Glasgow City Council Agenda - 28 October 2021, 11:00 
A meeting to be held at by video conference at 11:00 on 28 October 2021.
| Number | Item |
|---|---|
| 1 | Minutes of Council meeting of 9th September 2021 (Print 4, pages 213 to 232). View Papers |
| 2 | Print 4 - Committees' minutes - Consideration of paragraphs marked "C", remaining paragraphs being submitted for information and approval as a correct record only (page 233 onwards). View Papers |
| 3 | Proposed options for changes to the governance arrangements of the Planning Local Review Committee - Report by Council Business Manager. View Papers |
| 4 | Changes to committees etc. View Papers |
| 5 | Representation on outside bodies. |
| 6 | Correspondence:- View Papers |
| (a) | Letter from Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity; and View Papers |
| (b) | Letter from ASD: Head of Active Scotland. View Papers |
| (c) | Letter from Derry City and Strabane District Council. View Papers |
| 7 | Questions. View Papers |
| 8 | Notice of motions. |
| (a) | By Councillor Ruairi Kelly:- "Council utterly condemns the scenes of anti-Irish racism once again witnessed on the streets of Glasgow and extends our full support and solidarity to the Irish community in Scotland and assures them that they and everyone who calls Glasgow their home is a valued member of our society. Council commends the An Gorta Mór Committee on the recent unveiling of the memorial to those who lost their lives or were forced to emigrate during The Great Hunger, many of whom made Glasgow their home and have contributed greatly to the fabric of our city. This, in addition to the Glasgow Green memorial which involved both the Irish Government and noted historian Tom Devine are fitting tributes to this period of history which has shaped our city. Council agrees that this racism on our streets cannot be allowed to go on and calls on the Leader of Glasgow City Council to write to the Scottish Government and Police Scotland requesting that they address these concerns and work with Glasgow City Council and the people of Glasgow to remove these outpourings of hate from our city." View Papers |
| (b) | By Councillor Malcolm Cunning:- "Council notes: that from 1st October 2021, millions of households across the UK have seen their energy bills rise by an average of £139 due to the UK Government's Energy Price Cap; that further increases are expected in April next year when the cap is next renewed owing to currently high gas prices; that the Bank of England has forecast that inflation will hit 4% by the end of this year; that the UK Government has ended support delivered through the Furlough scheme; and that the UK Government refused to heed calls and proceeded to cut £20 from Universal Credit in the single largest reduction in social security in Britain's history. Council further notes that Energy Action Scotland have suggested that over three-quarters of a million households across Scotland will struggle to meet their energy costs this winter, as a result of the price increase. Council finally notes that the 2021/22 Budget Option 21FS16 removed the £100 Affordable Warmth Payment from all over 80s across the City; and that, despite claims, Scottish Government's Winter Fuel Payment has not resulted in either replacement or additional support for those affected. Council recognises that a programme of income maximisation work was due to begin but has been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated restrictions. Council believes that these factors contribute to a cost of living crisis; and that it is incumbent on this Council to take any immediate steps it can to mitigate the impacts on Glasgow's citizens. Therefore, Council resolves to reintroduce the £100 Affordable Warmth Payment for this financial year; that this should be paid out to all over 80s across the City, in line with previous practice; that the cost of this in the current financial year should be met from the General Reserve; and that a further report be presented to Councillors after May 2022 to consider options going forward. Council recognises the existing pressures on relevant staff time and resources may delay implementation; and resolves that this payment should be disbursed as soon as is practically possible when considering other pressures and demands on staff time. Council further resolves to instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Chancellor of the Exchequer urging them to immediately introduce further support for vulnerable households as a result of this avoidable crisis." View Papers |
| (c) | By Councillor Thomas Kerr:- "Council welcomes the recent publication of the consultation document entitled Proposed Right to Addiction Recovery (Scotland) Bill. Council notes that the full details of the consultation proposals, in line with Scottish Parliamentary processes, can be found on the Scottish Parliament's website. Council further expresses its thanks to stakeholder groups, including Faces and Voices of Recovery UK, for their work in helping to shape this Bill. Council notes that the purpose of the Bill is to enshrine in Scots law the right to necessary addiction treatment, and to ensure that those with addiction issues are able to access the necessary treatment they require. These treatments include but are not limited to: short-term residential rehabilitation; long-term residential rehabilitation; community-based rehabilitation; residential detoxification; community-based detoxification; stabilisation services; substitute prescribing services; any other forms of treatment as a health professional may deem appropriate, in line with guidance from Scottish Ministers. Council further notes that the Bill would seek to prevent individuals seeking drug and alcohol treatment services from being refused access for reasons including: a medical history of substance misuse; a criminal history involving substance misuse; automatically on