Agenda item

7.1

It was moved by Councillor Fran Belbin, and seconded by Councillor Laura McClean, that this Council:-

(a)      believes that the Conservatives have wreaked havoc on our economy, and notes that mortgage rates are soaring, economic growth is flat and working people are paying the price;

(b)      notes that the UK is forecast to have the highest inflation of any major economy this year which means rising prices, higher bills and less money in your pocket;

(c)      notes that prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages rose by 13.6% in the year to August 2023;

(d)      notes recent research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation which found that 5.7 million low-income households are having to cut down or skip meals because they don’t have enough money for food;

(e)      notes that lots of people across Sheffield are struggling as prices and bills continue to rise;

(f)       notes that wintertime can be an expensive time for lots of people, especially families;

(g)      believes that a cash-first approach is an effective, direct way to provide financial help that trusts people to make the best choices for them;

(h)      notes that in July 2023, the Strategy and Resources Committee unanimously approved a spending plan for the Household Support Fund in 2023/24, based on detailed cohort analysis of people who are most affected by rising prices and bills, which included direct awards such as;

(1)      providing food vouchers worth £15 per week to children and families in need during school holidays; and

(2)      providing payment to 6,316 households who are receiving Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Support, but do not receive one of the qualifying benefits, and as such, have not received the Cost-of-Living Payment;

(i)       notes, however, that there are also children who are in receipt of Universal Credit but who are ineligible for Free-school-meal due to the low threshold (income of £7,400) and that consideration needs to be given to how this cohort, expected to be around 4,000 children, can best be supported; and

(j)       request that Strategy and Resources Policy Committee look at fully costed proposals to help put cash in people’s pockets at Christmas, increasing and extending direct awards to those who most need it, with a report to Strategy and Resources setting out further options as soon as possible.

7.2

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Ian Horner, and seconded by Councillor Simon Clement-Jones, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by:-

1.       the addition of a new paragraph (g) as follows, and the re-lettering of all further paragraphs accordingly:-

(g)      notes that a lack of access to transport can exacerbate poverty due to difficulties getting to work and school on time, along with increasing isolation and loneliness, condemns the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s upcoming reduction in bus services, and notes that the Bus Service Improvement Plan submitted by Dan Jarvis in October 2021 was rejected by the Government due to a ‘lack of ambition’, compared to West Yorkshire MCA which received £70m;

2.       The addition [after the original paragraph (h), re-lettered as a new paragraph (i)] of a new paragraph (j) as follows:-

(j)       notes that in July 2023, a successful Liberal Democrat motion requested the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee allocate £600k in additional Cost of Living funding for Citizens Advice Bureau and Local Area Committees, and calls on the Committee to consider this funding on its work programme without delay;

3.       The addition [after the original paragraph (i), re-lettered as a new paragraph (k)] of new paragraphs (l) and (m) as follows:-

(l)       notes that the majority of these ~4,000 children would be supported by a policy which introduced free school meals for all primary students, and notes with deep disappointment that:-

(i)       despite pressure from mayors, MP’s and the National Education Union, the Labour Party has failed to commit to this relatively low cost measure; and

(ii)       both the proposer and seconder, along with their Labour Group colleagues, failed to endorse this policy at the last meeting of the Council;

(m)     believes that, as long as the Labour Party fails to commit to providing free school meals to all primary school students and abolishing the two child benefit cap, they have no credibility on the Cost of Living crisis, and resolves that the Council write to both Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak, urging them to commit to these policies;

7.3

It was then moved by Councillor Alexi Dimond, and seconded by Councillor Angela Argenzio, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by:-

1.       the addition, at the end of paragraph (e), of the words “and so recognises that tackling poverty is a year-round activity and not just for Christmas”.

2.       the deletion, from paragraph (j), of the words “at Christmas”.

3.       the addition of a new paragraph (k) as follows:-

(k)      as part of this work, requests that Strategy and Resources Policy Committee consider investigating mainstreaming the work on income maximisation initiated by Gleadless Valley Councillors in their Local Area Committee by the provision of advice work services.

