Agenda and decisions

To receive Apologies for Absence from Members.

Members are requested to inform Democratic Services of any changes in their Register of Members’ Financial and Other Interests form.

To authorise the Chair to sign the Minutes of the meetings held on the 20 November 2023 and 30 November 2023 as a correct record.

To receive any announcements from the Chair.

To receive any announcements from Leader and Cabinet.

To receive any announcements from the Head of Paid Service.

If you would like to ask a question or make a statement, then please refer to the Document called Public Speaking Scheme (Physical Meetings)

and contact Democratic Services by no later than 11.59pm three clear working days before the meeting.

There are a number of developments in progress or proposed (Hartree, Cambridge East, Spingstead and Marleigh etc.) which cross City/ SouthCambs areas. I am concerned about investment property being left empty on some of these sites. Why are these being marketed to international buyers as an investment before local residents, given that one of the main reasons for building them is to satisfy the local need for housing?  Is there anything the Council can do to ensure local sales marketing is conducted in advance or at least in tandem with any international marketing? 

Dear Councillors

I would like to know what value and priority the council has to businesses within the district.  Specifically in the case of Highgate Farm Willingham where the businesses suffer from issues with physical and internet access in to the site. 

Examples of this are:

No ultrafast internet at the site. Resulting in business issues

No pathed access in to the site. Resulting in reduced able and non able bodied access into the site.

Recommended that Council consider the report and, if satisfied, to:

A)        Acknowledge the projected changes in service spending and the overall resources available to the Council over the medium term to 2028/2029.

B)        Approve the updated financial forecast at Appendix A.

Council

Agreed          to

A)        Acknowledge the projected changes in service spending and the overall resources available to the Council over the medium term to 2028/2029.

B)        Approve the updated financial forecast at Appendix A.

It is recommended that Council:

A)        Consider and approve the proposed Business Plan Action Plan for 2024-25 at Appendix A.

B)        Authorise the Chief Executive to make any minor wording changes required to final drafts, in consultation with the Leader.

Council

Agreed to

A)          Consider and approve the proposed Business Plan Action Plan for 2024-25 at Appendix A.

B)          Authorise the Chief Executive to make any minor wording changes required to final drafts, in consultation with the Leader.

C)          Authorise the Chief Executive to make any factual changes to the final drafts.

Council is

Recommended       To consider the report and, if satisfied, approve the updated Capital Strategy attached at Appendix A to the report which sets the policy framework for the development, management and monitoring of capital investment, including Capital Prudential Indicators.

Council   

Agreed          to approve the updated Capital Strategy attached at Appendix A to the report which sets the policy framework for the development, management and monitoring of capital investment, including Capital Prudential Indicators.

Council is

Recommended       To consider the report and, if satisfied, to approve the updated Treasury Management Strategy attached at Appendix A to the report which sets the policy framework for the Council’s treasury management activity, including (i) the Treasury Management Policy Statement, (ii) Minimum Revenue Provision Policy and (ii) Treasury Indicators.

Recommended       That council approve the continuation of the successful 2023/24 LCTS scheme, with a reasonable uprating of 6.7% for the upcoming financial year 2024/25.

Council   

Agreed          to approve the continuation of the successful 2023/24 LCTS scheme, with a reasonable uprating of 6.7% for the upcoming financial year 2024/25.

Council is requested to consider the report and, if satisfied, to approve:

A)        That the Reserves as summarised at paragraph 12 of the report be released and transferred to the General Reserve or transferred to other reserves as appropriate on 31 March 2024.

B)        That the movement in Reserves in 2023/2024 as set out in Appendix A, and the estimated balance of Reserves of £36.132 million, be noted.

Council agreed  to approve

A)     The Reserves as summarised at paragraph 12 of the report be released and transferred to the General Reserve or transferred to other reserves as appropriate on 31 March 2024.

B)     The movement in Reserves in 2023/2024 as set out in Appendix A, and the estimated balance of Reserves of £36.132 million, be noted.

It is recommended that Council agrees:

A)        To allow Ermine Street Housing (ESH) additional borrowing from the Council of up to £20 million to take advantage of new investment opportunities where viability assessments provide a positive return with an interest rate of 1% above base rate. This arrangement is to be reviewed annually.

B)        To allow ESH to purchase single person properties for homeless people to prevent the use of expensive temporary accommodation, using the interest rate applying to ESH (currently 4.25%). This rate recognises the initiative as a ‘spend to save’ investment, providing savings to homelessness budgets.

