Agenda item

9.1

It was formally moved by Councillor George Lindars-Hammond, and formally seconded by Councillor Ruth Milsom, that this Council:-

(a)      believes that over a decade of national government inaction has created a social care crisis, which is simply unacceptable for such a rich nation;

(b)      believes that we should aspire to make Sheffield the best city to grow old in, but that the Government’s failure to fund social care means that many do not get the care they should;

(c)      believes that our homecare workers do vital and amazing work helping our most vulnerable residents, in a job which continues to be incredibly difficult and we must do everything we can to support them;

(d)      reaffirms our commitment to ensuring that care workers are given the respect, pay and conditions they deserve and that, ultimately, this is the right thing to do for workers and will ensure a far better care service for clients; and

(e)      calls for the GMB Ethical Commissioning Charter 2022 to be fully endorsed, including aiming for the following:-

(i)       committing to a block delivery model of commissioning and ending the culture of ‘Time & Task’ in home care delivery;

(ii)       committing that the job evaluated rate of pay at Sheffield City Council should be a benchmark and the ultimate goal for pay in commissioned care; this must drive the journey to increasing the value of care in our communities;

(iii)      committing the Council to continue to recognise and value the training and professional development of staff within the sector; and

(iv)      reaffirming this Council’s commitment to recognising social value in assessing all potential providers and committing to supporting providers working in new and innovative ways to support staff and clients.

9.2

Whereupon, it was formally moved by Councillor Steve Ayris, and formally seconded by Councillor Kevin Oxley, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by:-

1.       the deletion of paragraph (a) and the addition of a new paragraph (a) as follows:-

(a)      believes that this national government has created a social care crisis, which is simply unacceptable for such a rich nation;

2.       the addition of new paragraphs (f) to (k) as follows:-

(f)       notes that the Liberal Democrats on this Council proposed putting an additional £200,000 into vocational development for front line care workers in the financial year 2021/2022 over and above the £4.2m enhanced pay provision agreed, as a way of boosting the esteem of the caring vocation and the role it plays as a valuable employer;

(g)      notes the plight of unpaid carers who have performed heroic efforts to look after our most vulnerable in society during the pandemic;

(h)      also calls on the Government to raise the Carer’s Allowance by £1000 a year, allowing our carers to lead decent lives, after recent research suggested a third struggle to make ends meet even before rises in the cost of living;

(i)       believes that with tens of thousands of vacancies in the sector, professional care staff are overstretched and unable to give people the time and attention they need;

(j)       calls upon the Government to set up a cross-party convention to try to build a cross-party agreement for a long-term, sustainable future that will help deal with the issues in our national care-sector; and

(k)      calls upon the Government to implement the proposals of the Dilnot Commission to socialise care costs, which proposed a more generous means-testing threshold, a cap on care costs and a reduction of the postcode lottery for services.

9.3

It was then formally moved by Councillor Angela Argenzio, and formally seconded by Councillor Martin Phipps, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the addition of a new paragraph (f) as follows:-

(f)       requests the Adult Health and Social Care Policy Committee to seek to adopt and establish cooperative care models in order to empower caregivers and care receivers alike, so that the sector is more sustainable, resilient and that the profit motive is replaced by the motive to provide the best care for patients and achieve high levels of worker security, retention and development.

9.4

The amendment moved by Councillor Steve Ayris was put to the vote and was lost, except for paragraph (g) in Part 2 of the amendment which was carried.

9.4.1

(NOTE: The result of the vote was FOR - 27 Members; AGAINST - 31 Members; ABSTENTIONS – 14 Members.  The Labour Group members voted against, but for paragraph (g) in Part 2 of the amendment.) 

9.5

The amendment moved by Councillor Angela Argenzio was then put to the vote and was carried.

9.5.1

(NOTE: The result of the vote was FOR - 48 Members; AGAINST - 0 Members; ABSTENTIONS – 26 Members.)

9.6

The original Motion, as amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried.

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

(a)      believes that over a decade of national government inaction has created a social care crisis, which is simply unacceptable for such a rich nation;

(b)      believes that we should aspire to make Sheffield the best city to grow old in, but that the Government’s failure to fund social care means that many do not get the care they should;

(c)      believes that our homecare workers do vital and amazing work helping our most vulnerable residents, in a job which continues to be incredibly difficult and we must do everything we can to support them;

(d)      reaffirms our commitment to ensuring that care workers are given the respect, pay and conditions they deserve and that, ultimately, this is the right thing to do for workers and will ensure a far better care service for clients;

(e)      calls for the GMB Ethical Commissioning Charter 2022 to be fully endorsed, including aiming for the following:-

(i)       committing to a block delivery model of commissioning and ending the culture of ‘Time & Task’ in home care delivery;

(ii)       committing that the job evaluated rate of pay at Sheffield City Council should be a benchmark and the ultimate goal for pay in commissioned care; this must drive the journey to increasing the value of care in our communities;

(iii)      committing the Council to continue to recognise and value the training and professional development of staff within the sector; and

(iv)      reaffirming this Council’s commitment to recognising social value in assessing all potential providers and committing to supporting providers working in new and innovative ways to support staff and clients;

(f)       notes the plight of unpaid carers who have performed heroic efforts to look after our most vulnerable in society during the pandemic; and

(g)      requests the Adult Health and Social Care Policy Committee to seek to adopt and establish cooperative care models in order to empower caregivers and care receivers alike, so that the sector is more sustainable, resilient and that the profit motive is replaced by the motive to provide the best care for patients and achieve high levels of worker security, retention and development.

9.6.1

(NOTE: The result of the vote was FOR - 75 Members; AGAINST - 0 Members; ABSTENTIONS – 0 Members.  Councillor Lewis Chinchen voted for, but against paragraphs (a) & (b) of the Substantive Motion.)