Agenda item

Council was asked to agree that ‘care experience’ was recognised as a locally protected characteristic to demonstrate the Council’s commitment as a Corporate Parent. This would ensure that the Council’s care-experienced young people did not face inequality and that their needs were at the heart of all the Council’s decision-making, alongside other groups who formally shared a protected characteristic.

Members were asked to note the report to Cabinet at Appendix 1, this set out a range of measures to support care-experienced young people. The report included a proposal to be considered by the Council for the recognition of ‘care experience’ as a locally protected characteristic. The rationale for this designation was set out in the Cabinet report.

At this point and in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 3.65 Councillor Steve Nelson  requested that a recorded vote be taken on the proposed recommendations; which was supported by at least a quarter of the members present.

Members in favour of the recommendations:-

Cllr Stefan Barnes,  Cllr Jim Beall, Cllr Pauline Beall, Cllr Michelle Bendelow, Cllr Clare Besford, Cllr Marc Besford, Cllr Carol Clark, Cllr Nigel Cooke, Cllr Robert Cook, Cllr Lisa Evans, Cllr Kevin Faulks, Cllr Nathan Gale, Cllr Ray Godwin, Cllr Barbara Inman, Cllr Eileen Johnson, Cllr Mrs Ann McCoy, Cllr Mick Moore, Cllr Steve Nelson, Cllr Ross Patterson, Cllr Paul Rowling, Cllr Norma Stephenson OBE, Cllr Mick Stoker, Cllr Ted Strike, Cllr Marilyn Surtees, Cllr Sylvia Walmsley, Cllr Paul Weston, Cllr Katie Weston and Cllr Barry Woodhouse.

Abstentions:-

Cllr Diane Clarke OBE, Cllr John Coulson, Cllr Jason French, Cllr John Gardner,  Cllr Lynn Hall, Cllr Elsi Hampton, Cllr Stefan Houghton, Cllr Shakeel Hussain, Cllr Niall Innes, Cllr David Reynard, Cllr Stephen Richardson, Cllr Tony Riordan, Cllr Susan Scott, Cllr Vanessa Sewell, Cllr Andrew Sherris, Cllr Hugo Stratton, Cllr Jim Taylor, Cllr Laura Tunney, Cllr Hilary Vickers and Cllr Marcus Vickers.

The recommendations were carried by 28 votes for and 20 abstentions.

RESOLVED that:-

1. The report to Cabinet identifying a range of measures to support the Council’s care-experienced young people be noted.

2. ‘Care Experienced’ is formally recognised as a locally protected characteristic within the Borough, ensuring that the needs of the Council’s care-experienced young people are prioritised in all Council decision-making processes.