7.4

After contributions from five other Members, and following a right of reply from Councillor Fran Belbin, the amendment moved by Councillor Ian Horner was put to the vote and wascarried, but in part. Parts 1 and 3 of the amendment were carried, and Part 2 of the amendment was lost.

7.4.1

(NOTE: The result of the vote was FOR - 33 Members; AGAINST - 30 Members; ABSTENTIONS – 8 Members. Although Green Group Members voted for, they voted against Part 2 of the amendment.)

7.5

The amendment moved by Councillor Alexi Dimond was then put to the vote and was carried, but in part. Parts 1 and 2 of the amendment were carried, and Part 3 of the amendment was lost.

7.5.1

(NOTE: The result of the vote was FOR - 39 Members; AGAINST - 31 Members; ABSTENTIONS – 1 Member. Although Labour Group Members voted against, they voted for Part 1 of the amendment; 2. Although Cllrs Tony Damms, Denise Fox, Terry Fox, Dianne Hurst, Bryan Lodge & Garry Weatherall voted for, they voted against Part 3 of the amendment.)

7.6

The original Motion, as amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried:-

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

(a)      believes that the Conservatives have wreaked havoc on our economy, and notes that mortgage rates are soaring, economic growth is flat and working people are paying the price;

(b)      notes that the UK is forecast to have the highest inflation of any major economy this year which means rising prices, higher bills and less money in your pocket;

(c)      notes that prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages rose by 13.6% in the year to August 2023;

(d)      notes recent research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation which found that 5.7 million low-income households are having to cut down or skip meals because they don’t have enough money for food;

(e)      notes that lots of people across Sheffield are struggling as prices and bills continue to rise and so recognises that tackling poverty is a year-round activity and not just for Christmas;

(f)       notes that wintertime can be an expensive time for lots of people, especially families;

(g)      notes that a lack of access to transport can exacerbate poverty due to difficulties getting to work and school on time, along with increasing isolation and loneliness, condemns the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s upcoming reduction in bus services, and notes that the Bus Service Improvement Plan submitted by Dan Jarvis in October 2021 was rejected by the Government due to a ‘lack of ambition’, compared to West Yorkshire MCA which received £70m;

(h)      believes that a cash-first approach is an effective, direct way to provide financial help that trusts people to make the best choices for them;

(i)       notes that in July 2023, the Strategy and Resources Committee unanimously approved a spending plan for the Household Support Fund in 2023/24, based on detailed cohort analysis of people who are most affected by rising prices and bills, which included direct awards such as:-

(i)       providing food vouchers worth £15 per week to children and families in need during school holidays; and

(ii)       providing payment to 6,316 households who are receiving Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Support, but do not receive one of the qualifying benefits, and as such, have not received the Cost-of-Living Payment;

(j)       notes, however, that there are also children who are in receipt of Universal Credit but who are ineligible for Free-school-meal due to the low threshold (income of £7,400) and that consideration needs to be given to how this cohort, expected to be around 4,000 children, can best be supported;

(k)      notes that the majority of these ~4,000 children would be supported by a policy which introduced free school meals for all primary students, and notes with deep disappointment that:-

(i)       despite pressure from mayors, MP’s and the National Education Union, the Labour Party has failed to commit to this relatively low cost measure; and

(ii)       both the proposer and seconder, along with their Labour Group colleagues, failed to endorse this policy at the last meeting of the Council;

(l)       believes that, as long as the Labour Party fails to commit to providing free school meals to all primary school students and abolishing the two child benefit cap, they have no credibility on the Cost of Living crisis, and resolves that the Council write to both Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak, urging them to commit to these policies; and

(m)     requests that Strategy and Resources Policy Committee look at fully costed proposals to help put cash in people’s pockets, increasing and extending direct awards to those who most need it, with a report to Strategy and Resources setting out further options as soon as possible.

7.6.1

(NOTE: The result of the vote was FOR - 70 Members; AGAINST - 0 Members; ABSTENTIONS – 1 Member.  Although Labour Group Members voted for, they voted against paragraphs (g), (k) and (l) of the Substantive Motion.)