Agenda item

Report attached.

 

Rules of Debate

 

·         Each motion shall be debated for no more than 20 minutes before being put to the vote.

·         No more than one and a half hours in totality shall be allowed at each meeting for the debate of all motions.

Councillor Khan indicated that the Opposition group did not wish to engage in the debate on motions and would abstain from any vote taken.  The group had submitted two of its own motions for tonight’s meeting, which had been directly relevant to Hyndburn issues, on the subjects of a local member grants scheme and the extension of Article 4 Directions for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) across the Borough.  However, these motions had not been accepted for inclusion on the Agenda.

 

1)         Standing Up for Working People and Defending Fair Terms and Conditions

 

The following motion was proposed by Councillor Scott Brerton and seconded by Councillor Vanessa Alexander, with support from signatories Councillors Munsif Dad and Stewart Eaves, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule A9:

 

“This Council recognises and commends the vital role that trade unions have played—and continue to play - in defending and advancing the rights of working people across the United Kingdom.

 

Thanks to the tireless work of unions and their members, we now have core protections that many take for granted:

 

• Equal pay for women
• Paid holidays
• Maternity pay
• Two day weekends
• Minimum wage
• Health and safety at work
• Equal opportunities
• Flexible working
• Better rates of pay
• Better sickness and pension benefits

 

These were not gifts from above—they were won through collective action, determination, and solidarity.

 

This Council further notes with concern the recent proposals by Reform UK at Lancashire County Council, which risk creating a two-tier workforce by limiting access to the Local Government Pension Scheme for new employees and imposing poor pay increases on existing staff.

 

Such measures undermine long-standing terms and conditions and represent an unjustifiable attack on those who deliver essential public services.

 

We believe all workers deserve fair pay, secure pensions, and dignity at work. Undermining staff morale and widening inequality will damage recruitment, retention, and the quality of services our communities rely on.

 

This Council therefore:

 

1. Praises the vital role of trade unions in securing and protecting workplace rights.

 

2. Condemns any attempts to roll back these rights through attacks on pensions, pay, and conditions—whether nationally or within Lancashire County Council.

 

3. Urges all staff across Lancashire County Council—and beyond—to join a recognised union as a practical step to protect themselves and their colleagues.

 

4. Resolves to write to the leadership of Lancashire County Council expressing this Council’s opposition to any such changes to access to the Local Government Pension Scheme or employee pay progression.”

 

Councillors Andy Gilbert, Shabir Fazal, Clare Pritchard, Vanessa Alexander, Jodie Clements, Paul Cox, Stewart Eaves, Clare McKenna, Noordad Aziz and Munsif Dad spoke in support of the motion and a number of those councillors spoke about their own positive experiences of working with or being supported by trades unions.

 

Resolved                                         -  This Council therefore:

 

(1)     Praises the vital role of trade unions in securing and protecting workplace rights.

 

(2)     Condemns any attempts to roll back these rights through attacks on pensions, pay, and conditions—whether nationally or within Lancashire County Council.

 

(3)     Urges all staff across Lancashire County Council—and beyond—to join a recognised union as a practical step to protect themselves and their colleagues.

 

(4)     Resolves to write to the leadership of Lancashire County Council expressing this Council’s opposition to any such changes to access to the Local Government Pension Scheme or employee pay progression.

 

2)         Reforming UK Maternity Services

 

The following motion was proposed by Councillor Clare Yates and seconded by Councillor Kate Walsh, with support from signatories Councillors Munsif Dad, Stewart Eaves and Scott Brerton, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule A9:

 

“A recent National Review of Maternity Services conducted by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) evaluated 131 maternity units across England, revealing significant areas for improvement:

 

• Nearly half of the units were rated as 'requires improvement' (36%) or 'inadequate' (12%).
• None achieved an 'outstanding' rating for safety; 47% required improvements while 18% were deemed inadequate.
• Key issues identified included weak leadership, inconsistent safety protocols, and a failure to learn from past incidents.
• However, the potential for meaningful change exists—through fostering the right culture and making the right investments.