C)       To allow the Head of Housing, in consultation with the Lead Cabinet Member for Housing, to authorise individual purchases (and therefore borrowing) up to the value of £2 million as per the current arrangements. 

D)       To note that this proposal is subject to the agreement of the Ermine Street Housing Board.

It is recommended that Council:

A)        Consider and approve the proposed Business Plan Action Plan for 2024-25 at Appendix A.

B)        Authorise the Chief Executive to make any minor wording changes required to final drafts, in consultation with the Leader.

Council   

Agreed          to approve the revised General Fund Capital Programme outlined at Appendix A.

It is recommended that Council considers the report and, if satisfied:

A)   Review the detailed budgets presented at Appendix B, and summarised at Appendix A, with an estimated General Fund Gross Operating Expenditure for 2024/2025 of £76.887 million, estimated Gross Operating Income of £48.331 million and estimated General Fund Net Operating Expenditure of £28.555 million.

B)   Acknowledge the key factors which have led to the proposed 2024/2025 General Fund Revenue Budget, with service pressures summarised at Appendix C and offsetting efficiency savings/policy options summarised at Appendix D.

C)   Acknowledge that the 2024/2025 General Fund Revenue Budget gross expenditure is covered by forecast income sources (assuming no change in Government grant) and, therefore, any addition(s) to expenditure that are made by the Cabinet or Council will need to be met from the General Fund Balance.

D)   Approve the 2024/2025 General Fund Revenue Budget taking into account the statement by the Chief Finance Officer on the risks and robustness of the estimates as required under Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003 (reproduced at Appendix F).

E)   Set the Council Tax Requirement for 2024/2025 at £11,688,648.

F)   Approve an increase in the District element of the Council Tax of £5 per annum, giving an average Band D Council Tax of £170.31, plus the relevant amounts required by the precepts of the Parish Councils, Cambridgeshire County Council, Cambridgeshire Police & Crime Commissioner, Cambridgeshire Fire Authority and The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA).

G)  Approve the estimates of the amounts required to be made under the Non-domestic Rating (Rates Retention) Regulations 2013 as set out in paragraphs 38 - 41.

H)   Approve the use of the additional income from the Business Rate Pool, estimated at £1,100,000 in 2024/2025, for transfer to the established Renewables Reserve for priority projects.

I)     Subject to any changes to the recommendations above, Council approves:

(i)      The 2024/2025 General Fund Revenue Budget based on known commitments at this time and planned levels of Service/functions resulting in a Budget Requirement of £37.132 million.

(ii)     The District Council Precept on the Collection Fund (Council Tax Requirement) of £11.689 million in 2024/2025 (based on the final Government Settlement) and a Band D Council Tax of £170.31.

Council agreed to

A)        Review the detailed budgets presented at Appendix B, and summarised at Appendix A, with an estimated General Fund Gross Operating Expenditure for 2024/2025 of £76.887 million, estimated Gross Operating Income of £48.331 million and estimated General Fund Net Operating Expenditure of £28.555 million.

B)        Acknowledge the key factors which have led to the proposed 2024/2025 General Fund Revenue Budget, with service pressures summarised at Appendix C and offsetting efficiency savings/policy options summarised at Appendix D.

C)        Acknowledge that the 2024/2025 General Fund Revenue Budget gross expenditure is covered by forecast income sources (assuming no change in Government grant) and, therefore, any addition(s) to expenditure that are made by the Cabinet or Council will need to be met from the General Fund Balance.

D)        Approve the 2024/2025 General Fund Revenue Budget taking into account the statement by the Chief Finance Officer on the risks and robustness of the estimates as required under Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003 (reproduced at Appendix F).

E)        Set the Council Tax Requirement for 2024/2025 at £11,688,648.

F)        Approve an increase in the District element of the Council Tax of £5 per annum, giving an average Band D Council Tax of £170.31, plus the relevant amounts required by the precepts of the Parish Councils, Cambridgeshire County Council, Cambridgeshire Police & Crime Commissioner, Cambridgeshire Fire Authority and The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA).

G)       Approve the estimates of the amounts required to be made under the Non-domestic Rating (Rates Retention) Regulations 2013 as set out in paragraphs 38 - 41.

H)        Approve the use of the additional income from the Business Rate Pool, estimated at £1,100,000 in 2024/2025, for transfer to the established Renewables Reserve for priority projects.

