Decision

Motion A – Dementia Friendly Somerset

Councillor Tom Power proposed the recommendations, which were seconded by Councillor Sue Osborne.

Having been duly proposed and seconded, the Council Resolved to:-

1. Commit to making Somerset Council a dementia-friendly organisation by encouraging councillors and council staff to develop an understanding of dementia, recognise its impact, and promote dementia awareness across council services, particularly those that were customer-facing.
2. Work with the NHS, dementia charities, voluntary organisations and community groups to promote and strengthen dementia care, information and support for people living with dementia and those caring for loved ones affected by the condition.
3. Continue recognising and supporting unpaid carers who provided vital care and support to family members and loved ones living with dementia, ensuring that carers could access appropriate information, advice and support and feel reassured that Somerset Council was there to support them when they needed it.
4. Encourage councillors and council staff to undertake dementia awareness training and promote participation in the Alzheimer's Society's Dementia Friends programme.
5. Encourage service areas to consider the needs of people living with dementia when developing, updating or delivering customer-facing services, information and communications.
6. Request that the Leader of Somerset Council write to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care expressing Somerset Council's support for the introduction of a national 18-week referral-to-diagnosis target for dementia, recognising that timely diagnosis could improve outcomes for Somerset residents living with dementia, enable earlier access to support, care and treatment, and help health and adult social care services respond more effectively to residents' needs.

Motion B – Transparency of Commercial Property Disposals

Councillor Bill Revans proposed the recommendation, which was seconded by Councillor Liz Leyshon, that the Motion be referred to the next meeting of the Property and Investments Executive Sub-Committee.

Having been duly proposed and seconded, the Council Resolved to refer the Motion to the next meeting of the Property and Investments Executive Sub-Committee, the details of the original motion which were proposed by Councillor Diogo Rodrigues and seconded by Councillor Andy Dingwall to be considered:-

1. Request that the Property and Investments Executive Sub-Committee consider publishing, within three months of the passing of this motion, a single report setting out, for each commercial property already disposed of:

a.    the property and predecessor authority which acquired it;

b.    the original acquisition cost;

c.     the most recent valuation prior to disposal; and

d.    the sale proceeds and resulting capital gain or loss against the original acquisition cost.

1. That the report include an overall summary of the total acquisition cost, sale proceeds and resulting capital gain or loss across all completed disposals.