Issue - meetings

To consider a Notice of Motion, submitted in accordance with Standing Order 18.1:

a) Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor David Harrison, seconded by

    Councillor Martin Tod.

Please see Item 13 within the agenda pack for the detail of the Motion.

  

Councillor Kirsty North declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest through her employment with The Rt Hon Thérèse Coffey MP and left the meeting for the duration of the discussion.

Councillor Martin Tod declared a personal interest as the Chief Executive of an organisation which produced a report in 2014 entitled Husband, Partner, Dad, Son, Carer.

The Council considered the Notice of Motion proposed by Councillor David Harrison and seconded by Councillor Martin Tod, submitted in accordance with Standing Order 18.1, as detailed at Item 13 in the Agenda reports.

The Leader confirmed that the Motion proposed was acceptable to the Administration.  In regard to the part of the Motion calling for him to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the Leader reported that this action had already been taken.

No Amendments were proposed. 

During the course of debate, Members noted the work carried out by the County Council to support both adult and young carers and their families during the pandemic including the provision of specialist advice and support, workshops, on-line facilities, reaching out to schools and partnership working with other organisations.  The difficulty of identifying carers was recognised as those carrying out the caring often do not identify themselves in that role.

The proposals were put to the vote and were carried unanimously.

RESOLVED:

That:

a)     We must stand up for carers, do more to support them, and build a more caring society as we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic.

b)     We will review how carers in Hampshire are made aware of existing support that is available and to bring back any recommendations to Hampshire County Council.

c)     Promote Young Carers Action Day on March 16th 2021 as widely as possible on an annual basis, particularly to young carers and their families.

Council calls on the Leader of the Council to:

d)     Write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, urging them to raise Carer’s Allowance by £20 a week immediately, in line with the increase in Universal Credit, and copy in our local MPs, asking for their support.