 

The National Inquiry into Birth Trauma (2024) highlighted distressing statistics:

 

• One in three women experiences birth trauma, with approximately 30,000 developing PTSD each year.
• Common concerns included a lack of informed consent, poor communication, and insufficient postnatal care.
• A staggering 84% of women felt inadequately informed about birth injuries, with 53% reconsidering future pregnancies as a result.

 

It is essential to address the workforce crisis and midwifery shortages that continue to compromise maternity service outcomes:

 

• Chronic understaffing contributes directly to poor outcomes and staff burnout.
• Midwives are experiencing emotional distress, overwhelming workloads, and a lack of adequate support.

 

While the Care Quality Commission recently rated maternity services at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust as 'Good' overall—including Burnley, Blackburn, and Rossendale sites—staffing challenges persist. Despite the dedication of teams on the ground, services are often stretched to breaking point.  In order to maintain coverage across birth centres, hospitals, and community teams, the escalation procedure regularly pulls specialist midwives from their vital roles.  This creates a domino effect, increasing risk in areas such as continuity of care, safeguarding, and maternal mental health and trauma.

 

In light of these findings, this Council resolves to write to the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting MP, to:

 

• Express gratitude for initiating an inquiry into UK maternity services.
• Request increased investment in midwifery training, recruitment, and retention using meaningful data and benchmarking tools.
• Support a national rollout of initiatives such as the OASI Care Bundle to reduce severe perineal trauma.
• Promote the establishment of fully integrated care models that combine mental health, pelvic health, and continuity of care.
• Advocate for the inclusion of fathers and co-parents—who are often overlooked under current policies—including access to paid time off for antenatal and educational appointments.
• Call for greater investment in specialist support for parents affected by birth trauma during and after the perinatal period, as current services are overstretched and many women are not receiving the care they need in a timely manner.

 

Additionally, the Council will liaise with the Integrated Care Board to reaffirm the need for sustained support for community midwifery services in Hyndburn and across East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust Maternity Services.

 

The Solution is Clear:  Invest in midwives. Invest in families. Invest in the future.”

 

Councillors Noordad Aziz, Andrew Clegg, Shabir Fazal, Melissa Fisher, Clare Pritchard, Heather Anderson, Kate Walsh, Steven Button and Munsif Dad spoke in support of the motion.

 

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 16.5, six members called for a recorded vote on the motion.

 

The MOTIONwas then put to the VOTE.

 

For the Motion (20)

 

Councillors Vanessa Alexander, Heather Anderson, Noordad Aziz, Scott Brereton, Steven Button, Andrew Clegg, Jodi Clements, Paul Cox, Munsif Dad BEM JP, Bernard Dawson, Stewart Eaves, Shabir Fazal OBE, Melissa Fisher, Andy Gilbert, Clare McKenna, Dave Parkins, Clare Pritchard, Ethan Rawcliffe, Kate Walsh and Clare Yates.

 

Against the Motion (0)

 

Nil

 

Abstentions (10)

 

Councillors Judith Addison, Josh Allen (Mayor), Danny Cassidy, Loraine Cox, Peter Edwards, Marlene Haworth, David Heap, Zak Khan, Joyce Plummer and Steven Smithson.

 

Resolved                                 (1)    This Council resolves to write to the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting MP, to:

 

·      Express gratitude for initiating an inquiry into UK maternity services.

·      Request increased investment in midwifery training, recruitment, and retention using meaningful data and benchmarking tools.

·      Support a national rollout of initiatives such as the OASI Care Bundle to reduce severe perineal trauma.

·      Promote the establishment of fully integrated care models that combine mental health, pelvic health, and continuity of care.

·      Advocate for the inclusion of fathers and co-parents—who are often overlooked under current policies—including access to paid time off for antenatal and educational appointments.

·      Call for greater investment in specialist support for parents affected by birth trauma during and after the perinatal period, as current services are overstretched and many women are not receiving the care they need in a timely manner.

 

(2)   This Council will liaise with the Integrated Care Board to reaffirm the need for sustained support for community midwifery services in Hyndburn and across East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust Maternity Services.

 

(3)   This Council believes that the solution is clear:  Invest in midwives - Invest in families - Invest in the future.”

