Agenda item

Councillor F Tinsley to Move

This Council condemns the changes made by the Conservative government to the way Adult Social Care is funded in England. This includes the introduction of an ‘Adult Social Care Cap’ of £86K and increases to National Insurance contributions which will have a disproportionate financial impact on younger members of society and small businesses recovering from the Covid 19 pandemic.  The changes will have an unfair impact on residents of County Durham because the Adult Social Care Cap is a much higher proportion of the average value of houses in County Durham than in many other parts of the country.

Councillor P Molloy to Move

The Council’s Armed Forces discount enables all serving personnel, both regular and reserve, to take advantage of an 18% discount on gym or swim memberships. The approach was one of two additional ways of supporting members of the armed forces. It was agreed to implement this to help retain the Council’s Gold Award status in the Ministry of Defence’s Employer Recognition Scheme.

The Council does not currently provide armed forces veterans per se with a discount on gym or swim membership.  To keep this Council in line with its commitment to the armed forces covenant, I would like to propose that this Council acknowledges that armed forces veterans are part of the armed forces community and resolves:

i),To request that the relevant Portfolio Holder and Armed Forces Champion review the discount scheme  (with relevant Officers) to consider extending the armed forces discount for gym and swimming memberships to veterans.

Moved by Councillor F Tinsley, Seconded by Councillor O Gunn:

This Council condemns the changes made by the Conservative government to the way Adult Social Care is funded in England.  This includes the introduction of an ‘Adult Social Care Cap’ of £86K and increases to National Insurance contributions which will have a disproportionate financial impact on younger members of society and small businesses recovering from the Covid 19 pandemic.  The changes will have an unfair impact on residents of County Durham because the Adult Social Care Cap is a much higher proportion of the average value of houses in County Durham than in many other parts of the country.

An Amendment was Moved by Councillor R Bell, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Finance, Seconded by Councillor P Sexton, Portfolio Holder for Adult and Health Services:

This Council condemns considers that the changes made by the Conservative government to the way Adult Social Care is funded in England, and to fund the clearance of the Covid-related NHS backlog, could be improved.

This includes the introduction of an ‘Adult Social Care Cap’ of £86K and increases to National Insurance contributions.

The increased NI contributionswhich will have a disproportionate financial impact on younger working age members of society rather than those living on pensions and investment income, and small businesses recovering from the Covid 19 pandemic.

The changes will have an unfair impact on residents of County Durham because the Adult Social Care Cap is a much higher proportion of the average value of houses in County Durham than in many other parts of the country.

Council therefore resolves to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer suggesting that:

·      The Adult Social Care Cap be set as a % of an individual’s assets rather than a monetary amount and that

·      Tax increases on unearned income, and taxes that are paid by people of all ages be considered in preference to the increase in National Insurance.

Councillor Hopgood Moved a Motion without Notice that Standing Order 10.7 be suspended to extend the time for debating Motions on Notice but not to suspend Standing Order 4.2 to extend the length of the meeting.  Seconded by Councillor R Bell.

The Council agreed the suspension of Standing Order 10.7 which related to the time allowed for the discussion of Motions.

Councillor C Marshall requested a named vote on the Amendment.

For the Amendment

Councillors M Abley, B Avery, B Bainbridge, C Bell, R Bell, J Blakey, D Brown, J Cosslett, B Coult, K Fantarrow, L Fenwick, D Freeman, P Heaviside, L A Holmes, C Hood, A Hopgood, J Howey, C Hunt, G Hutchinson, A Jackson, N Jones, P Jopling, C Lines, C Martin, E Mavin, L Mavin, S McDonnell, M McGaun, B Moist, P Molloy, J Nicholson, D Oliver, R Ormerod, E Peeke, R Potts, J Quinn, A Reed, G Richardson, K Robson, K Rooney, J Rowlandson, A Savory, E Scott, P Sexton, A Shield, J Shuttleworth, M Simmons, A Simpson, M Stead, W Stelling, A Sterling, D Stoker, T Stubbs, D Sutton-Lloyd, M Walton, A Watson, M Wilkes and S Zair.

Against the Amendment

Councillors E Adam, R Adcock-Forster, V Andrews, J Atkinson, P Atkinson, A Batey, G Binney, D Boyes, J Chaplow, I Cochrane, R Crute, S Deinali, C Fletcher, J Griffiths, O Gunn, C Hampson, A Hanson, K Hawley, S Henig, J Higgins, L Hovvels, D Howarth, M Johnson, B Kellett, L Kennedy, R Manchester, C Marshall, B McAloon, D McKenna, M McKeon, I McLean, S McMahon, J Miller, D Mulholland, D Nicholls, P Pringle, J Purvis, I Roberts, S Robinson, K Shaw, T Smith, A Surtees, F Tinsley, S Townsend, C Varty, M Wilson, S Wilson, D Wood and R Yorke.

Abstain

Councillor L Maddison.

The Amendment was carried and therefore became the Substantive Motion.

Councillor R Ormerod requested a named vote on the Substantive Motion.

For the Motion

Councillors M Abley, B Avery, B Bainbridge, C Bell, R Bell, J Blakey, D Brown, J Cosslett, B Coult, K Fantarrow, D Freeman, P Heaviside, L A Holmes, C Hood, A Hopgood, J Howey, C Hunt, G Hutchinson, A Jackson, N Jones, P Jopling, C Lines, L Maddison, C Martin, E Mavin, L Mavin, S McDonnell, M McGaun, B Moist, P Molloy, J Nicholson, R Ormerod, E Peeke, R Potts, J Quinn, A Reed, G Richardson, S Robinson, K Robson, K Rooney, J Rowlandson, A Savory, E Scott, P Sexton, A Shield, J Shuttleworth, M Simmons, A Simpson, M Stead, W Stelling, A Sterling, D Stoker, T Stubbs, D Sutton-Lloyd, M Walton, A Watson, M Wilkes and S Zair.

Against the Motion

Councillors E Adam, R Adcock-Forster, V Andrews, J Atkinson, P Atkinson, A Batey, G Binney, D Boyes, J Chaplow, I Cochrane, R Crute, S Deinali, L Fenwick, C Fletcher, J Griffiths, O Gunn, C Hampson, A Hanson, K Hawley, S Henig, J Higgins, L Hovvels, D Howarth, M Johnson, B Kellett, L Kennedy, R Manchester, C Marshall, B McAloon, D McKenna, M McKeon, I McLean, S McMahon, J Miller, D Mulholland, D Nicholls, P Pringle, J Purvis, I Roberts, K Shaw, T Smith, A Surtees, F Tinsley, S Townsend, C Varty, M Wilson, S Wilson, D Wood and R Yorke.

Abstain

Councillor D Oliver.

The Substantive Motion was carried.

The Chair informed Council that Councillor Malloy had indicated that he wished to defer his Motion to the next meeting to allow a full debate.