To
consider the following motions received under Standing Order No.
12:-
18(a)Opt-out HIV
Testing
Proposer: Councillor Chapman
Seconder: Councillor
Dunn
This
council notes that:
1. The government has
committed to ending new HIV transmissions in England by
2030.
2. As part of the roadmap to
reaching zero by 2030, the HIV Commission recommended that opt-out
HIV testing become routine across the health service.
3. As part of the HIV Action
Plan 2022-25, the Government made £20 million available from
NHS England for opt-out testing in areas classified by the UK
Health Security Agency to be areas of ‘very high
prevalence’ on HIV and ‘high prevalence’ areas in
London.
4. Sandwell is part of the
next tier, as an area of high prevalence of HIV outside of London,
with between 2-5 people per 1000 living with HIV.
5. In the Adult HIV Testing
Guidelines, the British Association of Sexual Health and HIV and
the British Association of HIV recommends HIV testing for all
individuals who have not previously tested who are:
a. Accessing healthcare in
areas of high HIV prevalence (2–5 per 1000) and undergoing
venepuncture (a blood test);
b. Accessing healthcare in
areas of extremely high HIV prevalence (>5 per 1000), whether or
not they are undergoing venepuncture for another
indication.
6. Opt-out testing has been
successful. In the first 100 days of opt-out HIV testing in London,
Manchester, Brighton and Blackpool, 102 people were newly diagnosed
with HIV and a further 60 found who were lost to care.
7. Opt-out testing has also
been effective in diagnosing hepatitis B and C. In 100 days, 328
people have been newly diagnosed with Hepatitis B and 137 newly
diagnosed with Hepatitis C.
8. Opt-out HIV testing is an
effective tool for addressing inequalities and works for people who
don’t traditionally access other ways of testing. People of
Black African heritage, women and older people who are more likely
to be diagnosed late are also more likely to be diagnosed through
opt-out testing than other methods (for example in sexual health
services or through postal testing).
This Council believes:
1. Finding undiagnosed people
in Sandwell will be central to meeting the target of ending new HIV
transmissions by 2030.
2. Anyone leaving A&E in
Sandwell without knowing their HIV status is a missed
opportunity.
This council resolves to request the Leader
to:
1. Write to the Secretary of
State for Health to ask for funding for opt-out testing for
Sandwell and all other high prevalence areas.
2. Propose that opt-out
testing is discussed at the next meeting of NHS Black Country ICS
and that work is undertaken to explore implementing this across
Sandwell.
3. Approach our local MPs,
community groups and stakeholders, and leaders of other high
prevalence areas in the Black Country and Birmingham to mobilise a
campaign to bring opt-out HIV testing to the area.
18(b)Housing Safety
Proposer: Councillor W Gill
Seconder: Councillor
Fisher
That this Council
places on record that we are deeply saddened by the death of Awaab
Ishak and is committed to ensuring that lessons are learnt to
ensure that such a tragedy cannot happen again.
Therefore, this
Council resolves to:
·
Recognises the
duties it has in the Housing Act 2004 to improve the housing
quality for both social and private tenants.
·
Commit to ensuring
that all people in the Borough do not live in poor quality
housing.
·
Use the powers it
has to ensure that all accommodation in Sandwell, whether private
or social, is of high safety and quality standards.
·
Commit to carry out
a review of housing conditions in Sandwell and supply the
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities with an
assessment of damp and mould issues affecting privately rented
properties.
·
Assess action that
may need to be taken in relation to damp and mould issues affecting
privately rented properties in the Borough and supply the
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities with this
assessment.
·
Welcome the
government’s plans to enable a rigorous new regime that holds
all landlords to account for the decency of their homes and the
service they provide.
·
Prioritise
enforcement of housing standards and ensure that there is a strong
and up-to-date plan to ensure there is adequate enforcement
capacity to drive up standards in the private rented
18(c) Safe working, transport and
enforcement…………………………
Proposer: Councillor Suzanne Hartwell
Seconder: Councillor
Hinchliff
Shift
work is widespread in many industries particularly hospitality, as
well as health and care workers, and many National Health Service
workers – all are expected to work or have a degree of late
night working.
Late
night working increases at this time of year (December).For those
who work in retail, these workers are often women or students who
work part time or to avoid child care costs.
Many
workers of all genders and ages are increasingly worried of attack
but especially women who are afraid of attack and sexual
assault/harassment.
We
would like to acknowledge the tremendous job that our local
officers do to protect the residents of Sandwell but there are many
weaknesses with enforcement of the law against sexual assault and
harassment - this is appalling and together with the reduction of
officers over the last decade which is an absolute disgrace makes
this a difficult combination for women to feel safe.
This
councils call upon the Leader to write to the Mayor of the West
Midlands Combined Authority and ask him to provide assurances on
the following:
·
To make sure improvement to late night and off-peak
transport by making sure time schedules are relevant, kept to and
that cancellations are at a minimum with just reason.
·
Because of the Cost of Living Crisis, ensure fares
are kept to a minimum at an affordable level so as not to exclude
the low paid such as nurses.
·
Not to cut services in areas where it is known that
late working is absolute or possible such as retail or
hospitals
·
Ensure all drivers and other public transport
workers are trained to be aware of what Sexual Harassment is and
know what to do in the event that it happens.
·
Liaise with Trade Unions as necessary to prevent
strike action that would stop transport
And to write to Simon Foster – the Police and
Crime Commissioner:
·
Requesting that he makes representations to the
government on strengthening the law regarding sexual harassment,
and to lobby the government for more officers to strengthen
enforcement in Sandwell to prevent any rise in
harassment.
18(d) Cost of
Living Emergency
Proposer: Councillor Carmichael
Seconder: Councillor
Piper
In
April 2022 this Labour administration brought a motion to this
council regarding the Cost-of-Living Crisis. Since then, we have
had a further TWO budgets and seen inflation rise to the highest it
has been in forty years. This council
now finds itself looking at discretionary services as part of its
budget cuts.
This
council thanks our officers for all the additional work already
done to support residents in this crisis and to also note that we
know that the council is doing all it can to protect our vulnerable
residents including.
·
Signposting of benefits and other support
·
Exploring all ways to ensure that grants received go
the most vulnerable
·
Providing extra funding to food banks, school
voucher scheme, Ukraine hosts
·
Setting up a Cost of Living Webpage and the recent
set-up of a cost-of-living WhatsApp service
·
Setting up Sandwell’s warm spaces and
supplying grants to organisations
This
council believes that there is still more that will need to be done
to help out our residents and this council resolves to:
·
Escalate our established Cost of Living Crisis
status and declare a ‘Cost of Living Emergency’ this
highlighting the massively difficult situations many residents are
facing
·
Continue to explore ways in the councils’
budget to ensure our most vulnerable receive help, even though we
recognise the governments cuts over the last decade.
·
Convene a cost-of-living summit in this council and
invite partners, businesses, organisations, trade unions, MPs to
help this council address the situation.
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