{Disestablished Committee} - Social Strategy Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Read the Minutes

Present:

• Councillor Karney - In the Chair 
• Councillors Cooley, Cowan, Evans, Hitchen, Isherwood, Royle and Whitmore 

Also Present:

• Councillor Battle, Deputy Leader 
• Councillor Curley, Executive Member for Health and Social Care 
• Councillor Hackett, Executive Member for Culture and Leisure 
• Councillor E Newman, Executive Member for Housing 

SS/06/06 Minutes

Decision

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 11 January 2006 as a correct record.

SS/06/07 Music Manifesto Pathfinder Project

John Summers, Chief Executive of the Halle Orchestra and Managing Director of Halogen the management company of the Bridgewater Hall informed members of the work in which the Orchestra was involved with young people as part of a Pathfinder project for the North West.

The project sought to cascade the talents of the Orchestra were cascaded to interested young people drawn from state schools all over the North West in a way that helped to redress the under-investment in music education prior to the introduction of the Standards Fund in 1997.

Responding to questions from members Mr Summers confirmed that close links were already established with Manchester Music Service, with the Youth Service and through direct contact with schools. Members acknowledged the importance of this interaction with young people in terms of providing stepping stones out of deprivation, and highlighted the importance that bursaries and other forms of financial assistance would play in ensuring that talent was fostered regardless of young peoples' backgrounds.

Decision

To welcome the work that is being done; to encourage members to become involved in this project in terms of promoting it within their wards and to consider the possibility of organising a "Manchester Evening" to showcase and celebrate the rich young talent in the city.

SS/06/08 Loan Sharks

Jackie Kennedy and Tony Quigley from the Birmingham Loan Shark Unit and Andrew Ashworth from the Council's Trading Standards Unit attended the meeting to discuss this item.

Tony Quigley gave members a presentation which explained the background to this project and the objectives of making an impact on illegal money lending, which had been established in May 2005 to cover the whole of the Midlands area, funded for two years. He outlined some of the difficulties faced during the initial stages of the work, including indifference by the police, and the fact that loan sharks were often regarding as part of a community service by those people who could not get access to bank credit. Investigations had demonstrated that the trade of loan sharks was often only one aspect of the lender's criminal activities, particularly in relation to drugs. Injunctions backed up by the use of ASBO's that prevented loan sharks from accessing their victims had been key to reducing the overall level of loan shark activity in many areas, but the solution lay also in creating routes into more conventional lending and to foster the development of credit unions to fill the void.

A case history was cited from the work of the Loan Shark Unit where a debt of £280k had resulted in a repayment obligation of £802k. The Executive Member for Health and Social Care welcomed the presentation and the excellent work done in the West Midlands, and he suggested that there were many parallels with Manchester in terms of financial inclusion for vulnerable families who were in danger of being preyed upon by unscrupulous lenders. The Committee agreed that local authorities w ere fighting this battle without the most effective legislative powers, though it was recognised that the Consumer Credit Act had picked up some of the issues that had been thrown up by the Pilot, and that the Parliamentary Select Committee continued to press the need for change.

Members were also keen to ensure that the crime reduction aspects of this work found proper expression within the Council's Crime and Reduction Strategy and that the dangers of unregulated borrowing and debt spirals formed part of young people's education.

Decision

To thank the members of the Birmingham Loan Shark Unit for their very informative presentation and the exciting outcomes of the innovative approaches taken to addressing this problem, including the effective use of ASBOs, and to request the officers to examine what aspects of good practice that have worked well in Birmingham can be translated into action in Manchester.

SS/06/09 Mobile phone charges

The Committee considered a report from the Director of Adult Social Care providing information about the European Regulatory Group's investigation into overseas mobile phone charges and the ways in which UK consumers could reduce their bills. The outcome of this review would be reported in July 2006. Members requested that information should be distributed to Manchester residents through "Manchester People" and through publicity at the airport.

Decision

To note the report and the action taken by officers and to seek to refer the issue to the European Union Committee for the Regions through the local representative on that body.

SS/06/10 Fuel increases

A member raised issues in relation to fuel increases, particularly the recent hike in gas prices and the concern of many residents in relation to the likely impact on domestic heating bills. Officers from Manchester Advice informed that Committee that consideration was being given to mounting a public awareness campaign about alternative fuel providers and would report back to Committee in due course.

The Chair suggested that representatives from United Utilities, British Gas and Energywatch should be invited to attend a future meeting to discuss the implications of fuel increases for the most vulnerable consumers.

Decision

To request officers to bring a report to Committee in due course.

SS/06/11 Respect Agenda

A report informing members of the publication and launch of the Government's Respect Action Plan and details of Manchester's initial response was considered by the Committee.

Members expressed their full support for the proposals contained in the report and the importance of a 'whole Council' approach centred around neighbourhood engagement and the promotion of civic pride.

The importance of the managers of ALMOs and social landlords recognising their role in addressing a range of housing issues that affect neighbourhoods in both public and private housing sectors was also seen as being crucial to upholding the rights of the majority of local people against the behaviour of a few. Equally the full commitment of the police and the courts was critical to securing public confidence in the Respect ambitions.

The Deputy Chief Executive emphasised that this was a long term strategy for the Council which would involve significant challenges in embracing all of the Council's partners in a holistic response and of ensuring that the central elements of the Respect agenda were at the heart of all our shared plans and strategies. Whilst there was a focus on enforcement issues there were also important elements at the heart of cultural and community cohesion where the Council could usefully build on existing work to foster neighbourhood approaches to tackling many issues.

Decision

1. To note the report and the role that this Committee will take in terms of overall oversight of the Respect Strategy.

2. To recognise the opportunities of taking forward elements of the Respect Agenda as part of the 100 Days Campaign.

3. To request a progress report to the September meeting.

SS/06/12 80th Birthday of HM the Queen

Following a brief discussion concerning HM The Queen's birthday celebrations, Members made the following suggestions which officers undertook to follow up and report back to Committee:

· making provision for community groups to apply for grants from the City Council to hold specific events;

· linking into older people networks with a view to organising a programme of events citywide, and

· approaching the Lord Lieutenant's office to obtain information on local events being planned through the Palace.

Decision

To request officers to report back on the suggestions made.