Agenda and minutes

Councillor Eunice Campbell-Clark (personal)

Councillor Sue Johnson (personal)

Councillor Toby Neal (work commitments)

None

None

Councillor Pavlos Kotsonis presented a petition on behalf of the residents of Ingham Grove, Lenton regarding new parking restrictions.

The minutes of the meeting held on 5 October 2020 were confirmed as an accurate record and signed by the Chair.

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None

Schools

Councillor Kevin Clarke asked the following question of the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Schools and Communications:

As we watch with some concern the rapidly growing pandemic numbers and the implementation of a second lockdown we also note that, unlike with the first lockdown, schools are to remain open at least for the immediate future.  While we do not underestimate the risks associated with Covid-19, we believe it is imperative that schools remain open, with a September report by the National Foundation for Educational Research stating that disadvantaged pupils were disproportionately negatively affected by not being in school.  With the National Education Union now vocally calling for schools to be included in the lockdown plans, can the Portfolio Holder outline where Nottingham City Council currently falls on the debate?

Councillor David Mellen replied as follows:

Thank you Lord Mayor and can I thank Councillor Clarke for his question.  The premise of this question is not wholly accurate.  All schools in the City did remain open for children of key workers and vulnerable pupils during the first lockdown and this has enabled schools to develop, refine and learn how best to ensure that risks are minimised and that all children and young people can benefit from physical attendance in school since September.  Equally Lord Mayor, I am pleased to report to Council today that we have now seen three weeks of reducing numbers of positive cases in the City and we now no longer have the highest level of infection, even in Nottinghamshire.  I hope that that continues. 

Councillor Clarke is correct that non-attendance will disproportionately affect disadvantaged pupils, which is why the local authority and school leaders have worked so hard to ensure that risk assessments, appropriate cleaning and hygiene practices, support for swift testing measures, social distancing and the use of face coverings as appropriate are all in place in order to keep schools open.  Throughout the lockdown there has been regular and increased engagement with all recognised trade unions on the measures that have been implemented to keep schools open for pupils.  All of the trade unions also recognise that the impact on disadvantaged pupils of school closures is detrimental.  That is why they all support our view that Government needs to adequately resource school budgets to enable supply teaching cover to be made available, resource access to digital equipment and ensure access to digital connectivity for pupils is provided and ensure that children and young people are not left hungry when out of school.  The local authority has ensured that it is responding to the genuine concerns raised by trade unions regarding the opening of schools and has consistently prioritised the support of all relevant local authority services, for example the Education Directorate, Public Health, Children’s Services, Catering, Community Protection and Transport Strategy to ensure that children, young people, parents and carers and teaching and support staff can be confident in continuing to access schools across the City.

Covid-19 Regulations

Councillor Kevin Clarke asked the following question  ...  view the full minutes text for item 47.

Report of the Lord Mayor and Chair of Council

The Lord Mayor and Chair of Council presented the report proposing establishment of a Governance Improvement Board, as a committee of Council to support delivery of the Action Plan agreed in response to the Report in the Public Interest on Nottingham City Council’s governance arrangements for Robin Hood Energy.  The report also proposed amendments to the Action Plan and was seconded by the Leader of the Council.

Resolved to:

1)  approve the revised Action Plan, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report;

2)  establish the Nottingham City Governance Improvement Board as a formal committee of Council to support delivery of the Action Plan and other improvement work with the terms of reference as set out in Appendix 2 (Revised) to the report;

3)  appoint the membership, substitutes and chair for the Nottingham City Governance Improvement Board as set out in Appendix 3 to the report; and

4)  note minor revisions to the roles of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Audit Committee in relation to monitoring of the Action Plan as set out in paragraphs 5.6 and 5.7 of the report.

Report of the Leader of the Council

The Leader of the Council presented the report detailing urgent decisions that Council is required to note, which have been taken under provisions within the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules and Access to Information Rules:

Resolved to note the urgent decisions (exempt from call in):

Motion in the name of Councillor Cheryl Barnard:

This Council notes with alarm that the number of children living in poverty in the UK has risen from 2.6 million in 2009/10 to 4.2 million in 2018/19. In Nottingham, 34.6 % of children live in poverty.

This Council notes that over the last decades, political decisions have driven the increase in child poverty, as austerity has hit the poorest hardest.  Many children living in poverty are in working households, where insecure work, stagnant wages and insufficient pay is creating a growing crisis of in work poverty. Many Nottingham households have been pushed below the breadline by changes to welfare, which should act as a safety net, but is failing many Nottingham families, and cuts to vital public services.

