Council Motions - Newcastle Labour Group

2 September 2026 - Kevin Keegan

3 December 2025 - Project Orpheus

3 December 2025 – An anti stigma approach for Newcastle City Council

“Council notes that the Anti-Stigma Network define stigma as a set of negative and often unfair beliefs. It is a com-plex, multi-dimensional concept and a term that if often in society, but which can be differently understood and applied across varied issues and circumstances. This work and focus initially has been about tackling stigma and discrimination linked to substances, but its impact is felt across a range of areas.

Stigma can be categorised in a variety of terminology and meanings. Examples include:

Self-Stigma
Private Stigma
Public Stigma
Associated Stigma
Healthcare professional stigma
Organisational Stigma
Structural Stigma

Council also notes that:

Stigma and discrimination remain significant barriers to health, wellbeing, aspiration and inclusion for many residents and individuals working within Newcastle.
Stigma and discrimination can impact our whole population profile, including residents, employers and employees working within the city.
Tackling stigma is a specific component of the Marmot Principles, which aim to reduce health inequalities and improve health outcomes by addressing the social determinants of health such as housing, education and community safety
Stigma can lead to loneliness and social isolation, reduced access or lower quality care within services or support, poorer health outcomes, and increased health and social inequalities.
Local authorities have a vital role to play in shaping inclusive, compassionate communities and ensuring that public services are accessible and adopt anti stigma approaches.
There is a range of work in place coordinated by public health which has initially been focused on people who are impacted by substances, to build on. Examples include
- The design of a stigma animation and a range of resources housed on the Newcastle Safeguarding adult site
- The development of a stigma education package with Northumbria University.
- The pilot implementation of the national stigma indicator, to be evaluated by Liverpool John Moore University.

This Council believes that:

Everyone has the right to be free from stigma and discrimination.
Tackling stigma is essential to achieving our goals to addressing health inequalities.
A whole-system, partnership-based approach is needed to address stigma at individual, organisation, community and societal levels.

This Council resolves to ask Cabinet to:

Adopt an Anti-Stigma Charter that sets out our commitment to address the impact of stigma and adopt inclusive language, respectful engagement, and equitable service delivery.
Establish a local Stigma Forum with key partners.
Work with local partners, including NHS providers including NuTH, CNTW and primary care, education settings, emergency services, voluntary and community organisations, and people with lived experience, to co-produce a local anti-stigma strategy.
Apply learning from the research and work already in place, including the adoption of an anti-stigma indicator in the drug and alcohol services that we commission and consider how we can roll this out further.
Review council policies and communications to ensure they are free from stigmatising language and adopt anti-stigma approaches.
Champion anti-stigma campaigns and awareness events across the local authority, including through education settings, libraries, community centres and commissioned services.
Develop additional anti stigma tools, provide training and resources for council staff, elected members, and commissioned services to raise awareness and challenge stigma initially focused in relation to substance use, poverty and deprivation, using evidence-based and data driven approaches to support underserved communities through coproduction.
With resident and service user input, monitor progress through regular reporting to the Health and Wellbeing governance of the Marmot City delivery plan.”

Proposed by: Cllr Adam Walker

3 December 2025 – Stars in our schools

3 December 2025 – Ethics: Investment and Procurement

“Council notes:

In 2016 NCC passed a motion in which it stated its pride in its “…commitment to human rights & to putting this into practice through such measures as an ethical approach to its relationship with business as outlined under Newcastle’s Social Value Commitment…”. It also reaffirmed its “… commitment to an ethical base to its procurement & pensions investment policy…”
In the context of the deteriorating situation in Gaza & the West Bank, a legal notice authored by leading legal experts has been sent, at the beginning of September, to all councils in England and Wales administering a local government pension scheme, including South Tyneside Council (the administering authority for the Tyne & Wear Pension Fund (TWPF)into which Newcastle City Council’s employees pay). This Notice outlines the legal responsibilities of such councils to take immediate action to divest from companies enabling or profiting from the Israeli’s government’s crimes, such as arms companies supplying the Israeli state with weapons used in its genocide and companies involved in the financing and construction of Israeli government supported illegal settlements on stolen Palestinian land.
That several local authorities, including Wakefield Council and Cardiff Council (July), Caerphilly & Swansea (November), have passed motions which commit them to implementing divestment from complicit companies of their employees’ pension funds.