I)          Subject to any changes to the recommendations above, Council approves:

(i)     The 2024/2025 General Fund Revenue Budget based on known commitments at this time and planned levels of Service/functions resulting in a Budget Requirement of £37.132 million.

(ii)    The District Council Precept on the Collection Fund (Council Tax Requirement) of £11.689 million in 2024/2025 (based on the final Government Settlement) and a Band D Council Tax of £170.31.

Recommended that Council   

Housing Revenue Account (HRA): Revenue

A)        approve the HRA revenue budget for 2024/2025 as shown in the HRA Budget Summary as presented at Appendix A.

HRA: Review of Rents and Charges

B)        Approve that council dwelling rents for all social rented properties be increased by 7.7%, recognising that inflation measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) at September 2023, plus 1% results in an increase of 7.7%.

C)        Approve that affordable rents (inclusive of service charge) are also increased by 7.7% in line with the increase for social rents.

D)        Approve that rents for affordable shared ownership properties are increased by 5.4%, recognising that inflation measured by the Retail Price Index (RPI) at January 2024 plus 0.5% results in an increase of 5.4%.

E)        Approve that garage rents be increased by 7.7% in line with the increase for social rents.

F)        Approve the proposed service charges for HRA services and facilities provided to both tenants and leaseholders, as shown in Appendix D.

HRA: Capital

G)        Approve the required level of funding for new build investment between 2024/2025 and 2028/2029 to ensure that commitments can be met in respect of the investment of all right to buy receipts currently retained or anticipated to be received by the authority for this period. This expenditure will take the form of HRA new build, with the 60% top up met by other HRA resources.

H)        Approve the HRA Medium Term Financial Strategy forecasts as shown in Appendix B.

I)          Approve the Housing Capital Programme as shown in Appendix C.

Council agreed to

Housing Revenue Account (HRA): Revenue

A)       approve the HRA revenue budget for 2024/2025 as shown in the HRA Budget Summary as presented at Appendix A.

HRA: Review of Rents and Charges

B)       Approve that council dwelling rents for all social rented properties be increased by 7.7%, recognising that inflation measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) at September 2023, plus 1% results in an increase of 7.7%.

C)       Approve that affordable rents (inclusive of service charge) are also increased by 7.7% in line with the increase for social rents.

D)       Approve that rents for affordable shared ownership properties are increased by 5.4%, recognising that inflation measured by the Retail Price Index (RPI) at January 2024 plus 0.5% results in an increase of 5.4%.

E)        Approve that garage rents be increased by 7.7% in line with the increase for social rents.

F)        Approve the proposed service charges for HRA services and facilities provided to both tenants and leaseholders, as shown in Appendix D.

HRA: Capital

G)       Approve the required level of funding for new build investment between 2024/2025 and 2028/2029 to ensure that commitments can be met in respect of the investment of all right to buy receipts currently retained or anticipated to be received by the authority for this period. This expenditure will take the form of HRA new build, with the 60% top up met by other HRA resources.

H)       Approve the HRA Medium Term Financial Strategy forecasts as shown in Appendix B.

I)          Approve the Housing Capital Programme as shown in Appendix C.

Recommended       That the Council Tax Resolution, detailed at Appendix A, be approved.

Council  

Agreed          That the Council Tax Resolution, detailed at Appendix A, be approved.

Civic Affairs Committee

Recommends that   Council approves the adoption of a revised schedule of Polling Districts and Places as laid out at Appendix A.

Council

Agreed          to approve the adoption of a revised schedule of Polling Districts and Places as laid out at Appendix A, with the following amendments:

·         The polling place for Over and Willingham SD3 was amended to “Parish of Willingham and Northstowe Town”.

·         The polling places for Whittlesford WG1 and WG2 were amended to “The Parish of Thriplow and Heathfield”.

·         Maps to be included showing the boundaries between both Girton and Madingley and Willingham and Northstowe.

It is recommended that the Council consider and approve the updated Pay Policy Statement as required by the Localism Act 2011.

Council

Agreed          to approve the updated Pay Policy Statement as required by the Localism Act 2011.

The Swavesey Bye-ways Advisory Committee Recommends to Council that:

It retains the level of the Swavesey Bye-ways rate at £1.20 per hectare for land within the charge paying area for the period 2024/25 in order to fund the required level of maintenance.

