Glasgow City Council Agenda - 13 December 2018, 13:00 
A meeting to be held at City Chambers, Glasgow at 13:00 on 13 December 2018.
| Number | Item |
|---|---|
| 1 | Minutes of previous meeting of 1st November 2018 (Print 5, pages 327 to 340). View Papers |
| 2 | Print 5 - Committees' minutes - Consideration of paragraphs marked "C", remaining paragraphs being submitted for information and approval as a correct record only (page 341 onwards). View Papers |
| 3 | Local Governance Review - Proposed Council response - Report by Council Business Manager. View Papers |
| 4 | Changes to committee etc. View Papers |
| 5 | Representation on outside bodies - Social Enterprise Board - Remove Thomas Kerr and replace with Robert Connelly. View Papers |
| 6 | Correspondence - Letter from the President of COSLA in response to Council motion on Brexit. View Papers |
| 7 | Questions. View Papers |
| 8 | Notices of motions. |
| (a) | By Councillor Susan Aitken:- "Council considers that the UK Government's asylum dispersal system and asylum accommodation contracts put significant pressure on our ability to deliver positive outcomes for asylum seeking individuals and families and local communities, and that the new asylum accommodation contracts due to come into effect in 2019 will not improve the current system. Council notes that among the 4,500 asylum seekers currently dispersed to Glasgow are people who have waited many years for a final decision on their claim for asylum. Council believes that, if Glasgow is to continue to operate as a successful dispersal city, significant and urgent improvements are required and therefore calls on UK Ministers to: (1) amend legislation to permit those registered as asylum seekers and awaiting a decision for longer than 6 months to work or study; (2) consider for amnesty those registered in the asylum system for more than 3 years without a final decision, with a view to granting discretionary leave to remain in the UK; (3) pause the award of the new asylum accommodation contract and work in partnership with the devolved administrations and local authorities in dispersal areas to respond to their concerns regarding the operation of the asylum system and the need for resources for participating local authorities; (4) as an interim measure, provide Glasgow with its appropriate share of funding for Local Asylum Support Officers, on the same basis as it was made available to local authorities in England; and (5) amend the procurement process to allow local authorities to bid for asylum accommodation contracts. Council instructs the Chief Executive to continue supporting the City Government in highlighting the need for improvements to the asylum dispersal system and raising the Council's concerns through the Asylum Taskforce and directly with UK Ministers." View Papers |
| (b) | By Councillor Aileen McKenzie:- "Council recognises that one year ago the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 was passed by the Scottish Parliament. Council welcomes the continued commitment to statutory targets to reduce levels of child poverty, and further welcomes the first Child Poverty Action Plan 2018 - 2022, developed by the Scottish Government, which outlines a range of measures to reduce the number of children living in poverty. Council reaffirms its commitment to tackling inequality and recognises that over one-third of children in the city are estimated to be living in poverty. Levels of child poverty are expected to dramatically increase in the coming years, due to decisions made by the Conservative UK Government. Council believes that the universality of child benefit, and the relative simplicity of making a claim, has led to consistently high levels of take up of child benefit, and therefore child benefit provides families with secure and reliable protection. Council therefore believes that the Child Poverty Action Group Scotland's 'Give Me Five' campaign, which calls for a £5 per week supplement on child benefit, could make a significant difference to families across Scotland and lift up to 30,000 children out of poverty now. Council instructs the Chief Executive of the Council to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution, the Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People, and all Glasgow MSPs, informing them of Glasgow City Council's support for the Child Poverty Action Group's 'Give Me Five' campaign and to urge them to support the introduction of a £5 per week supplement in the 2019/20 budget." View Papers |
| (c) | By Councillor Thomas Kerr:- "Council notes the impact of a poor diet on health outcomes as well as the relationship between health and income inequality in the city - with residents from the least deprived areas of Glasgow expected to live up to 15 years longer than those from deprived communities. Council welcomes the research conducted by the University of Glasgow which demonstrates the existence of 'clusters' of alcohol, fast food, tobacco, and gambling outlets in the city and their propensity to co-locate in the most deprived areas of Glasgow. Council notes the advice of the Scottish Government expressed within the report 'A Healthier Future - Scotland's Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery Plan' concerning diet-related health inequalities where it states: "It is crucial too that our stakeholders and delivery partners place a special emphasis on reducing inequalities when planning, designing and delivering interventions… We want the places and spaces where people live to support them to lead healthy lives. The area around schools is an environment where we want to make a positive change in the habits of young people at lunchtimes and on the way to and from school. One possible lever available to us is planning policy." Council further notes the Scottish Conservatives' report which was launched by Brian Whittle MSP titled "Healthy Lifestyle Strategy" which includes plans to trial programmes that make fresh fruit and vegetables more widely available in deprived areas and encourages schools to provide a broader menu of healthy on-site options. Council therefore instructs officers to bring a report to the Wellbeing, Empowerment, Community and Citizen Engagement City Policy Committee within the next six months detailing how best we can use this council's planning and licensing policies to improve the health choices of all Glaswegians, especially those from deprived communities, by reducing the overprovision of fast food takeaways on our high streets and around our schools. " View Papers |