 

3)         Welfare Motion

 

The following motion was proposed by Councillor Melissa Fisher and seconded by Councillor Jodi Clements, with support from signatories Councillors Munsif Dad and Scott Brerton, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule A9:

 

“This Council believes that the welfare system must be built on the principles of dignity, fairness, and respect for all.

 

This Council further believes that over a decade of austerity imposed by previous governments has caused severe and lasting damage to public services and welfare provision, leaving many Hyndburn residents facing exceptional hardship.  In particular, people with health-related conditions have borne the brunt of these cuts over time and continue to experience disproportionate levels of poverty and insecurity.

 

Whilst this Council recognises the need to manage public finances responsibly, it holds grave concerns about the direction of current welfare reform proposals.  It cannot be stressed enough that disability benefits are vital to help disabled people remain in work. However, this Council was pleased to learn that the Government have listened to concerns and will implement concessions, so existing claimants of PIP and Universal Credit do have some ‘peace of mind’.

 

This Council therefore calls on the Government to continue to support the most vulnerable without further reductions to essential welfare support.  Instead, it urges a focus on tackling the root causes of rising welfare demand—such as the imbalance in the tax system, housing insecurity, low-paid and insecure employment, soaring mental health issues, and deepening inequality.

 

This Council resolves to:

 

1. Write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the Rt Hon Liz Kendall MP, and the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Keir Starmer MP, to express our serious concerns about the potential impact of any forthcoming welfare reforms.

 

2. Request that the Government pauses its current welfare review and instead prioritises solutions that protect those in greatest need.

 

3. Reaffirm our commitment to supporting residents in Hyndburn through strong local welfare provision and continued advocacy for a just and compassionate welfare system.”

 

Councillor Shabir Fazal OBE expressed the view that the Government was prioritising defence spending over welfare and that the motion did not go far enough.  He considered that the motion should request the Government to raise the necessary funds for welfare through the introduction of a wealth tax.

 

Councillors Paul Cox, Andy Gilbert, Clare Pritchard, Andrew Clegg, Heather Anderson, Munsif Dad BEM JP, Jodi Clements, spoke in support of the motion and outlined the negative impacts of possible changes to welfare support on some the most disadvantaged in society.

 

Councillor Zak Khan, Leader of the Opposition, commented that his group would ordinarily have supported, in principle, the motions put today.  Accordingly, they would not vote against them.  However, he expressed concern that motions being put were often about national and international issues and that writing letters to Government ministers and other agencies did not usually result in a response being received.  He stated that the Opposition group intended to focus on motions affecting Hyndburn.

 

Councillor Fisher summed up by indicating that the motion highlighted an imbalance in the tax system.  She refuted suggestions that the welfare provision was not a local issue and made the case for raising concerns with the Government whether, or not, a reply was ultimately received.

 

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 16.5, six members called for a recorded vote on the motion.

 

The MOTIONwas then put to the VOTE.

 

For the Motion (20)

 

Councillors Vanessa Alexander, Heather Anderson, Noordad Aziz, Scott Brereton, Steven Button, Andrew Clegg, Jodi Clements, Paul Cox, Munsif Dad BEM JP, Bernard Dawson, Stewart Eaves, Shabir Fazal OBE, Melissa Fisher, Andy Gilbert, Clare McKenna, Dave Parkins, Clare Pritchard, Ethan Rawcliffe, Kate Walsh and Clare Yates.

 

Against the Motion (0)

 

Nil

 

Abstentions (10)

 

Councillors Judith Addison, Josh Allen (Mayor), Danny Cassidy, Loraine Cox, Peter Edwards, Marlene Haworth, David Heap, Zak Khan, Joyce Plummer and Steven Smithson.

 

Resolved                                    -   This Council resolves to:

 

(1)   Write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the Rt Hon Liz Kendall MP, and the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Keir Starmer MP, to express our serious concerns about the potential impact of any forthcoming welfare reforms.

 

(2)   Request that the Government pauses its current welfare review and instead prioritises solutions that protect those in greatest need.

 

(3)   Reaffirm our commitment to supporting residents in Hyndburn through strong local welfare provision and continued advocacy for a just and compassionate welfare system.

 

The Mayor thanked all for their attendance tonight and then closed the meeting.