Council further notes:

The legal rulings on the genocide and occupation by the ICJ (International Court of Justice), strengthened by the genocide scholars’ declaration this year, place a clear moral and legal responsibility on the council to ensure that, as a minimum, in its investment and procurement policies, it is not associated with companies which are complicit with war crimes and grave violations of international law.
That NCC has an Ethical Investment Policy (referenced above) which requires it to take into consideration human rights and environmental concerns in its decision-making on procurement and pension investments.
The Council’s Social Value Commitment includes ethical leadership where “Social Value should be embedded in our ethics and those of the organisations we contract with”.
That NCC, as a member of TWPF into which its employees pay, has significant influence in the administration of the fund, which can be used to argue for divestment from complicit companies.
That the TWPF currently already has multiple commitments on responsible investment, including the UN Principles for Responsible Investment & the UK Stewardship Code, frameworks that NCC should draw upon in such discussions.
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign’s research on Local Government Pension Scheme investments suggests that, as of 1st February 2025, the TWPF held complicit investments to the value of approximately £227 million. This research shows that it is possible for LGPS funds to remove their exposure to such investments.

Council agrees to ask Cabinet to:

Conduct a thorough review of the Council’s financial ties and procurement practices to identify whether there are any goods or services being provided by companies which are complicit with the genocide and / or illegal occupation with the intention to terminating any association with such companies (where current contractual arrangements permit); To report back to full council once the review is concluded.
To strengthen the Council’s ethical investment and procurement framework to ensure that there is a rigorous process in place to ensure no investment in, association with, or support for companies (including financial institutions) which are connected to human rights abuses or breaches of international law
Draw upon the guide to complicit companies compiled by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, as well as those listed on the United Nations database of business enterprises that are involved with the illegal settlements, together with TWPF’s ethical investment frameworks, (noted above), to urge the TWPF to divest as a matter of urgency from all companies that are complicit in the genocide in Gaza and the illegal occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Alongside this, the Council to work with TWPF to more accurately identify complicit investments & to develop long term divestment plans for such funds; to ensure the TWP Fund invests ethically, to include good quality jobs.
To use its position in the cabinet of the North East Combined Authority (NECA) to press for the combined authority to adhere to an ethical procurement and investment policy as outlined above and so ensure that there is no investment in or support in any form for companies which are complicit with the genocide in Gaza or the illegal occupation of the West Bank
To continue to work and consult with the trade unions, local organisations and communities with a view to addressing their concerns about the Gaza genocide, illegal occupation as well as other social justice issues.
Report to full council within 6 months on progress with each of the actions outlined above.

Proposed by: Cllr Irim Ali
Seconded by: Cllr Teresa Cairns

5 November 2025 - Credit their service

“This Council notes:

That Newcastle City Council, along with all other local authorities in Great Britain, has proudly signed the Armed Forces Covenant.
The obligations it owes to the Armed Forces community enshrined in the Armed Forces Covenant; that the Armed Forces community should not face disadvantage in the provision of services and that special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given the most.
That in the course of their service in His Majesty’s Armed Forces, some members of the Armed Forces Community, by virtue of the often dangerous and risky nature of their work, or environments in which they are required to operate, become wounded, injured or sick in such a way that affects their life in a permanent or significant way.
That a number of military compensation schemes exist to recognise and compensate Service Personnel and sometimes their families, for the hardship, inconvenience or ongoing impact conditions such as PTSD, limb loss, hearing loss etc.
Military compensation can be awarded through the War Pension Scheme (WPS), Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) or through a veteran’s occupational Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS), known as Service Invaliding Pensions (SIPs) or Service Attributable Pensions (SAPs). Compensation awards under these schemes may also include supplementary payments. This compensation often interacts with benefits issued through Local Authorities and may impact a veteran’s entitlement to such benefits.
That whilst some benefits such as Universal Credit rightly disregard military compensation as income, others administered by or subject to the discretion of Local Authorities, do not always do so, meaning that some veterans must give up their compensation in order to access essential financial support.
A 2022 Freedom of Information request by the Royal British Legion showed that only one in five (19%) of Local Authorities in Great Britain rightly disregarded all military compensation when assessing local benefits claims for Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support, Discretionary Housing Payments and Disabled Facilities Grants.

