Issue - meetings
Motion
Meeting: 01/12/2021 - Council (Item 68)
68 Motions on Notice (to follow) 
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A period of up to one hour is allocated to consider the motions on notice. This may only be extended with the agreement of the Council.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The Chairman explained that 2 Motions on Notice had been received for consideration at the Council meeting.
Scams
Members considered the following Motion on Notice submitted by Councillor H. Rone-Clarke
“Protecting the people of Bromsgrove from scams this Christmas and new year.
Council notes it is becoming more difficult than ever to distinguish scams from legitimate communications; as well as reporting by the Guardian that, in the financial year 2020/21, £2.3 billion pounds was lost to scam artists.
Therefore, Council resolves to establish ways to actively warn residents of any new schemes aimed at scamming the public using the council’s website and social media, and encourages members to support those in our communities vulnerable to scams by joining initiatives such as the National Trading Standards “Friends against Scams” scheme which provides basic training and support for those wishing to help.”
The Motion was proposed by Councillor H. Rone-Clarke and seconded by Councillor P. McDonald.
In proposing the Motion, Councillor Rone-Clarke explained that he had personally come close to being a victim of a scam and had been targeted by scammers on a number of occasions. The £32.3 billion lost to scammers every year was likely to be an underestimate. The proposed Motion would help to build on work that was already being undertaken to tackle the actions of scammers and to prevent people from becoming victims of scams. The Council could assist victims and potential victims by using the authority’s website and social media to help raise awareness of issues relating to scamming.
In seconding the Motion, Councillor P. McDonald commented that scams could have a devastating impact on victims. Victims could lose both their finances and the opportunities that would have been available to them in terms of use of those finances. Unfortunately, some victims of scams could enter into debt as a consequence of their experience and this could impact on both personal relationships and a person’s mental health. Councillor McDonald raised concerns that often the most vulnerable members of society, such as elderly people, tended to be targeted by scammers. Any action that could be taken by the Council to address this problem would help victims.
During consideration of this item, amendments to the Motion were proposed by Councillor P. Thomas.
The amended Motion was as follows:
“Council notes the comprehensive work undertaken in working with its many partners to protect our residents against fraudulent activity.
Amongst others this includes:
· Funding the Nominated Neighbour Scheme.
· Working with West Mercia Police to promote their Neighbourhood Matters Community Messaging System.
· Supporting the Police and Crime Commissioner’s (PCC’s) West Mercia Cyber Crime Partnership to promote the National Cyber Security Centre and Get Safe online platforms.
· Taking part in the Local Resilience Forum on Cyber Crime and promoting the work of Action Fraud and the National Fraud and Cyber Crime Reporting Centre.
· Actively using our social media to warn residents of scams we become aware of; and
· Dedicating a page in our monthly staff newsletter to Cybersecurity and ... view the full minutes text for item 68