The following motions have been received in accordance with Procedure Rule 16:

The following motion was received from Councillor Kirstie Hurst-Knight and supported by Councillors Duncan Kerr, Peggy Mullock and Tony Parsons

Motion for Shropshire Council to accept a proposal that individuals with care experience are treated as if it were a Protected Characteristic

This Council notes:

To be ‘care experienced’ a young person or adult will have been looked after by the local authority as a child. The Independent Review of Children’s Social Care headed by Josh McCallister published in May 2022 a final report and recommendations that included: “Government should make care experience a protected characteristic” .

Many care experienced people face discrimination, stigma, and prejudice in their day to day lives. Hearing testimony from care experienced people sharing the discrimination they have experienced, even from a very young age, it is clear that such discrimination can be similar in nature to other groups that have a legally protected characteristic under the Equality Act (2010). Despite the resilience of many care-experienced people, society too often does not take their needs into account. Care experienced people often face discrimination and stigma across housing, health, education, relationships, employment and in the criminal justice system.

This Council understands:

Every elected member and employee of this Council - along with our partner agencies - is a corporate parent to the children in our care.

Introducing a protected characteristic for care experience will mean that some of our most vulnerable residents within the borough will be happier, healthier and safer and have the confidence and opportunities to be ambitious and strive to achieve their goals.

All corporate parents should be champions of the children in our care and challenge the negative attitudes and prejudice that exists in all aspects of society. The Public Sector Equality Duty requires public bodies, such as councils, to eliminate unlawful discrimination.

This Council therefore resolves:?

·         That it recognises that care experienced people are a group who are likely to face discrimination. ·

·         That it recognises that Councils have a duty to put the needs of disadvantaged people at the heart of decision-making through co-production and collaboration.

·         That future decision, services and policies made and adopted by the Council should be assessed through Equality Impact Assessments to determine the impact of changes on people with care experience, alongside those who formally share a protected characteristic.

·         That in the delivery of the Public Sector Equality Duty the Council includes care experience in the publication and review of Equality Objectives and the annual publication of information relating to people who share a protected characteristic in services and employment.

·         That this Council will treat care experience as if it were a Protected Characteristic.

·         To formally call upon all other bodies to treat care experience as a protected characteristic until such time as it may be introduced by legislation.

·         For the council to continue proactively seeking out and listening to the voices of care experienced people when developing new policies based on their views.

On taking a vote the motion was unanimously supported.

 

The following motion was received from Councillor Rachel Connolly and supported by the Labour Group

 

The original motion on Digital Switchover as set out on the agenda was altered by

Councillor Rachel Connolly and presented to the council as follows:

Digital Switchover 

 

This Council notes:  

 

Looming over the horizon is a significant change to how telecommunications in Britain operate as the UK’s landline telephone network is being decommissioned, with an upgrade to digital telephone lines by the end of 2025. 

 

For most residents, the upgrade will be as simple as connecting their home phone handset to a router rather than the phone socket on the wall. However, there could be significant implications for many residents in Shropshire as there will be changes to how telephones, emergency alarms and other telecommunication devices are used. For the many elderly residents without broadband or a computer this change will be particularly difficult.  

 

It is likely that many people will be surprised and inconvenienced by these changes with the possibility of many unforeseen circumstances if people are not fully prepared. 

 

This Council Believes: 

 

That telephone providers should be contacting all their customers to make them aware of the changes and have moved their customers onto the new digital services by November 2025.?

 

There is a webpage on the Council’s website with some information and messaging about the digital switchover is planned for the Council Tax leaflet due to be sent out in March. 

 

This Council commits: 

 

That Shropshire Council act to mitigate the potential problems of this move to a fully digital telecommunications system across the county by support network to advise and guide residents, especially senior citizens and the most vulnerable, through this change. 

 

That Shropshire Council works with local and wider business partnerssuch as our local libraries to communicate, regularly and repeatedly, via social media, news stories, written leaflets and other forms of media such as websites to mitigate against potential issues for the residents of Shropshire. 

 

By way of amendment Councillor Robert Macey proposed

 

In the council notes section replace: 

 

“For the many elderly residents without broadband or a computer this change will be particularly difficult.” 

 

With 

 

For those people without broadband or access to reliable mobile coverage this change could be particularly difficult. 

 

 

 

And replace: 

 

“It is likely that many people will be surprised and inconvenienced by these changes with the possibility of many unforeseen circumstances if people are not fully prepared.” 

 

With 

 

It is possible that people will be surprised and inconvenienced by these changes with the possibility of unforeseen circumstances if people are not fully prepared. 

 

In the council believes section delete and replace with: 

 

The telephone providers should be following the best practice as set out by the regulator OFCOM to ensure customers are aware of the changes and provisions are made to migrate customers onto the new digital services by November 2025. 

 

In the council commits section delete and replace with: 

 

To continue providing information for residents about the digital switchover through its dedicated webpage and other communication channels. 

 

To continue the work of the cross-party Digital Connectivity Member Group in informing any further initiatives regarding the digital switchover. 

 

To continue our work with Shropshire Digital Exclusion Network which is already considering the digital switchover and has representation from organisations working across the county

 

On taking a vote the amendment was supported

 

On taking a vote it was RESOLVED

 

Digital Switchover 

 

This Council notes:  

 

Looming over the horizon is a significant change to how telecommunications in Britain operate as the UK’s landline telephone network is being decommissioned, with an upgrade to digital telephone lines by the end of 2025. 

 

For most residents, the upgrade will be as simple as connecting their home phone handset to a router rather than the phone socket on the wall. However, there could be significant implications for many residents in Shropshire as there will be changes to how telephones, emergency alarms and other telecommunication devices are used. For those people without broadband or access to reliable mobile coverage this change could be particularly difficult.  .  

 

It is possible that people will be surprised and inconvenienced by these changes with the possibility of unforeseen circumstances if people are not fully prepared.   

 

This Council Believes: 

 

The telephone providers should be following the best practice as set out by the regulator OFCOM to ensure customers are aware of the changes and provisions are made to migrate customers onto the new digital services by November 2025.

 

This Council commits: 

 

 

To continue providing information for residents about the digital switchover through its dedicated webpage and other communication channels.  

 

To continue the work of the cross-party Digital Connectivity Member Group in informing any further initiatives regarding the digital switchover.  

 

To continue our work with Shropshire Digital Exclusion Network which is already considering the digital switchover and has representation from organisations working across the county