In light of the above, this Council resolves:

That no member of the Armed Forces Community should be forced to give up their military compensation to access the same welfare support as their civilian counterparts.
To ask Cabinet to consider how all compensation paid under any of the relevant military compensation schemes should be treated as such and not regarded as income when the Local Authority assesses applications for benefits over which they exercise discretion: Council Tax Support scheme, Housing Benefit, Discretionary Housing Payments and Disabled Facilities Grants. Rather it should be treated as intended, as a compensatory payment made in recognition of the often significant and life changing service or sacrifice an individual has made in the course of their service in our nation’s Armed Forces.
To support the Royal British Legion’s call for all forms of military compensation to be disregarded as income in the assessment and administration of locally administered benefits over which this council exercises discretion.
To ask Cabinet to amend relevant local policies to reflect such a position.”

Proposed by: Cllr Paul Frew
Seconded by: Cllr Linda Wright

1 October 2025 – Black History Month 2025

1 October 2025 - Support for people dying in poverty

Council notes that:

Research by Marie Curie has found that a significant number of people are spending their final months, weeks, or days of life in poverty. In 2023, 111,000 people died in poverty, equating to more than 300 people every day.
Working-aged people are at a much greater risk of dying in poverty: 28% of these people who died in 2023 died in poverty, compared to 16% of pension age people.
Poverty affects some groups more than others, including women and minoritised ethnic groups, and there are significant geographical variances in the proportion of people dying in poverty.
We also know that energy costs can increase dramatically for someone living with terminal illness. At least 128,000 people died in fuel poverty in 2022, struggling to heat their homes or run vital medical equipment.
Marie Curie research shows that in Newcastle, 39.1% of working age terminally ill people are dying in poverty.
This means that 23% of people in Newcastle experience poverty in the last year of their life, equating to around 573 people. The national average is only 18%.
Marie Curie research also shows that in the North-East, 24% of terminally ill people are dying in fuel poverty.

Council believes that:

Nobody should die in poverty. The last months, weeks and days of someone’s life should be a time to focus on what really matters: making memories with family and friends and living as well as you possibly can.
Too often financial pressures add unnecessary worry, uncertainty and strain to what is already a difficult time. Loss of income and rising costs create instability at a time of life when security is vital.

Council resolves to ask Cabinet:

To explore how the Council’s Council Tax Reduction Scheme can better support and protect low-income households where someone is living with a terminal illness.
To work with partner agencies to improve information sharing on those living with terminal illness.
To review eligibility criteria for discretionary financial support provided by the Council, such as discretionary housing payments and the Household Support Fund, to ensure that support is available and accessible for low-income households where someone is living with a terminal illness.
To consider council strategies such as the Joint Strategic Needs Assessments and Health and Wellbeing Strategies to ensure they consider terminally ill people and take steps towards minimising winter deaths in line with NG6 guidelines.”

Proposed by: Cllr Paul Frew

9 July 2025 – Government Action on Gaza

“Council notes that:

There is an urgent need to address the ongoing killing of civilians including babies and children, as well as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The attacks by Hamas on 7th October 2023 and the taking of hostages should be rightly condemned and those hostages returned.
Since 1948, Palestinians have been severely affected by prolonged conflict and instability, leading to devastating humanitarian consequences.
In the current conflict, thousands of civilians, including children, face hardships such as limited access to necessities like food, clean water, medical care, and safe living conditions. It is imperative that governments around the world, including ours, take proactive measures to alleviate these conditions and contribute to a lasting solution.

Council further notes that:

If a UK company wants to export military goods to another nation, they need to apply for a government licence first. A licence can’t be granted, or should be revoked, if there’s a clear risk that arms sold by the UK could be used to violate human rights or international law by the country they have been sold to.
The Labour Government has suspended around 30 licences for arms exports to Israel and should be commended for taking these swift measures.
However, since 2015, the UK has licenced millions of pounds worth of military exports to Israel. From October 2023 to May 2024, the previous government issued over 100 new licences allowing UK companies to sell arms to Israel. During the same time, Israel killed thousands of civilians in Gaza indiscriminately.
The UK provides approximately 15% of the components in the F-35 fighter jets which are used in airstrikes across the occupied Palestinian territory.
The UK produces components for Israeli armed and surveillance drones. The parts are made by UK-linked companies and then assembled in Israeli factories. These drones are ever-present above Gaza and the West Bank to enable Israeli military operations.