Council

Agreed           to retain the level of the Swavesey Bye-ways rate at £1.20 per hectare for land within the charge paying area for the period 2024/25 in order to fund the required level of maintenance.

It is recommended that Council:

(a)       Agree a revised Scheme of Members’ Allowances for 2023/24 (see Appendix A), including:

(i)        An increase in the Basic Allowance to £5,800 (equivalent to a 5.44% increase) back dated to 1 April 2023; and

(ii)       An increase to all the Special Responsibility Allowances of 5.44%, back dated to 1 April 2023; and

(iii)      The awarding of a new Special Responsibility Allowance of £580 to members of the following three committees of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority: Transport & Infrastructure, Environment & Sustainable Communities and Skills & Employment.

(b)       Authorise the Head of Transformation to implement and advertise the new scheme and make any consequential amendments required to the Scheme of Members’ Allowances in Part 6 of the Constitution.

Council agreed to

A)        Agree a revised Scheme of Members’ Allowances for 2023/24 (see Appendix A), including:

(i)        An increase in the Basic Allowance to £5,800 (equivalent to a 5.44% increase) back dated to 1 April 2023; and

(ii)       An increase to all the Special Responsibility Allowances of 5.44%, back dated to 1 April 2023; and

(iii)      The awarding of a new Special Responsibility Allowance of £580 to members of the following three committees of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority: Transport & Infrastructure, Environment & Sustainable Communities and Skills & Employment.

B)        Authorise the Head of Transformation to implement and advertise the new scheme and make any consequential amendments required to the Scheme of Members’ Allowances in Part 6 of the Constitution.

To approve the Calendar of Meetings of 2024/25.

Council

Agreed          to approve the Calendar of Meetings 2024/2025, as set out in Appendix A.

To receive two reports summarising the work of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority from November 2023 and January 2024.

To receive a decision summary from the Greater Cambridge Partnership Executive Board meeting on 4 January 2024.

It is recommended that Council note the report.

Note resignation of Cllr Annika Osbourne of Old West Internal Drainage Board, leaving Councillors, Martin Cahn, Bill Handley and Eileen Wilson as the members of the Board.

A period of 30 minutes will be allocated for this item to include those questions where notice has been provided (as set out on the agenda below) and questions which may be asked without notice.

Members wishing to ask a question without notice should indicate this intention to the Interim Democratic Services Team Manager prior to the commencement of the item.  Members’ names will be drawn at random by the Chairman until there are no further questions or until the expiration of the time period. 

How is the council going to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of South Cambridgeshire District Council?

Can the leader comment on the implementation of the new bin rounds, as well as on how the holiday period affected waste collection?

Could the leader update the council on the uptake of the council’s cost of living support this winter – as well as how well the council is signposting support to residents?

Can the leader give the council an update regarding the newly opened Sports Pavilion in Northstowe?

Following the welcome decision that this Council will be pursuing White Ribbon accreditation, will the Leader outline what support could be provided to other organisations in the South Cambridgeshire District looking to follow this commendable path?

At a recent parish council meeting, the Chief Executive suggested staff would most likely continue working a four-day week after March 2024 while the data was assessed and a decision was made. Can the Leader confirm how long this will take and therefore when all councillors will finally get a vote on the four-day week?

Is the Leader aware that the staff directory for councillors on Insite is not being updated, and how does the Leader think this may affect the essential services councillors provide to residents of South Cambridgeshire?

Staff have reported shorter or fewer meetings to increase productivity – but this is not reliant on the four-day week trial itself and can be done working five days a week. Can the Leader explain how they are telling the difference between performance changes as a consequence of having a day off each week, and performance changes due to changing methods of working?

Before councillors vote on whether the four-day week should become permanent, will the Leader provide assurance that a proper business case will be done?

Does the Leader believe the financial cost of the four-day week should have been calculated prior to undergoing the trial?

Can the Leader confirm if there will be a public consultation before councillors vote on the four-day week trial?

Why does the Council now have 105 staff working in Transformation, up from 43 in 2018/19?

A period of 30 minutes will be allowed for each Motion to be moved, seconded and debated, including dealing with any amendments. At the expiry of the 30 minute period, debate shall cease immediately, the mover of the original Motion, or if the original Motion has been amended, the mover of that amendment now forming part of the substantive motion, will have the right of reply before it is put to the vote.

