 

• Processing blue badge applications is a priority for Southampton City Council and changes have been made to clear the back log of applications and ensure future applications are processed in a timely manner.

4^th Paragraph after “As such, Council delete “calls on the executive and replace with “agrees ”delete 1^st and 2^nd bullet point and replace with

• To continue the three-month extension of blue badges until the backlog has been cleared
• To always keep under review the resources allocated within the customer service team and process in place to administrate the scheme.

 

 

Amended Motion to read:

 

Council acknowledges the performance of blue badge processing for both new applications and renewals which have exceeded the 12-week target. In June 342 of 2074 open applications had not been processed within 12-weeks.

 

Council recognises that changes have been made to the administration which has led to a reduction the number of people waiting over 12 weeks to 100.

 

Council acknowledges that all Blue Badge renewals and applications should be processed within 12 weeks of receipt.

 

In 2022 our scrutiny panel inquiry, Accessible Southampton, made this valid point: “Accessibility is key to inclusive cities. By tackling barriers and building inclusive cities it can enable disabled people, and those with access issues, to access services and contribute fully to public life.”

 

Council accepts:

 

• A blue badge is a lifeline and offers both physical and mental well-being benefits.

• On top of the benefits to the person living with a disability, an accessible City also sees the benefits of the “purple pound” supporting its economic sustainability & growth.
• A failure to process blue badge applications in a timely manner may cause distress to applicants
• The redesign of the Service Centre has led to temporary delay in processing blue badge applications 
• Processing blue badge applications is a priority for Southampton City Council and changes have been made put in placeto clear the back log of applications and ensure future applications are processed in a timely manner.

 

As such, Council agrees  

 

• To continue the three-month extension of blue badges until the backlog has been cleared

 

• To always keep under review the resources allocated within the customer service team and process in place to administrate the scheme.

 

• To recognise that adopting the mindset that every valid blue badge application is an urgent application is the best way to ensure we remain an accessible City, welcoming and caring for our most vulnerable.

 

UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE AMENDMENT IN THE NAME OF COUNCILLOR LETTS WAS DECLARED CARRIED.

UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE SUBSTANTIVE MOTION IN THE NAME OF COUNCILLOR LETTS WAS DECLARED CARRIED.

RESOLVED: that the amended motion be approved.

 

(d)  Moved by Councillor McManus and seconded by Councillor Greenhalgh

This Council notes that White Ribbon Day 2024 was observed on 25th November and runs until December 10^th.

 

We acknowledge the significance of this period in raising awareness about men’s violence against women and girls, and the importance of prioritising Primary Prevention to stop violence from happening in the first place.

 

We recognise the ongoing need to address and prevent violence against women and girls, and the need to engage men and boys throughout society. This includes in education, in workplaces, communities and online.

 

We acknowledge the critical role that we, as decision makers, play in shaping and implementing policies that prioritise preventing violence against women and girls and helping to create a more equal society where all individuals, regardless of gender, can live freely without the fear of violence.

 

The White Ribbon Campaign’s mission is to raise awareness about men's violence against women and girls and encourage men to take action to end it.

 

This Council encourages all members to support the campaign by undertaking at least one of the following actions:

• Wearing a white ribbon: A symbol of opposition to violence against women 
• Making the White Ribbon Promise: A commitment to never use, excuse, or remain silent about men's violence against women and girls 
• Calling out inappropriate language: Using gender neutral language and calling out sexist "banter" 
• Signing people to services: When appropriate, knowing how to signpost people to services 
• Saving the Domestic Abuse Helpline: Keeping the number in your phone and sign posting to it when needed 
• Sharing White Ribbon UK's posts: Using social media to share their posts with your followers 
• Becoming a White Ribbon UK Ambassador or Champion: Male volunteers who engage with other men and boys to call out abusive and sexist behaviour 
• Challenging misogyny and sexism: Taking action to challenge misogyny and sexism in the attitudes and behaviours that you witness 

 

 

UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE MOTION IN THE NAME OF COUNCILLOR MCMANUS WAS DECLARED CARRIED,

RESOLVED: that the motion be approved.