Meeting Details

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

Members should declare any financial and non-financial interests they have in the items of business for consideration, identifying the relevant agenda item and the nature of their interest.

That this Council notes with concern the recent introduction of the PSNI’s new online firearms licensing system, which requires applicants to renew and manage their firearm certificates exclusively through a digital portal. Council further recognises that while the move to online processing may improve efficiency for some users, it presents significant difficulties for older certificate holders and others within our rural communities who may not have access to, or the ability to use, email or smart phones. Council further notes that many of these individuals are long-standing, law-abiding members of the community who have safely held firearms for decades and should not be disadvantaged by digital exclusion.
Accordingly, this Council resolves to:
1. Write to the Chief Constable of the PSNI and the Minister of Justice expressing concern about the lack of an accessible alternative for applicants without digital access;
2. Urge the PSNI to introduce an alternative application process — whether through paper forms, in-person assistance from Firearms Enquiry Officers, or via registered dealers or clubs — to ensure all applicants can continue to renew their certificates without discrimination.
3. Write to the Equality Commissioner to seek their opinion on the current online portal only arrangements.

This Council recognises that providing free school meals delivers multiple benefits including improved nutrition, enhanced educational attainment and long-term economic returns; notes that in Northern Ireland an estimated 20 per cent of children living in poverty are currently not eligible for free school meals; further notes that other jurisdictions across these islands are significantly expanding free school meal provision; regrets the decision to halt holiday hunger payments, which provided vital support to low-income families during school holidays; believes that eligibility for free school meals should be significantly expanded, with the ambition of moving to universal access over time; and agrees to write to the Minister of Education calling on him to work with the Minister of Finance to publish a funded plan with timelines to extend free school meals to all school children by 2030.

 

Acknowledges that the majority of physical brain development occurs in the first three years of life, when children form over 1 million new neural connections per second;

Recognises the benefits of reading, and reading aloud, to young children which can promote the development of basic literacy and vocabulary skills, establish strong inter-personal relationships between children and parents/guardians, as well as improving longer term educational, health, social and economic outcomes;

Is concerned about the rising cost of living which will limit the ability of families to pay for essential educational resources like books for young children;

Agrees to investigate and establish a pilot of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Mid-Ulster to provide a new book each month for children aged 0-5, working with any interested partners to secure the success and sustainable funding of the scheme.

This Council notes the ongoing distress caused by the foul smell in the Killeeshil area. This Council resolves to write to David Reid, Chief Executive of the Environment Agency asking him to meet with the residents to bring about a speedy resolution to the crisis.

 

Motion: Impact of the Ongoing Increase in the Cost of Living
This council wishes to raise its continued concern with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and the impact that it continues to have on households across our district as the primary civic institution in the district; affirm our ambition to support vulnerable residents who are struggling with rising costs in the weeks and months ahead; commend the work already undertaken by the council and remain committed to working with partners to help alleviate financial pressure wherever possible; recognises that many families and workers will face increased financial pressure in the weeks leading up to Christmas and throughout the winter; further recognises the vital work being carried out by voluntary and community sector organisations in supporting vulnerable groups who are disproportionately affected by the rise in the cost of living; further acknowledges the ongoing concerns expressed by the community sector with regards to the shortcomings of the draft anti-poverty strategy published by the Minister for Communities; and calls on this Council to write to the Minister for Communities to revise his draft anti-poverty strategy to set out what actions he will take to support worker and families struggling with cost-of-living crisis, and to look at opportunities that will help support local councils to mitigate against the pressures of the cost of living; and further calls on this Council to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to confirm that they will scrap the two-child limit, reduce VAT on Domestic Energy Bills.