Council resolves to urge the government to do the following:

Call for a permanent ceasefire by using all political and economic tools at their disposal and to ensure the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, and illegally detained Palestinians in Israel.
In addition to the action already taken, suspend the sale of all arms, including components in the F-35 fighter jets to Israel, by suspending all arms licences.
Call for unrestricted access to humanitarian aid allowing food, clean water, medical supplies and other essential items to reach those in need.
Call for an end to the blockade of Gaza, and to the occupation of Palestinian territory – Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Council agrees to:
Write to central government outlining the position of this council and its elected members and recommendations from this motion.
Engage with local MPs to advocate for these actions in parliamentary discussions.
Contact local charities and organisations to see how the Council can support humanitarian relief initiatives.”

Proposed by: Cllr Irim Ali
Seconded by: Cllr Teresa Cairns

22 January 2025 - Supporting WASPI women

“Council Notes:

The 1995 Pensions Act increased the State Pension age for women from 60 to 65, with a further rise to 66 in the Coalition’s 2011 Pensions Act.
These changes were not adequately communicated to 3.8 million women born in the 1950s, with many receiving as little as one year’s notice of a six-year delay in their anticipated retirement age.
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) has found the Department for Work and Pensions guilty of maladministration in handling these changes.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on State Pension Inequality for Women concluded that this maladministration caused devastating emotional, physical, and financial harm to those affected.
Despite the Ombudsman’s findings, the previous government did not act, and the current government has decided not to pay compensation as proposed by the PHSO.

Council Recognises:

That the current Labour Government has inherited a dire economic picture, with severe financial constraints stemming from years of mismanagement by the Coalition and successive Conservative governments, including a £22 billion black hole in public finances identified in a recent Treasury audit.
That this fiscal irresponsibility has placed immense pressure on the government’s ability to address long-standing injustices like those faced by 1950s-born women, while also managing the wider economic challenges confronting the country.
That despite these constraints, the moral case for a fair and proportionate resolution to the WASPI injustice remains.

Council Supports:

The findings of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on State Pension Inequality, which highlight the gross injustice faced by 1950s-born women and the severe consequences on their emotional, physical, and financial wellbeing.
A reconsideration of the government’s decision not to pay compensation, in light of the Ombudsman’s findings and the compelling evidence of the profound hardship caused.
A fair and proportionate resolution that provides appropriate compensation to those affected, acknowledging the financial constraints facing the nation but also recognising the urgency of this issue.

Council Resolves to:

Write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, urging them to:
- Recognise the profound impact of this injustice on Newcastle’s communities.
- Reconsider the government’s decision on compensation, exploring a fair and affordable resolution in line with the PHSO’s recommendations.
- Commit to preventing similar injustices in future by improving transparency and communication around significant changes to pensions policy.
Reaffirm Newcastle City Council’s commitment to standing in solidarity with 1950s-born women in their fight for justice.”

Proposed By: Cllr Paula Maines

4 December 2024 - Supporting carers in Newcastle

“Council notes:

Unpaid carers make an invaluable contribution to our communities across the city. Their care can often go unrecognised and is often given at the expense of their own well-being and financial stability.
Most people will have caring responsibilities at some point in their lives. Across Newcastle, approximately 23,000 people provide unpaid care for/to someone who couldn’t manage without their help because of illness, frailty, disability, mental ill health/mental health problems or drug/alcohol problems.
The recent ONS Census 2021 for England and Wales found that there has been an increase in the proportion of people caring for more hours, with the North- East region seeing the most significant increase in the numbers of carers providing more than 50 hours of care per week.
Sadly, far too many carers remain without support, either because they do not identify themselves as carers or because they do not know where or how to access support.
We want carers of all ages and backgrounds in the city to feel valued, empowered and have access to the right support at the right time.

