Agenda and minutes

COUNCIL RESOLVED          -           That the minutes of the meeting held on 20 July

2017 be approved.

(announcements may be made by the Mayor, Leader of the Council or the Chief Executive)

(A)       The National Learning Disabilities and Autism Awards

The Mayor announced that the Council had been successful at the recent National Learning Disabilities and Autism Awards. The awards celebrate excellence in the support for people with learning disabilities and autism and aims to pay tribute to those individuals or organisation who excel in providing high quality care. Gateshead Council’s Adult Social Care Provider service was successful and was won by New Vision, a user led enterprise, who won the ‘Breaking Down Barriers’ award. The judges expressed that New Vision shone through as an organisation that has vision, creativity and passion.

In recognition of this achievement the Mayor presented representatives from New Vision with the award for ‘Breaking Down Barriers’.

(B)       The Regional Energy Efficiency and Healthy Homes Awards

The Mayor announced that at the recent Regional Energy Efficiency and Healthy Homes Awards the Council’s Energy Services team was successful in being named the Council of the Year. The Award recognises the Council’s many achievements over recent years in this field, including; 56% of homes are now classed as energy efficient, compared to only 14% a decade ago. Gateshead has made the largest investment in energy efficiency and generation schemes in the region through schemes like Warm Up North and the District Energy Scheme. This year, the Council itself has reached its target of cutting its own carbon emissions by 35% since 2007/08.  The judges commented that they were impressed to see independent evidence that confirmed Gateshead’s leading position.

In recognition of this achievement the Mayor presented representatives from the Council’s Energy Services team with the award for the ‘Council of the Year’.

Richard Evans, Director of Beamish Museum, attended the meeting and gave a presentation on the background of the museum, the social interaction work undertaken with local groups and the future plans for development of the museum.

(to receive petitions submitted under Council Procedure Rule 10)

There were no petitions submitted.

(to consider any questions submitted under Council Procedure Rule 7)

There were no questions submitted by members of the public.

Consideration was given to a report seeking approval of the establishment of a Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the appointment of three councillors to the Committee.

COUNCIL RESOLVED          -           That the three representatives appointed to the

Joint Committee are Councillor Mary Foy, Councillor Lynne Caffrey and Councillor Peter Maughan.

Consideration was given to a report seeking approval of the appointment of an Independent Person for standards of conduct issues affecting Council and Parish Council Members and three Independent Members to the Audit and Standards Committee.

COUNCIL RESOLVED          -           (i)         That the re-appointment of Anthony

Atkinson as the Independent Person for standards of conduct issues for a further period of four years be approved.

                                                            (ii)        That the re-appointment of Bryn Jones

and George Clark as Independent Members of the Audit and Standards Committee for a further period of four years and the appointment of Stuart Bell to the other Independent Member position for the same period be approved.

Report of the Strategic Director, Corporate Resources

Consideration was given to the annual report of the Audit and Standards Committee for 2016/17.

COUNCIL RESOLVED          -           That the annual report of the Audit and

Standards Committee for 2016/17 be approved.

Report of the Strategic Director, Communities and Environment

Consideration was given to a report seeking approval of the introduction of a charge for undertaking Food Hygiene Rating Scheme re-rating visits.

COUNCIL RESOLVED          -           (i)         That the implementation of a charge of

£160 for undertaking an FHRS re-rating be approved.

(ii)        That the charge be reviewed in 12

months.

Report of the Strategic Director, Communities and Environment

Consideration was given to a report seeking approval for a consultation on the introduction of a Dog Control Order to be carried out.

COUNCIL RESOLVED          -           (i)         To consult for a period of six weeks on

the introduction of a Dog Control Order, subject to exemptions as appropriate for assistance dogs.

                                                            (ii)        That the Order be adopted the Order,

subject to no representation being received within the consultation period.

                                                            (iii)       That a further report be presented to

Cabinet and Council, in the event that objections to the proposed Order are received.

The Leader of the Council reported on a number of key issues currently affecting the Council.

Councillor M Foy moved the following motion:

“The Council welcomes the Government’s Tobacco Control Plan for England, “Towards a Smokefree Generation” published in July 2017. Its ultimate aim of a smoking prevalence of 5% is worthy and the Plan should be commended for promoting comprehensive tobacco control strategies. It calls for a shift in emphasis from national to local action in order to achieve its aims. However, there are gaps and the Plan comes at a time when Councils and the NHS face difficult funding challenges.

Since the launch of Fresh in 2005, Gateshead has been at the forefront of local comprehensive tobacco control and through an Alliance of passionate people has done much to reduce tobacco harm. This approach led Gateshead to sign up in 2014 to a commitment to reach 5% smoking prevalence by 2025 – an ambition which makes the Tobacco Plan aim of 12% prevalence by 2022 appear unambitious.

In Gateshead, 17.9% (around 29,000 of our adult population) still smoke. The Council recognises that this remains the greatest single cause of preventable death. It underlies suffering from diseases and disability, and is a key determinant of inequalities. The cost to the NHS in Gateshead of treating diseases arising from smoking is £9.92 million pounds per year. One Gateshead resident dies every 20 hours as a result of tobacco dependence.

This Council urgently calls on the Government to consider how best to support local momentum and build on the achievements of the past ten years by:

·         ensuring that tobacco companies pay for the harm they cause through the introduction of a levy on the ‘polluter pays’ principle which can fund action to reduce tobacco harm

·         introduce a national licensing scheme to help eliminate the illegal trade in illicit tobacco and strengthen action on the sale of tobacco to children

Additionally, the Council commits to undertake a “Year of Action” to highlight the harms arising from tobacco use and what’s happening in Gateshead to counteract them.”

On the motion being put it was declared to be carried.

Councillor M Foy moved the following motion:

“The Council recognises the impact that mental health issues have on residents and employers in Gateshead. Mental illness brings with it costs not only to individuals and their families, but also to society as a whole with the costs of mental ill health to the economy in England estimated at £105 billion.

Mental health is an issue Gateshead Council can’t afford to ignore; just over 27% of staff absences were related to Stress Anxiety and Depression from April 2016 to 31 March 2017.

Looking after the mental health of your employees makes business sense and tackling stigma can make a real difference to; sickness absence rates, presenteeism levels, staff wellbeing and productivity, and retention. Time to Change https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/ gives a framework to tackle stigma with the employer signing a pledge and developing a Seven Point action plan. Since signing the Employer Pledge, 95% of employers said it had a positive impact on their organisation.

The Council notes the potential health benefits to its residents and employees from engaging with Time to Change and recognises the support they will provide to develop an action plan and over the first year to get our workforce talking about mental health.

The Council commit to normalising the conversation about mental health in the workplace and additionally the Council commits to sign a Time To Change pledge, marking the commitment with a public signing of the pledge at an event at St James’s Park, Newcastle on 09 October 2017.”

On the motion being put it was declared to be carried.

Councillor S Craig moved the following motion (altered in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12.2):

“Gateshead Council notes that the Eve Trew School of Dance celebrates its 60^th Anniversary this month.

Countless thousands of Gateshead children and generations of families have benefitted from the School’s work since it began in 1957.

The Eve Trew School of Dance has and continues to make significant contributions to the cultural and artistic life of the borough and is an institution of which we are all rightly proud.

We hereby record our congratulations on this marvellous achievement to Eve Trew School and all those who have worked with them for the past 60 years.”

On the motion being put it was declared to be carried.

(to deal with any questions submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 8.1)

There were no questions submitted.