Meeting Details

This meeting will be webcast for live and subsequent broadcast on the Council's You Tube site Live Broadcast Link

Addressing the Lack of Respite Provision for Adults with Learning Difficulties, Complex Needs and Challenging Behaviour:

That this council recognises the inadequate provision of respite services with adults with learning difficulties, complex needs and challenging behaviour within the Southern Trust Area;

• acknowledges that in the Dungannon area of the Mid-Ulster District Council the only facility that provides short breaks for those who are 18 years and over with learning difficulties, complex needs and challenging behaviour is an eight-bed facility at Woodlawn House, Dungannon;
• ·notes with deep regret the occasion that arose before Christmas 2023, that resulted in families having their respite provision cancelled at short notice by the Southern Health & Social Care Trust;
• further acknowledges that respite provision is not a luxury, but a necessity for unpaid carers in our community;
• further notes that the demand for services is increasing year on year, with more children with learning difficulties, complex needs and challenging behaviour entering into Adult Services;
• recognises the hard-work, and dedication of staff members based at Woodlawn House in Dungannon, and all the staff throughout the Trust area who work with adults with learning difficulties, complex needs and challenging behaviour;
• accepts the need to address the inadequate provision of adult respite provision in the Southern Health & Social Care Trust, and the need for forward planning, additional investment and ring-fencing of these services;
• and calls on the Minister of Health to develop a plan that will address the lack of adult respite provision within the Mid-Ulster District Council area;
• and further calls on the Minister of Health to provide additional investment into these services to ensure that families can avail of more regular respite provision, that is protected, and not at risk of cancellation.
  
  
  

That this Council accepts that remote/hybrid meetings allowed for participation in Council meetings to be more accessible for both council members and council staff;
recognises that hybrid/remote meetings contribute positively to making political office more accessible, particularly to women who disproportionately have caring responsibilities;
notes with concern the late decision of the Minister of Communities not to extend the temporary provisions which enable councils to hold remote/hybrid meetings;
further notes with disappointment that the Minister of Communities has not yet used powers available to him under the Local Government (Meetings and Performance) Act (NI) 2021 to progress regulations ensuring council meetings may be held remotely;
understands, as a result of the decision by the Minister for Communities, that remote/hybrid meetings will not be available to council after the 6th March;
calls on the Minister for Communities to urgently progress regulations providing for hybrid/remote meetings for councils.

That this Council

(i) considers increasing fines for dog-fouling, littering, and fly-tipping and

(ii) considers outsourcing enforcement of this issue to an outside company to enhance enforcement levels. 

This follows The Environmental Offences (Fixed Penalties) Regulations (NI) 2022 which enables local authorities to increase penalties from £80 to £200.