Issue - meetings

1.    PROPOSED BY COUNCILLOR HAIGH

“This Council has a responsibility to house young people leaving the care of the County Council who have a connection to Gloucester. The County Council supports care leavers until the age of 25 recognising that these young people often face extensive challenges for a variety of reasons and sometimes need extra support to assist them to transition to adulthood.

This Council recognises that we should also support them through their mistakes and provide guidance to help them make more positive choices in the future. Maintaining a stable home can be particularly difficult for care leavers and being deemed intentionally homeless can mean that they slip through the net of support.

This Council resolves to change our housing policy to ensure that no care leaver with a connection to Gloucester is classed as intentionally homeless and that they are always supported back into accommodation and to work with the County Council to help to maintain that tenancy.”

2.    PROPOSED BY COUNCILLOR STEPHENS

“Council notes that the government has issued the provisional local government finance settlement for 2020/21.

Council further notes that the headline change for Gloucester is an increase of 1.4% in Core Spending Power and that without a one-off increase in New Homes Bonus Gloucester City Council would have again seen a negative change.

The chart below illustrates how we compare to other authorities and England as a whole.

Council is disappointed to note that we are well below the shire district average of 3.4% and significantly below England as a whole at 6.3%.

Historically Gloucester has received a bad deal from the government in terms of funding. The Centre for Cities 2019 outlook report set out the impact of austerity in the past decade; total spending in Gloucester has reduced by 23.4%, meaning the City ranks 9^th in terms of total change. Gloucester is also the worst hit district council in the country.

The government produced Indices of Deprivation 2019 show that Gloucester has some of the most impoverished wards in the country. As an example, areas in Matson, Robinswood and White City ranks in the worst 0.1% nationally for some issues.

The level of need in the City is clearly not reflected in the provisional local government finance settlement when compared to other similar authorities and Gloucester residents are severely disadvantaged by this.

Council resolves to:

1.    Make urgent representations to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government for a significant increase in funding for the City.

2.    Seek the intervention of the City MP to lobby for a significant increase and fairer funding in the settlement available to Gloucester City Council.”

3.    PROPOSED BY COUNCILLOR COOLE

“Council notes:

·       That 2020 marks 20 years since Overview and Scrutiny was introduced to most councils in England

·       That Gloucester remains at the forefront of innovation in Scrutiny, employing best practice that has been recognised both regionally and nationally through the LGIU and CFPS.

·       That Overview and Scrutiny is a vital part  ...  view the full agenda text for item 66