The documents produced by council officers, to assist Cabinet members and councillors make policy decisions, now include some important new sections.
As of last month, papers prepared by Isle of Wight council staff now include information about the ‘impact on young people and future generations’ and ‘climate, environment and the Unesco Biosphere’ as considerations for councillors when making a decision.
The ‘impact on young people and future generations’
The council describe the ‘impact on young people and future generations’ as:
“The decisions the Council makes now not only affect current residents, but may have long term impacts, both positive and negative, on young people and future generations. These impacts may not immediately be apparent or may not emerge for a number of years or decades. Impacts will be interrelated across the various domains of young people’s lives from housing, employment or training, health and the environment.
“The United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1989, in particular article 12, places a duty for children and young people to have an active voice in decision making on matters that affect them. We value the views of our young people. Incorporating coproduction and consultation with young people into our decision-making process is a robust way of ensuring young people’s views are taken into consideration. Participation workers experienced in coproduction can support engagement with the Youth Council, our Island children and wider groups of young people to ensure the voice of young people is sought, heard and acted upon on important matters that will affect them.”
The impact on ‘climate, environment and the Unesco Biosphere’
Also now included in council papers to be considered when making a decision is the impact of it on the ‘climate, environment and the Unesco Biosphere‘.
The council explains,
“Greenhouse gas emissions result from energy use in buildings, street lighting, fleet vehicles, business travel, water use, waste disposal, air conditioning, and contractor’s services.”
The paper would then go on to describe how the decision being discussed in that paper would affect the above.
Background
For those who are familiar with the council papers, they usually include a summary, the background about the subject a decision is being made upon, as well as details of the strategic context (how it aligns with the key values of the corporate plan).
Whether a consultation has taken place and what the financial or legal implications would be is also included
The options for decision-making are then set out, followed by risk management, evaluation of options and a recommendation.
Impact on those living in poverty
It was also mentioned at the last Cabinet meeting that poverty was also going to be included as a factor when decision-making, after being raised by Cllr Andrew Garratt (LibDem).