the outcome of a mental health assessment; the individual currently being in receipt of substitute prescribing services, regardless of the volume of prescription; the individual currently still undertaking alcohol and/or drug misuse. Council welcomes the commitment of the First Minister to consider giving her government's support to the Right to Recovery Bill. Council believes that cross-party work in this area would give the best possible chance for a lasting political settlement on drug addiction issues in a way that could help bring about the change that families across Scotland are desperately looking for. Council therefore resolves to respond to the consultation document published in the name of Douglas Ross MSP entitled "Proposed Right to Addiction Recovery (Scotland) Bill". Council refers the content of Glasgow City Council's consultation response to the relevant committee and instructs the Chief Executive to ensure a response is submitted in advance of the consultation deadline at 11.59pm on Wednesday, 12th January 2022." View Papers |
| (d) | By Councillor Kim Long:- "Council notes that transport is Scotland's biggest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions; that car and van use accounts for over half of these emissions; and that there is abundant evidence that building a new road creates more vehicle traffic through induced demand. Council notes that car-centric transport design in Glasgow has created decades of avoidable challenges for communities, including ongoing physical barriers, unattractive and unsafe routes for walking, wheeling and cycling, and increased noise and air pollution. Council notes that such impacts are not evenly distributed across the city; that the impact of dominant road infrastructure on communities reinforces existing inequalities, including health outcomes, and access to and safety of travel for disabled people, women, BME people, trans and non-binary people and people living in poverty. Council affirms that action on both inequality and the Climate and Ecological Emergencies requires profoundly altered transport policy priorities for the city, and also that such altered priorities are an opportunity to create more pleasant, thriving, connected local communities. Council notes that the 2020 Public Conversation on transport found that the top changes Glasgow residents would like to see include: - better environments for walking; - more restrictions on traffic; - more segregated cycle tracks/safer places to cycle; and - better access to cycles and cycling support. Council notes that the new Glasgow Transport Strategy will align with the national Sustainable Travel Hierarchy, and the vision in the new recent Active Travel Strategy Consultation for a Glasgow where "Walking, cycling and wheeling will be the first and natural choice for everyday journeys, for people of all ages and ability to travel locally to schools, shops or socially, to work, or to the city centre." Council notes that in 2016/17, £500,000 was committed by the then Executive Committee to develop plans for the East End Regeneration Route Phase 3 to pre-tender readiness, and for a further report to come to committee, and that no such report was brought. Council notes that Hogarth Park, the planned route of EERR3, is in need of significant attention. Council notes local interest to improve the park along with potential investment, but that such improvement has stalled with the continued uncertainty around EERR3. Council notes that north east communities have among the lowest levels of car ownership in the city. Council notes that conversion of the former Riddrie/Haghill railway line bed alongside Provan Road and through Hogarth Park into a new active travel route could transform a fly-tipping hotspot and better connect north east communities to the Forge shopping centre, the forthcoming Parkhead Health and Social Care Hub, and beyond. Council further notes that Dennistoun, Riddrie and Carntyne will be among the first communities to take part in the Liveable Neighbourhoods process to create connected 20 minute neighbourhoods, but that neither this process nor the proposed new Strategic Development Framework for the Inner East can realistically progress while it remains unclear whether a new four lane road will be driven through their communities. Council therefore agrees that: - Phase 3 of the East End Regeneration Route is incompatible with the Council's planned action on Climate and Ecological Emergencies; incompatible with forthcoming transport strategies; and does not align with public need; - delivery of Phase 3 of the East End Regeneration Route will no longer be pursued; and - conversion of the former Riddrie/Haghill railway line bed to a new active travel route should be explored as part of development of Active Travel plans and Liveable Neighbourhood engagement work." View Papers |
| (e) | By Bailie Dr Bartos:- "This Council notes the approach of the COP26 conference and the need for everyone, globally and locally, to make a difference to the future of our planet. Council believes that one part of an adequate climate and ecological emergency response will be to change the approach we take by default to our environment around us and to preserve as far as possible nature's capacity for carbon sequestration. Council notes that it has some limited powers to prevent tree felling by tree preservations orders but also notes that for it to make a tree preservation order across the whole of Glasgow in advance of COP26 would currently require identifying every tree owner and sending them a registered mail letter. Council believes that for there to be an emergency response to the challenges we face, it is time for central government to devolve more powers to local government and therefore Council agrees to write to relevant ministers in the Scottish Government to open a dialogue about climate emergency powers across a range of sectors, including powers of general competence, so that Glasgow City Council may in future rapidly bring forward proposals - such as to allow protection and preservation of trees across our entire local authority - and so that we in Glasgow can take an ambitious, agile and creative approach to tackling the climate emergency." View Papers |
