Agenda item

That this Council:-

(a)       deplores the Government’s shambolic mishandling of welfare reform which has seen delays to the introduction of universal credit to 2014 at the same time as other reforms, including the localisation of council tax benefit, will be implemented from 2013;

(b)       regrets that the Government’s mismanagement of the economy and the failure of initiatives such as the Work Programme has contributed to an increasing benefits bill;

(c)        opposes the Government’s proposals on council tax benefit localisation which will see a 10% cut in funding for council tax benefit in addition to the £170 million budget gap faced by the Council over the next four years;

(d)       believes that the localisation of council tax benefit has been completely mismanaged by the Government and should have been aligned with the introduction of universal credit;

(e)       notes research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies which indicates that the working poor will be hit hardest by the cuts to council tax benefit, completely contradicting the Government’s stated aims in its welfare reform programme;

(f)         further notes research by the Local Government Association warning that the cut is also likely to hit hardest councils in the most deprived areas of the country and authorities in the wealthiest areas of the country will experience a smaller cut;

(g)       regrets that this mirrors the Government’s unfair policy of giving heavy cuts to Sheffield whilst at the same time wealthier areas of the country are experiencing next to no cuts at all; and

(h)        regrets that this is a further example of this Government hitting the most vulnerable the hardest which is exemplified by cuts to housing benefit, the reassessment of incapacity benefit claimants and cuts to tax credits.

It was moved by Councillor Mazher Iqbal, seconded by Councillor Adam Hurst, that this Council:-

(a)       deplores the Government’s shambolic mishandling of welfare reform which has seen delays to the introduction of universal credit to 2014 at the same time as other reforms, including the localisation of council tax benefit, will be implemented from 2013;

(b)       regrets that the Government’s mismanagement of the economy and the failure of initiatives such as the Work Programme has contributed to an increasing benefits bill;

(c)        opposes the Government’s proposals on council tax benefit localisation which will see a 10% cut in funding for council tax benefit in addition to the £170 million budget gap faced by the Council over the next four years;

(d)       believes that the localisation of council tax benefit has been completely mismanaged by the Government and should have been aligned with the introduction of universal credit;

(e)       notes research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies which indicates that the working poor will be hit hardest by the cuts to council tax benefit, completely contradicting the Government’s stated aims in its welfare reform programme;

(f)         further notes research by the Local Government Association warning that the cut is also likely to hit hardest councils in the most deprived areas of the country and authorities in the wealthiest areas of the country will experience a smaller cut;

(g)       regrets that this mirrors the Government’s unfair policy of giving heavy cuts to Sheffield whilst at the same time wealthier areas of the country are experiencing next to no cuts at all; and

(h)        regrets that this is a further example of this Government hitting the most vulnerable the hardest which is exemplified by cuts to housing benefit, the reassessment of incapacity benefit claimants and cuts to tax credits.

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Simon Clement-Jones, seconded by Councillor Alison Brelsford, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of all the words after the words “That this Council” and the substitution of the following words therefor:-

(a)       deplores the last Government for building up a record national deficit over a period of eleven years, to the point where £1 in every £4 the Government spent was borrowed;

(b)       regrets the need for reductions in Government spending as a result of the last Government’s reckless disregard for public finances;

(c)        notes with concern proposals to reduce the funding for council tax benefit by 10% as a result of localisation;

(d)       supports the Government’s decision to protect vulnerable residents by ensuring pensioners will be exempt from reductions in council tax benefit;

(e)       deplores attempts by the MP for Sheffield South East to introduce a new power for local authorities to charge students for council tax; and

(f)         however, calls upon the Government to reconsider its reduction in council tax benefit grants to ensure any changes in council tax meet the underlying principle of welfare reform – that is to incentivise work.

On being put to the vote, Paragraph (c) of the amendment was carried and the remaining paragraphs were negatived.

(Note: Councillors Councillors Julie Dore, John Robson, Jack Scott, Roy Munn, Ian Saunders, Chris Rosling Josephs, Bryan Lodge, Denise Fox, Karen McGowan, Jayne Dunn, Stuart Wattam, Jackie Drayton, Ibrar Hussain, Talib Hussain, Mohammad Maroof, Geoff Smith, Mary Lea, Harry Harpham, Mazher Iqbal, Joyce Wright, Steven Wilson, Garry Weathall, Sheila Constance, Chris Weldon, Alan Law, Steve Jones, Tim Rippon, Cate McDonald, George Lindars Hammond, Robert Johnson, Janet Bragg, Pat Midgley, Jenny Armstrong, Terry Fox, Tony Downing, David Barker, Nikki Bond, Qurban Hussain, Martin Lawton, Sioned Mair Richards, Peter Price, Peter Rippon, Tony Damms, Leigh Bramall, Gill Furniss, Richard Crowther, Philip Wood, Neale Gibson, Nikki Sharpe, Ben Curran, Adam Hurst, Alf Meade, Jackie Satur, and Mick Rooney.voted for Paragraph (c) of the above amendment and against Paragraphs (a), (b), (d), (e) and (f) and asked for this to be recorded.)

After a right of reply from Councillor Mazher Iqbal, the original Motion, as amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried:-