This Council notes the following:

According to the Crime Survey for England and Wales for the survey year ending March 2022, a staggering 1 in 30 women aged 16 years and over were victims of sexual assault;

The Office for National Statistics states that for the year ending September 2022, 70,633 rapes were recorded by the police: the highest number ever recorded;

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) states in its ‘Still just a bit of banter?’ 2016 report that ‘more than half (52%) of all women polled have experienced some form of sexual harassment’ at work;

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for UN Women, in March 2021, recorded that 86% of women aged 18-24 said they had been sexually harassed in a public space, whilst 71% of women of all ages said the same;

Ofsted states in its ‘Review of Sexual Abuse in Schools and Colleges’ that 9 in 10 girls and young women in schools, say sexist name-calling and being sent unwanted images of a sexual nature happens to them or their peers.

These distressing statistics show how endemic is violence against women and girls in our society and how normalised is sexist behaviour, from which this is borne.

White Ribbon is the UK’s leading charity engaging men and boys to end violence against women and girls. Their mission is to prevent violence against women and girls by addressing its root causes: working with men and boys to change long-established, and harmful, attitudes, systems and behaviours around masculinity that perpetuate inequality and violence. The work is preventative; White Ribbon want to stop violence before it starts.

All organisations, large and small, can help end violence against women. This is why the charity has developed two programmes to facilitate organisational change: Accreditation and Supporter Organisations.

Men’s violence — in all its forms — has a negative impact on the health and safety of employees, their wellbeing and productivity. It impacts  workplace culture and it can impede an organisation’s success. White Ribbon UK’s Accreditation and Supporter programmes provide frameworks to support organisations work towards ending harmful attitudes and behaviours in the workplace and throughout the local community.

This Council notes that the neighbouring councils of East Cambridgeshire and Cambridge City have attained White Ribbon accreditation.

This Council believes that White Ribbon accreditation, in addition to the other accreditations already achieved, is appropriate in order to address potential issues within the Council workplace and to demonstrate our collective leadership on this serious issue.

To this end we request that the Scrutiny Committee agree to set up a Task and Finish Group on the matter.

Council agreed the following motion:

Council notes:

Domestic abuse can encompass a wide range of behaviours. It can but does not have to involve physical acts of violence and can include threatening behaviour, controlling or coercive behaviour, emotional, psychological, sexual and/or economic abuse. Domestic abuse can involve abuse facilitated and perpetrated online or offline. It is widely recognised that the perpetrator’s desire to exercise power and control over the victim is at the centre of abusive behaviours. Many victims will experience abusive behaviours simultaneously, perpetrators may demonstrate a wide range and use different tactics to gain power and control.

Sexual violence, sexual harassment, and domestic abuse are endemic in modern society, highlighted recently by the appalling murders of Sabina Nessa, Sarah Everard, and sisters Bibba Henry and Nicole Smallman.

A recent OFSTED review into sexual harassment in schools has found that sexual harassment, including online sexual abuse, has become ‘normalised’ for children and young people.

The Council already holds accreditation with the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance.

The Lead Cabinet Member for Housing has directed officers to work towards obtaining White Ribbon Accreditation.

Council recognises:

The Domestic Abusing Housing Alliance (DAHA) is a UK based charity that since 2014 has supported housing providers improve their response to domestic abuse. DAHA’s accreditation standards have been endorsed by the Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England & Wales, Nicole Jacobs, who encouraged all local authorities and housing providers to adopt them.

White Ribbon is a charity in the UK with a mission to end violence against women and girls and is part of the global White Ribbon movement which arose from a campaign started in Canada in 2004.

Council believes:

The problem of domestic abuse needs addressing in all forms of relationship, including but not limited to abuse perpetrated by men towards women, by women towards men, within LGBTQ+ relationships, within family structures and within relationships between carers and those being cared for.

The prevalence of gender-based abuse is part of a broader culture of misogyny in society.

It is incumbent on everyone to work towards a society in which everybody can feel safe and secure and in which domestic abuse, including gender-based abuse, is a thing of the past.

By seeking White Ribbon accreditation, the Council will build upon its existing DAHA accreditation and will reaffirm its position that domestic abuse, including gender-based abuse, are never acceptable and we continue this fight against this scourge in society.

Council resolves to:

Endorse the decision of the Lead Cabinet Member for Housing to direct officers to work towards White Ribbon accreditation; and as part of this, mark White Ribbon Day on 25 November each year and encourage participation among councillors, council staff and local organisations.