Council further notes:

Last month (November) saw the welcome the launch of the “All- Age Carers Strategy” on Carer’s Rights Day and other events to celebrate and raise carer awareness.
The “All-Age Carers Strategy” is an inclusive strategy in that it includes young, young adult, adult, parent and kinship carers. Our approach provides parity and values recognition of all carers across Newcastle. Too often carers fall between gaps in services due to lack of carer awareness.
The “All- Age Carers Strategy” has been shaped by stakeholders across the city, but most importantly, by carers themselves and what they have told us is important to them.

Council believes:

That carers are “experts by experience” and should have a voice in shaping services, policies and decisions that affect them and the people they care for.
That support should be available for carers to remain in work, training, study or education.
Working carers in our workplace will be well supported when they need it.

Council resolves to:

Work in partnership with carers, statutory partners, the voluntary and community sector and businesses to deliver on the All-Age Strategy.
Continue to champion and raise awareness of Carers.
Support and sign an All-Age Carers Charter for the city.”

Proposed: Cllr Adam Walker

4 December 2024 – Securing the legacy of the year of disabled workers

“Newcastle City council notes that more action and support is needed at both a local and national level to break down the barriers that disabled people face in the labour market. Disabled people (52%) are significantly less likely to be employed than nondisabled people (81%).

The latest figures from the Office of National Statistics show that disabled people, on average, are paid 14% less than non-disabled people. This increases to 20% for disabled people who say their day-to-day activities are limited a lot and to a massive 33.5% for people with autism.

UNISON, the UK’s biggest public sector union, declared 2022 the Year of Disabled Workers (YODW) in recognition of the valuable contribution and unique experience disabled people bring to the workplace and wider society. Now we all need to take action to protect the legacy of YODW.

This council also notes that the Disability Employment Charter was also launched in 2022. The charter outlines some of the actions the government needs to take to address the disadvantages disabled people face at work. UNISON, Disability Rights UK and Warwick University are some of the founders of the Charter. Other organisations who have signed up to the Charter include the British Paralympic Association, Disability North, Kent Fire and Rescue, McDonalds, the Papworth Trust and Unite the Union.

UNISON is calling on all employers to take action to remove the barriers disabled people face in the labour market and implement policies that will support disabled employees and secure a lasting legacy for the YODW.

Newcastle City Council resolves to ask Cabinet to:

Reaffirm our commitment to the Social Model of Disability.
Sign the Disability Employment Charter.
Explore ways to improve our data collection processes to allow for annual
reporting on disability employment and pay gap data.
Acknowledge all requests for Reasonable Adjustments within two weeks.
Maintain our Disability Leave Policy and review for Improvement.
Ensure paid facility time for Disability Officers as part of our existing framework.”

Proposed: Cllr Stephen Powers

6 November 2024 - Violence against women and girls

“Newcastle City Council acknowledges the pervasive levels of abuse, violence and harassment faced by women in society in 2024 and recognises the role of the local authority to raise awareness, challenge attitudes and tackle all forms of harassment and misogyny.

Notes that:

The 25th November is the United Nations Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and begins the international campaign for 16 days of Action Against Gender Based Violence.
On average, a woman is killed by a man in the UK every three days, and one in twelve women in England and Wales will experience stalking, harassment, sexual assault or domestic violence. The number of recorded offences has grown by 37% in the past five years.
In 2023, the Labour Party pledged to halve violence against women and girls within a decade. VAWG will be considered central to the pledge to create “safer streets”, one of the government’s five central missions.

Recognises that:

Newcastle City Council’s successful application for White Ribbon accreditation was cited as one of the most impressive received by the body, thanks to its comprehensive action plan to govern and steer long term action across our organisation, including in our powers of influence over others in the city.
Our extensive action to date is well documented, including formal governance for our activity to tackle VAWG through our internal policies and training strategy, our directly delivered services, our commissioning, procurement and grant giving processes, our ambassador and champion roles for council staff and elected members, and our work with city partners.
New legislation to improve workplace cultures through the prevention of sexual harassment will come into effect on 26th October 2024. Technical guidance for employers was issued in September 2024 and we have formed a cross-council group of officers to implement the guidance which covers 8 steps:
- Develop an effective anti-harassment policy
- Engage staff
- Assess & take steps to reduce risk in your workplace
- Reporting
- Training
- What to do when a harassment complaint is made
- Dealing with harassment by third parties
- Monitor & evaluate your actions

The Council’s own anti-harassment policy will be published at the end of October 2024.

