Agenda item

Motion to Support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill

Proposed by Mr Paul Stepto and Seconded by Mr Steve Campkin

 

Background Information – supplied by the Green & Independent Group

Humans have already caused irreversible climate change, the impacts of which are being felt in the UK and around the world. Global temperatures have increased by 1 degree Celsius from pre-industrial levels. Atmospheric CO₂ levels are above 400 parts per million (ppm) and continue to rise. This far exceeds the 350 ppm deemed to be a safe level for humanity. The current UK target of net zero by 2050 is not satisfactory because the damage already done will be irreversible.

 

Without more significant and sustained action, the world is set to exceed the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C limit between 2030 and 2040.The increase in harm caused by a rise of 2°C rather than 1.5°C is significant. This is described by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C published in October 2018. According to the IPCC, limiting heating to 1.5°C may still be possible with ambitious action from national and sub-national authorities, civil society, the private sector and local communities. The costs of failing to address this crisis will far outstrip the investments required to prevent it. Investing now will bring many benefits in the form of good jobs, breathable air in cities and thriving communities.

 

The Council is asked to take into account that;

 

1.    This council has recognised the UK climate emergency;

2.    There is a Bill before Parliament—the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill (published as the “Climate and Ecology Bill”)—according to which the Government must develop an emergency strategy that:

a.    requires that the UK plays its fair and proper role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions consistent with limiting global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees C above pre-industrial temperatures;

b.    ensures that all the UK’s consumption emissions are accounted for;

c.    includes emissions from aviation and shipping;

d.    protects and restores biodiverse habitats along overseas supply chains;

e.    restores and regenerates the UK’s depleted soils, wildlife habitats and species populations to healthy and robust states, maximising their capacity to absorb CO₂ and their resistance to climate heating;

f.     sets up an independent Citizens’ Assembly, representative of the UK’s population, to engage with Parliament and Government and help develop the emergency strategy.

3.    118 Councils have passed motions in support of the CEE Bill.

 

Motion

Kent County Council shows itssupport for the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill by requesting that the Cabinet Member for Environment;

 

1.    Promotes this council’s support of the Bill to the CEE Bill Alliance, the organisers of the campaign for the Bill, as well as to the local media.

2.    Writes to Kent MPs, asking them to show support for the Bill.

 

 

 

Motion to Support our Kent Carers

 

Proposed by Mrs Kelly Grehan and seconded by Mrs Jackie Meade

 

Background Information – supplied by the Labour Group 

 

Across the UK it is estimated that there are 13.6 million unpaid/unofficial carers, and this number has risen by over 4 million since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.[1] In Kent specifically, there are 151,777 unpaid carers, which equates to around 10.4% of the population (although this figure was taken from the 2011 Census and so the true figure is now likely to be higher).[2] Unpaid carers are also disproportionately affected in that they provide the vast majority of care in the UK. Research undertaken by Carers UK, in conjunction with the University of Leeds and the University of Sheffield, found that unpaid carers save the state £132 billion a year.[3]

 

The Council is asked to take into account that;  

 

1.    Kent County Council had, until recently, a Carers’ Strategy written in 2009 on their website, which had not been reviewed or revisited to take into account the needs of our changing society and any change in support needed.[4]  The Council’s failure to update its Carer’s Strategy has led to many carers feeling that they are invisible and that their needs and views are not important. 

2.    The Care Act 2014 (sections 10 and 11 in particular) places carers on an equal footing to those people they care for, and so carers have a right to an assessment and to services that support their daily needs. Kent County Council must do more to support carers and lead the way in in-home support, wellbeing and access to assistance. The Council must not simply act as a signposting service but must provide real help. This is more vital than ever given the special support needed as we emerge from this pandemic; 

3.    Supporting carers is a vital part of building a fairer society and championing social justice. While this is outside the gift of Kent County Council, the Carer’s Allowance of £67.60 a week is a woefully inadequate recompense for the work family and friend carers undertake, while many carers are currently excluded from receiving Carer's Allowance altogether, including those in full-time education or studying for 21 hours or more a week and carers earning more than £128 a week (less than 15 hours a week on the National Living Wage)[5] ;

4.    Supporting carers is also instrumental in achieving gender equality. 58% of all unpaid carers are currently female, who often have to leave careers in order to provide care support to a loved one. As a result, their social circle often becomes smaller and they also suffer from longer term financial implications such as reduced lifetime earnings[6];

5.    Carers voices must be central in all Adult Social Care policy and provision. Whilst well intentioned, the Adult Social Care Strategy has not been co-produced by those in the field and by those with lived experience and has alienated carers from the decisions being made, the decisions over the very people that they care for. The Adult Social Care Strategy: ‘Making a Difference Every Day’ is being developed in complete isolation to the Carers’ Strategy – consultation has not yet started for the Carers’ Strategy while the Adult Social Care Strategy consultation is now complete. Any change to the Adult Social Care Strategy will have a direct impact on the family and friends who are providing the care and so an integrated approach must be taken. We feel that the ‘Making a Difference Every Day’ strategy seems so far to be a fine example of ‘strategy by consultant’ or by people that have no lived or qualified experience in this field. 