| (d) | By Councillor Kim Long:- "Glasgow City Council condemns the hostile environment policies of the UK Home Office which deliberately result in vulnerable people being made homeless and destitute with inadequate legal support and advocacy. Council believes that the eviction of asylum seekers from Home Office accommodation is a shameful practice that causes unnecessary and acute physical and mental harm for individuals, and believes this process should not be facilitated by the Council. Council rejects the notion of a 'failed' asylum seeker and instead declares that all people seeking asylum are being failed by a system that makes it nearly impossible to win. Given the high rate of successful appeals against Home Office decisions, it is imperative that people have housing and subsistence support to provide dignity whilst pursuing their legal case. Given the imminent risk of homelessness for a large number of asylum seekers, and to meet recommendation 5 of the final recommendations of the national Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group, Council agrees to support third sector, legal and other advocacy organisations to develop a joint proposal for a pilot project in Glasgow to provide emergency accommodation for destitute migrants who are not entitled to statutory homelessness assistance, provided alongside access to advocacy, immigration and legal advice. Council instructs the Leader to write to the Scottish Minister to request financial backing for this pilot project." View Papers |
| (e) | By Councillor Rhiannon Spear:- "Council notes that Glasgow's City Charter commits to upholding, protecting and promoting people's human rights, including treating with dignity, fairness, equality and respect. Council welcomes the leadership that the Scottish Government has shown in protecting and enhancing human rights especially embedding the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into policy and legislation. Council welcomes the inclusion of a National Outcome on human rights and agrees it is incumbent upon us that 'we respect, protect and fulfil human rights and live free from discrimination'. Council acknowledges that embedding a human rights-based approach within Glasgow's public services is fundamental to securing equality, dignity and rights. Council commits to exploring the development of a human rights framework across Council services and civic life." View Papers |
| (f) | By Councillor Allan Young:- "Council recognises the strong contribution made by Glasgow's civil society to the policy and performance of the Council and city. Council believes there is great potential for more positive citizen participation if governments at every level embrace the potential. Council commends the cross party work leading to the adoption of a Digital Strategy for the Glasgow as well as the City's commitment to transforming public services and increasing citizen engagement set out in the 2017-22 Council Strategic Plan. Council notes the work of national government on Open Government and determines that Glasgow will embrace this theme. Reflecting on the recent findings of the Council's external governance review and recognising the Open Government Partnership principles of openness, transparency, accountability and participation, Council instructs relevant officers to investigate options for Glasgow formally to join the Open Government Partnership." View Papers |
| (g) | By Councillor Jon Molyneux:- "Council notes that on 5th November 2018 around 40 people were involved in public disorder in Pollokshields which involved the wilful misuse of high-grade fireworks, to the extent that local people were trapped in their homes and police officers were forced to withdraw after coming under direct attack with fireworks. Council expresses shock that a 3-year-old girl was left with serious burns as a consequence of a lit firework inside her close and condemns all those involved in the disorder that night. Council considers that collective action is needed to ensure there is no similar recurrence and welcomes the commitment to a joint action plan, involving police, fire, trading standards, community representatives and local elected members. Council also welcomes proposals to consult on fireworks regulation by the Scottish Government. Council notes that many people have concerns over fireworks, including their impact on animals and vulnerable people, and that a recent petition to ban the sale of fireworks except for licensed events attracted over 250,000 signatures and was debated in the House of Commons. Council believes that such a ban would improve public safety and reduce environmental harm without impinging on the legitimate enjoyment of firework displays, and therefore resolves to write to the Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Corporate Responsibility asking her to consider introducing legislation to this effect." View Papers |