The Council will lead a citywide campaign during the 16 Days of Action Against Gender Based Violence in November, by giving a platform to the voices and experiences of survivors and victims of abuse through Rape Crisis Tyneside and Northumberland, and to the voices and perspectives of our young people engaged through the Council’s North Youth Group. As a powerful symbol of our commitment to raising awareness on gender based violence, we will also be illuminating this civic building in orange as part of the Orange the World campaign, and we will raise the White Ribbon flag.

Resolves to:

Encourage all elected members to become White Ribbon Ambassadors and Champions, demonstrating publicly in our democratic processes that Violence against Women and Girls has no place in our city.
Encourage more employees of the Council to become White Ribbon Ambassadors and Champions, maintaining our position as accredited council with the highest number of Ambassadors and Champions, and ensuring that our policies are delivered widely and effectively.
Encourage all elected members to commit to action during the 16 days of Action Against Gender Based Violence, by engaging community groups and organisations in their wards to support the Council’s message and make change at a local level to eradicate Violence against Women and Girls.”

Proposed: Cllr Lesley Storey
Seconded: Cllr Paul Frew

2 October 2024 - Care Leaver Status as a Protected Characteristic

“Newcastle City Council believes that 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 often face a postcode lottery of support.
As corporate parents, councillors have a collective responsibility for providing the best possible care and safeguarding for the children who are looked after by us as an authority.
All corporate parents should commit to acting as mentors, hearing the voices of looked after children and young people and to consider their needs in any aspect of council work.
Councillors should be champions of our looked after children and challenge the negative attitudes and prejudice that exists in all aspects of society.
The Public Sector Equality Duty requires public bodies, such as councils, to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation of people with protected characteristics.

Newcastle City Council acknowledges that children entering the care system are often split from their siblings and placed outside their home local authority area, that they don’t choose to enter the care system, that they don’t choose to be split up from their siblings and don’t choose to be placed outside their local area.

A group of Newcastle children in care and care leavers have considered how the acceptance of care experience as a protected characteristic would impact on their lives, they reflected:

‘It would help stop discrimination.’

‘It would help align offers regionally.’

‘If it was a protected characteristic people would have more rights in employment and stuff.’

One young person very eloquently expressed his view as follows:

‘We all know young people are the future of this great city. We see it in our educational settings, we see it in our employment sector with our apprenticeships and for those who are parents, we see it with our own eyes as they go through their development stages and find their feet in this ever-changing world.

But what about care experienced young people? To those looking in from the outside, we are just a group of young people who have had a difficult start to life and need extra support in our day-to-day lives. We’ve been described as “hard work” and even “not all bad”. However, what we are is not that we are hard work and no, we are “not all bad”, very few of us are. What we really are is a group of hard-working individuals who want to see a positive, supportive city so that young people in the future who are of a care experienced background can still be proud of where they live and still feel like they can offer a lot to their city.

To really unlock the potential that care experienced young people have and to support them for years to come, there is one solution. Give us a say. Let our voices and opinions be heard. Understand the impact your decisions have on us. Let’s make the city a welcoming space for care experienced young people like we know we can. Let’s make being care experienced a protected characteristic.’

Newcastle City Council therefore resolves to ask Cabinet:

That when making any decisions in relation to its policies or formulating its Council Plan it recognises that care experienced people are a vulnerable group who face discrimination;
That it recognises that councils have a duty to put the needs of vulnerable people at the heart of decision-making through co-production and collaboration;
That 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;
That this Council will treat care experience as if it were a Protected Characteristic so that future 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;
To formally call upon all other bodies to treat care experience as a Protected Characteristic until such time as it may be introduced by legislation;
To formally call upon all other bodies to adopt corporate parenting for children in care and care leavers until such time as it may be introduced by legislation;
For the Council to proactively seek out and listen to the voices of care experienced people when developing new policies based on their views.
To be Proud of, Fair towards and Ambitious for the care experienced young people of Newcastle.”

Proposed: Cllr Leslie Storey

4 September 2024 - Fairtrade at 30

4 September 2024 - Newcastle Rejects Violence and Hatred

12 June 2024 – UNISON’s Year of LGBT+ workers