 

 

Motion

 

County Council requests that the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health: 

 

 

1. Revisits the approach to the ‘Making a Difference Every Day’ Strategy and the Carers’ Strategy, ensuring that an integrated approach is adopted throughout, led by qualified staff in social care and informed by service users and frontline practitioners. All of the feedback that has been gathered from the Adult Social Care Strategy consultation can be used but must be used in conjunction and integrated with the feedback received from the Carers Strategy to ensure that the needs and views of our carers and cared for are adequately reflected and listened to; 

2. Develop a Carers’ Strategy that is co-produced by carers and frontline qualified practitioners. Reach out to all organisations that represent carers in Kent, including and especially young carers, and ask for (and most importantly feedback to them) their views of service provision to ensure that carer’s lived experience is integrated and acted upon; 

3. Provide carers with the opportunity to sit on key advisory and decision-making bodies for health and social care providers (or allow them to nominate a representative to act on their behalf) and actively involve carers in the commissioning process. For example, several Councils have developed a ‘Multi-Agency Carers Strategy Group’, which regularly discusses strategy, practice and policy with carers, carers support providers and carers support commissioners; 

4. Support carer’s health and wellbeing by ensuring that they have access to a range of short and longer-term breaks. When long-term respite is required, suitable replacement care must be provided;

5. Ensure that any commissioning that may be required (although services should be in house with proper scrutiny and accountability through the formal democratic process) is done by officers and led by managers that are qualified in the field of social care, and with professional knowledge of the field, so as to ensure quality provision rather than by uninformed dashboard and scorecard;

6. Support the full funding of social care and carers by national Government and that the burden of this should not fall to local taxpayers via the council tax system. 

 

 

 

Motion for Time-limited Debate 1:

 

 

1)         Mr Stepto proposed and Mr Campkin seconded the following motion for time-limited debate;

 

Kent County Council shows its support for the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill by requesting that the Cabinet Member for Environment; 

 

1.    Promotes this council’s support of the Bill to the CEE Bill Alliance, the organisers of the campaign for the Bill, as well as to the local media. 

2.    Writes to Kent MPs, asking them to show support for the Bill.

 

 

2)         Ms Carey proposed and Mr Hills seconded the following amendment;

 

Kent County Council shows its continuing support for the Climate Change Act 2008 (2050 Target Amendment) Order 2019 and Ecological Emergency Bill by requesting that the Cabinet Member for Environment; 

 

1.    Promotes this council’s work to achieve net-zero emissions for KCC's own estate and services by 2030 and for Kent as a whole by 2050 to Kent's residents support of the Bill to the CEE Bill Alliance, the organisers of the campaign for the Bill, as well as to the local media. 

2.    Writes to Kent MPs, asking them to show support for the Bill.

3.    Congratulates KCC officers for being shortlisted for an LGC award in the 'Climate Response' category and wishes them success in the final.

 

 

3)         Following discussion between Members and consideration by the Vice-Chairman of the procedural arrangements for this motion and amendment, the Vice-Chairman confirmed that the motion would not be debated and accepted that withdrawal of both the original motion and the amendment.

 

 

Motion for Time-Limited Debate Two:

 

 

1)         Ms Grehan proposed and Ms Meade seconded the following motion for time-limited debate:

 

County Council requests that the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health;

 

1.    Revisits the approach to the ‘Making a Difference Every Day’ Strategy and the Carers’ Strategy, ensuring that an integrated approach is adopted throughout, led by qualified staff in social care and informed by service users and frontline practitioners. All of the feedback that has been gathered from the Adult Social Care Strategy consultation can be used but must be used in conjunction and integrated with the feedback received from the Carers Strategy to ensure that the needs and views of our carers and cared for are adequately reflected and listened to; 

 

2.    Develop a Carers’ Strategy that is co-produced by carers and frontline qualified practitioners. Reach out to all organisations that represent carers in Kent, including and especially young carers, and ask for (and most importantly feedback to them) their views of service provision to ensure that carer’s lived experience is integrated and acted upon; 

 

3.    Provide carers with the opportunity to sit on key advisory and decision-making bodies for health and social care providers (or allow them to nominate a representative to act on their behalf) and actively involve carers in the commissioning process. For example, several Councils have developed a ‘Multi-Agency Carers Strategy Group’, which regularly discusses strategy, practice and policy with carers, carers support providers and carers support commissioners; 

 

4.    Support carer’s health and wellbeing by ensuring that they have access to a range of short and longer-term breaks. When long-term respite is required, suitable replacement care must be provided; 

 

5.    Ensure that any commissioning that may be required (although services should be in house with proper scrutiny and accountability through the formal democratic process) is done by officers and led by managers that are qualified in the field of social care, and with professional knowledge of the field, so as to ensure quality provision rather than by uninformed dashboard and scorecard; 

 

6.    Support the full funding of social care and carers by national Government and that the burden of this should not fall to local taxpayers via the council tax system.