| (f) | By Councillor Richard Bell:- "Council condemns the decision of the Westminster Tory Government to cut the £20 uplift in Universal Credit whilst at the same time increasing National Insurance contributions as an attack on the poorest people in our City and wider society. Council believes that the "double Whammy" will hit many households as they attempt to recover from the global pandemic and push many children in the city deeper into poverty. Indeed, Council notes that the Children and Young People's Commissioner for Scotland's assessment that removal of the £20 uplift to Universal Credit will effectively "knock out the benefits that the Scottish Child Payment brings to families", undermining the work of the Scottish Parliament in eradicating child poverty. Many working families will also face the burden of higher national insurance contributions making life more challenging for the lowest paid. Council strongly disagrees that an increase to National Insurance contributions is the fairest way to fund government spending. Council believes that raising National Insurance contributions is a blunt tool to raise government funds - as they currently stand NICs are more regressive than income tax-with a lower threshold at which payments start, and a higher rate threshold beyond which the well-off pay a lower rate. Council finds that the national insurance levy will impact by age - young people will feel the greatest impact by income - national insurance is regressive and will hammer the lowest paid and by wealth, - those with unearned incomes stand to be the biggest winners. Council believes that the levy increases of 1.25% on employee and on employer wage costs (a 2.5% overall increase in the tax rate on pay), will be detrimental on our people and the City. This would be equivalent to a 10.4% reduction in the pockets of employees and a 9.06% hit for employers. Council believes that these deliberately cruel policies will pose a threat to Glasgow's recovery and that this policy is part of a suite of ill thought out policies which impair post pandemic recovery and penalises the poor and low paid families. Council believe that a more progressive approach to funding social care would be a rise in higher rate income tax, instead of National Insurance, and addressing tax avoidance and evasion. Council believes that Brexit continues to significantly impact the city with labour and produce shortages and increasing fuel prices exacerbating these costs of living challenges. Council notes the unsustainable rise in fuel prices and the impact that could have on families and elderly people this winter. Council notes the Scottish Government have provided an additional payment to carers and welcomes this. Council supports calls by campaigners including National Energy Action for the UK Government to expand the Winter Fuel Payment. Council instructs officers to bring a paper to the future City Administration Committee looking at what support can be provided to mitigate these rising fuel prices and wider efforts to tackle fuel poverty in the city." View Papers |
| (g) | By Councillor Robert Mooney:- "Council notes that efficient, effective and prioritised public transport is a crucial element in our response to the Climate Emergency, and that requires staff to be properly rewarded for their work; that the RMT have begun a strike ballot, following a pay dispute with ScotRail; that Unite members employed by Stagecoach in West and Central Scotland have voted in favour of strike action; and that these both bus and rail services have received significant subsidies throughout the pandemic from the Scottish Government. Council further notes that the trade unions representing Glasgow City Council staff are poised to strike over pay and conditions; and that potential strike action is also due to fall during COP26. Council believes that the services these workers deliver are vital to our communities and Glasgow's citizens; that demands for better pay and conditions is in line with this Council's previous decisions; that these 'key workers' kept the country moving during the early days of the pandemic; and should therefore be compensated accordingly. Therefore, Council resolves to support the demands of the RMT and Unite the Union in these disputes; and calls on the Scottish Government to step in at the earliest opportunity to ensure that the demands of workers are met." View Papers |
| (h) | By Councillor Angus Millar:- "Council recalls its motion of 27th October 2016, at which it affirmed its support for LGBT-inclusive education and resolved to work to "ensure that homophobic and transphobic bullying in Glasgow's schools is effectively tackled and that Glasgow's classrooms actively promote equality and inclusivity for young people of LGBTI+ identities". Council welcomes the work undertaken by Glasgow's schools since then, including a growing number of schools being supported to achieve the LGBT Charter Award, and commends the efforts of our teachers, staff and pupils in driving forward cultural and systemic change in school. Council further welcomes the recent launch of the online lgbteducation.scot platform, managed by the charity Time for Inclusive Education on behalf of the Scottish Government, which provides a suite of teaching resources for teachers to embed LGBT inclusivity and tackle prejudice throughout the curriculum. Council recognises that there remains much work to do to promote a fully inclusive learning environment within our schools, and resolves to continue its efforts to advance LGBT-inclusive education across the city." View Papers |