Request the Leader to write to the Secretary of State for Education and the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to request further work be done in support of all elements of this motion.

Call out all forms of sexual objectification and all its negative outcomes and encourage others  ...  view the full decision text for item 20a

This Council requests that the Cabinet expands its Cost of Living Support scheme to include providing free sanitary products to those who may not be able to afford them.

Council agreed the following motion:

This Council requests that the Cabinet expands its Cost of Living Support scheme to include providing free sanitary products to those who may not be able to afford them.

This Council notes:

-       Care-experienced people face significant barriers that impact them throughout their lives.

-       Despite the resilience of many care-experienced people, society too often does not take their needs into account.

-       Care-experienced people often face discrimination and stigma across housing, health, education, relationships, employment and in the criminal justice system.

-       Care-experienced people may encounter inconsistent support in different geographical areas.

-       The Public Sector Equality Duty requires public bodies, such as councils, to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, and victimisation of people with protected characteristics.

This Council believes:

-       Councillors should be champions of children and young people in care and challenge the negative attitudes and prejudice that exists in all aspects of society.

This Council therefore resolves, in support of similar resolutions made by Cambridgeshire County Council and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority:

-       It recognises that care experienced people are a group who are likely to face discrimination.

-       It recognises that Councils have a duty to put the needs of disadvantaged people at the heart of decision-making through co-production and collaboration.

-       Future decision, services and policies made and adopted by the Council should be assessed through Equality Impact Assessments to determine the impact of changes on people with care experience, alongside those who formally share a protected characteristic.

-       In the delivery of the Public Sector Equality Duty the Council includes care experience in the publication and review of Equality Objectives and the annual publication of information relating to people who share a protected characteristic in services and employment.

-       This Council will treat care experience as if it were a Protected Characteristic.

-       This Council formally calls upon all other bodies to treat care experience as a protected characteristic until such time as it may be introduced by legislation including:

i.              working to establish South Cambridgeshire as a District where all local government treats our care leavers similarly.

ii.            calling on towns and parishes as well as the Greater Cambridge Partnership to also pass this motion to enable us all to work together to protect and provide for our care experienced young people.

-       To continue proactively seeking out and listening to the voices of care experienced people when developing new policies based on their views.

Council agreed the following motion:

This Council notes:

-     Care-experienced people face significant barriers that impact them throughout their lives.

-    Despite the resilience of many care-experienced people, society too often does not take their needs into account.

-    Care-experienced people often face discrimination and stigma across housing, health, education, relationships, employment and in the criminal justice system.

-    Care-experienced people may encounter inconsistent support in different geographical areas.

-    The Public Sector Equality Duty requires public bodies, such as councils, to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, and victimisation of people with protected characteristics.

This Council believes:

-       Councillors should be champions of children and young people in care and challenge the negative attitudes and prejudice that exists in all aspects of society.

This Council therefore resolves, in support of similar resolutions made by Cambridgeshire County Council and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority:

-       It recognises that care experienced people are a group who are likely to face discrimination.

-    It recognises that Councils have a duty to put the needs of disadvantaged people at the heart of decision-making through co-production and collaboration.

-    Future decision, services and policies made and adopted by the Council should be assessed through Equality Impact Assessments to determine the impact of changes on people with care experience, alongside those who formally share a protected characteristic.

-    In the delivery of the Public Sector Equality Duty the Council includes care experience in the publication and review of Equality Objectives and the annual publication of information relating to people who share a protected characteristic in services and employment.

-    This Council will treat care experience as if it were a Protected Characteristic.

-    This Council formally calls upon all other bodies to treat care experience as a protected characteristic until such time as it may be introduced by legislation including:

i.              working to establish South Cambridgeshire as a District where all local government treats our care leavers similarly.

ii.            calling on towns and parishes as well as the Greater Cambridge Partnership to also pass this motion to enable us all to work together to protect and provide for our care experienced young people.

-       To continue proactively seeking out and listening to the voices of care experienced people when developing new policies based on their views.

To note the Chair’s engagements since the last Council meeting:

10 November 2023501^st Wing Commander, Colonel Landon Phillips Veterans Day Ceremony, Madingley American Cemetery

5 December 2023   Carol service at King’s College Chapel

6 December 2023   Haverhill carol service

19 December 2023Mayor of Huntingdon Civic Carol service (attended by Vice Chair)

20 January 2024     Ribbon cutting Western Park Pavilion, Northstowe