To consider a request from:
i. Ms. Patrice Hardy, a teacher in John Paul II Primary School, for a number of Primary 7 pupils to address the Council in relation to the motion on Homelessness being proposed by Councillor Corr; and
ii. Mr. John Patrick Clayton, Policy Officer, UNISON NI, for a deputation from UNISON to address the Council in advance of the motion on Support for Health and Social Care Workers being proposed by Councillor McAteer.
Minutes:
Homelessness
The Chief Executive reported that a request had been received from Ms. P. Hardy, a teacher in John Paul II Primary School, to allow a number of Primary 7 pupils to address the Council in advance of the motion on Homelessness being proposed by Councillor Corr.
The Council acceded to the request and Lauren Chambers, Tiernagh Donnelly and Joshua Rooney were welcomed by the Lord Mayor.
The pupils informed the Council that 11,000 people in Northern Ireland were regarded as being homeless and highlighted the fact that, in 2016, five homeless people had died within a two-month period in the City centre area. They outlined the work which their school was undertaking around the issue of homelessness, which included the organising of fundraising events and the production of a wristband, and thanked Councillor Corr for providing them with an opportunity to publicise that work through the Council meeting.
They pointed out that Homelessness Awareness Week had commenced on 30th November and concluded by urging the Council to assist in raising awareness by supporting Councillor Corr’s motion and by illuminating the City Hall in future years.
The Lord Mayor thanked the pupils for their presentation.
The Council noted the information which had been provided and that Members would have an opportunity to discuss the issue later in the meeting.
Support for Health and Social Care Workers
The Chief Executive reported that Mr. J. P. Clayton, Policy Officer, UNISON NI, had submitted a request for two representatives of UNISON to address the Council in advance of the motion on Support for Health and Social Care Workers being proposed by Councillor McAteer.
The Council approved the request and Ms. P. McKeown, Regional Secretary, and Ms. M. McKenna, North and West Belfast Health and Social Services Branch, were welcomed to the meeting.
Ms. McKeown reported that, since 25th November, Unison members and others across the health service had been engaged in various forms of industrial action. That action had been initiated on the grounds that rates of pay for health workers in Northern Ireland were lower than in the rest of the United Kingdom, which she stated was due to a failure by the devolved administration to maintain pay parity, in line with a previously agreed central pay deal.
She explained that, as a result of the disparity in pay and the resulting difficulties with staff retention, there were now 7,000 vacancies across the health service. She highlighted the detrimental impact which that was having upon service delivery, including the daily cancellation of appointments and operations, and confirmed that there were now some 300,000 people on waiting lists, some of whom had been waiting for up to five years on an operation.
She reported further that UNISON had advised the Head of the Civil Service and the Permanent Secretaries of the Department of Finance and the Department of Health that Ministerial approval was not needed to release the £50 million required to resolve the current crisis and had requested that, should that not be available within the current block grant, an approach be made to the Secretary of State and the Treasury.
Ms. McKenna informed the Council that she had attended meetings with the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust to discuss exemptions to the current industrial action. Contrary to media reports, exemptions had been given to critical care areas, which included cancer services, intensive care units, emergency departments and renal units. She pointed out that UNISON remained of the view that a negotiated settlement in the absence of a Health Minister was possible and stressed that it was willing to continue with discussions until the required level of resources were secured. A settlement would allow for pay parity to be restored and the Agenda for Change framework to be refreshed and would enable action to be taken to implement safe staffing levels and address the reliance and significant expenditure on agency workers. She concluded by inviting the Council to support Councillor McAteer’s motion.
The Lord Mayor thanked Ms. McKeown and Ms. McKenna for their contribution.
The Council noted the information which had been provided and that it would have an opportunity to discuss the issue later in the meeting.