 

 

2)         Mrs Bell proposed and Mr Meade seconded the following amendment:

 

County Council requests that the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health: 

 

 

 

3)         Following debate on the proposed amendment, the Vice-Chairman put the amendment set out in paragraph 2 to the vote.  The voting was as follows:

 

For (46)

 

Mr Baker, Mr P Bartlett, Mr C Beart, Mrs C Bell, Mrs R Binks, Mr D L Brazier, Mr C Broadley, Mr T Cannon, Sir Paul Carter, CBE, Mrs S Chandler, Mr I S Chittenden, Mr P Cole, Mr N J Collor, Mr G Cooke, Mr D Crow-Brown, Mr M C Dance, Mrs T Dean, MBE, Mr M Dendor, Mr R W Gough, Ms S Hamilton, Mr P M Hill, OBE, Mr A R Hills, Mrs S V Hohler, Mr A J Hook, Mr D Jeffrey, Mr A Kennedy, Mr J A Kite, MBE, Mr R C Love, OBE, Mr R A Marsh, Mr J P McInroy, Mr J Meade, Mr D Murphy, Mr P J Oakford, Mr H Rayner, Mr O Richardson, Mr A M Ridgers, Mr D Robey, Mr D Ross, Mr C Simkins, Mr M J Sole, Mr R G Streatfeild, MBE, Mr B J Sweetland, Mr D Watkins, Mr A Weatherhead, Mr S Webb, Ms L Wright

 

 

Abstain (1)

 

Mr Lehmann

 

 

Against (8)

 

Mr A Brady, Mr S R Campkin, Ms K Constantine, Ms K Grehan, Mr M A J Hood, Ms J Meade, Mr P Stepto, Dr L Sullivan

Amendment carried.

 

 

4)         Following the debate the Vice-Chairman put the following substantive motion to the vote.  The voting was as follows:

 

For (45)

 

Mr Baker, Mr P Bartlett, Mr C Beart, Mrs C Bell, Mrs R Binks, Mr D L Brazier, Mr C Broadley, Mr T Cannon, Sir Paul Carter, CBE, Mrs S Chandler, Mr I S Chittenden, Mr P Cole, Mr N J Collor, Mr G Cooke, Mr D Crow-Brown, Mr M C Dance, Mrs T Dean, MBE, Mr M Dendor, Mr R W Gough, Ms S Hamilton, Mr P M Hill, OBE, Mr A R Hills, Mrs S V Hohler, Mr A J Hook, Mr D Jeffrey, Mr A Kennedy, Mr J A Kite, MBE, Mr R C Love, OBE, Mr R A Marsh, Mr J P McInroy, Mr J Meade, Mr D Murphy, Mr P J Oakford, Mr H Rayner, Mr O Richardson, Mr A M Ridgers, Mr D Robey, Mr D Ross, Mr C Simkins, Mr M J Sole, Mr R G Streatfeild, MBE, Mr B J Sweetland, Mr A Weatherhead, Mr S Webb, Ms L Wright

 

 

Abstain (0)

 

 

Against (9)

 

Mr A Brady, Mr S Campkin, Ms K Constantine, Ms K Grehan, Mr M A J Hood, Mr R Lehmann, Ms J Meade, Mr P Stepto, Dr L Sullivan,

 

 

Motion carried

 

RESOLVED that County Council request that the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health;

 

1.    Continues to adopt an integrated approach to the Making a Difference Every Day Strategy and the Carers’ Strategy, led by qualified and experienced staff in social care and involving people who use services and frontline practitioners. Feedback from the engagement and consultation process will be used to inform both the Adult Social Care Strategy and the Carers' Strategy ensuring that the needs and views of our carers and cared for are adequately reflected and listened to; 

 

2.    Develop a Carers’ Strategy that is co-produced with carers and frontline qualified practitioners. Reach out to organisations that represent carers in Kent and ask for their views of service provision to ensure that carers' lived experience is fully taken into account; 

 

3.    Without pre-determining what the new Carers' Strategy will include, explore the possibility of setting up and facilitating advisory groups, including carers’ representatives, to be involved in influencing future decisions in Adult Social Care commissioning;

 

4.    Support carers' health and wellbeing by offering a range of support, including access to short and longer-term breaks where appropriate;

 

5.    Ensure that commissioned services continue to be monitored within the Adult Social Care commissioning team for quality and performance and are subject to democratic scrutiny by members via the council's governance processes;

 

6.    Continue to lobby for adequate and sustainable funding of social care to meet rising demand and other pressures.