This Council notes that the Covid pandemic is worsening the divides of poverty, and notes with great concern that this Government voted against providing Nottingham children with money to support food during the October holidays, in spite of the well documented challenges created by the Covid pandemic. Free school meals benefit around 11,500 Nottingham children (excluding Key Stage 1 pupils); this Council believes that these children have been let down by this Government.

This Council notes the work already underway in Nottingham to reduce child poverty; from our commitments to increase the number of children attending good or outstanding schools, to the work of Small Steps Big Changes and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. It also notes the motion on holiday hunger and food poverty brought to Full Council in 2019 and the work that has already been undertaken both by the Council and the voluntary sector to support those without sufficient food. Both within the Council and across our schools, voluntary organisations and the community, Nottingham people are committed to improving the lives of Nottingham children.

This Council notes and thanks all those in Nottingham working to end child poverty.

This Council believes that the time is now to end child poverty in our City.

The Council therefore resolves to:

·  continue to support Marcus Rashford’s campaign to #endchildfoodpovertynow

·  work with supermarkets to develop a voucher scheme that Nottingham people can donate to in order toensure that no Nottingham child need go hungry this Christmas

·  continue to work towards eradicating holiday hunger, supporting school holiday lunch clubs in our most deprived neighbourhoods

·  continue to develop our resources which connect Nottingham people with food available in the community

·  support local foodbanks and projects, distributing funding where it is needed most and using our resources to promote these projects

·  campaign to extend free school meals to all primary school children by 2025

·  provide a free book every month from birth to 5 years for 10,000 Nottingham children

·  work with the voluntary sector to ensure that welfare rights advice is available in all areas of the City

·  be the voice of Nottingham children and stand up for Nottingham families

·  create an action plan to end Child Poverty in Nottingham and report back  ...  view the full agenda text for item 50.

Motion proposed by Councillor Cheryl Barnard, and seconded by Councillor Rebecca Langton:

This Council notes with alarm that the number of children living in poverty in the UK has risen from 2.6 million in 2009/10 to 4.2 million in 2018/19. In Nottingham, 34.6 % of children live in poverty.

This Council notes that over the last decades, political decisions have driven the increase in child poverty, as austerity has hit the poorest hardest.  Many children living in poverty are in working households, where insecure work, stagnant wages and insufficient pay is creating a growing crisis of in work poverty. Many Nottingham households have been pushed below the breadline by changes to welfare, which should act as a safety net, but is failing many Nottingham families, and cuts to vital public services.

This Council notes that the Covid pandemic is worsening the divides of poverty, and notes with great concern that this Government voted against providing Nottingham children with money to support food during the October holidays, in spite of the well documented challenges created by the Covid pandemic. Free school meals benefit around 11,500 Nottingham children (excluding Key Stage 1 pupils); this Council believes that these children have been let down by this Government.

This Council notes the work already underway in Nottingham to reduce child poverty; from our commitments to increase the number of children attending good or outstanding schools, to the work of Small Steps Big Changes and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. It also notes the motion on holiday hunger and food poverty brought to Full Council in 2019 and the work that has already been undertaken both by the Council and the voluntary sector to support those without sufficient food. Both within the Council and across our schools, voluntary organisations and the community, Nottingham people are committed to improving the lives of Nottingham children.

This Council notes and thanks all those in Nottingham working to end child poverty.

This Council believes that the time is now to end child poverty in our City.

The Council therefore resolves to:

·  continue to support Marcus Rashford’s campaign to #endchildfoodpovertynow

·  work with supermarkets to develop a voucher scheme that Nottingham people can donate to in order toensure that no Nottingham child need go hungry this Christmas

·  continue to work towards eradicating holiday hunger, supporting school holiday lunch clubs in our most deprived neighbourhoods

·  continue to develop our resources which connect Nottingham people with food available in the community

·  support local foodbanks and projects, distributing funding where it is needed most and using our resources to promote these projects

·  campaign to extend free school meals to all primary school children by 2025

·  provide a free book every month from birth to 5 years for 10,000 Nottingham children

·  work with the voluntary sector to ensure that welfare rights advice is available in all areas of the City

·  be the voice of Nottingham children and stand up for Nottingham families

·  create an action plan to end Child Poverty in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50.

To note that Councillor Maria Joannou has resigned as a member of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The following committee membership change was noted:

1)  Councillor Maria Joannou has resigned as a member of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee