Agenda item

Local Government Funding

It was moved by Councillor Harry Harpham, seconded by Councillor Tony Damms, that this Council:-

(a)

believes that northern cities are being unfairly cut by this Government;

(b)

feels it is wrong, unfair and divisive that less affluent areas and cities are facing much bigger cuts than more affluent ones;

(c)

believes that this is demonstrated by recent research from Newcastle City Council which indicates that Sheffield will receive a cut of nearly £200 per person between 2010/11 and 2014/15, wealthy areas are receiving significantly less cuts with Guildford receiving a cut of just £24.14 per person, Wokingham £26.53 and Epsom and Ewell just £15.18;

(d)

is pleased to be working with the Core Cities group to represent England’s eight largest city economies outside London to drive campaigns for a fair settlement;

(e)

supports the letter sent to Rt. Hon. Eric Pickles, MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, outlining the unfair nature of cuts that are hitting the Core Cities and notes that the letter was signed by all Core City Leaders who all articulated concerns about the impact that the level of cuts that the Government are imposing on their budgets will have on Council services in all Core Cities;

(f)

welcomes the Come Together conference hosted in Liverpool on 18^th January, 2013 attended by both political and faith leaders from cities across the country and supports the Sheffield representation at the event; and

(g)

resolves to continue to work constructively in partnership with other cities to stand up for the interests of our cities and hopes that the overwhelming objection to the Government’s unfair policy of targeting cuts at areas of higher deprivation will lead to a reconsideration of this policy.

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

1.

the deletion of paragraphs (a) to (c) and (e) to (g);

2.

the re-lettering of paragraph (d) as a new paragraph (a); and

3.

the addition of new paragraphs (b) to (h) as follows:-

(b)

regrets that the previous Government chose to dedicate their time sucking up to hedge-fund managers in the City of London, ignoring the needs and potential of the Core Cities;

(c)

notes the quotes of Polly Toynbee, specifically, “you can only be flabbergasted all over again at how Labour kowtowed to wealth, glorified the City and put all the nation's economic eggs into one dangerous basket";

(d)

believes the previous Government failed to address the North/South divide, leaving Northern cities overly dependent on the public sector and particularly vulnerable in a downturn;

(e)

supports the steps this Government has taken to rebalance the British economy, such as the recent announcement of the High Speed 2 rail line, alongside such policies as the Regional Growth Fund, Local Enterprise Partnerships, Enterprise Zones and University Technical Colleges;

(f)

believes contrasting the funding of a metropolitan borough with that of a shire district is a false analogy but – for the avoidance of doubt – notes that Sheffield will see a 3.9% reduction in its adjusted Formula Grant (including Early Intervention Grant and other funds), while Wokingham will see a reduction of 5.6%, Epsom & Ewell of 9.4% and Guildford of 7.8%;

(g)

further confirms that Sheffield City Council will have a spending power of £2,273 per dwelling next year compared to £1,845 for Wokingham, £306 for Epsom & Ewell and £284 for Guildford; and

(h)

resolves to continue working in partnership with other cities to ensure the Core Cities are the drivers of economic growth in our nation.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was negatived.

The original Motion was then put to the vote and carried, as follows:-

RESOLVED: that this Council

(a)

believes that northern cities are being unfairly cut by this Government;

(b)

feels it is wrong, unfair and divisive that less affluent areas and cities are facing much bigger cuts than more affluent ones;

(c)

believes that this is demonstrated by recent research from Newcastle City Council which indicates that Sheffield will receive a cut of nearly £200 per person between 2010/11 and 2014/15, wealthy areas are receiving significantly less cuts with Guildford receiving a cut of just £24.14 per person, Wokingham £26.53 and Epsom and Ewell just £15.18;

(d)

is pleased to be working with the Core Cities group to represent England’s eight largest city economies outside London to drive campaigns for a fair settlement;

(e)

supports the letter sent to Rt. Hon. Eric Pickles, MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, outlining the unfair nature of cuts that are hitting the Core Cities and notes that the letter was signed by all Core City Leaders who all articulated concerns about the impact that the level of cuts that the Government are imposing on their budgets will have on Council services in all Core Cities;

(f)

welcomes the Come Together conference hosted in Liverpool on 18^th January, 2013 attended by both political and faith leaders from cities across the country and supports the Sheffield representation at the event; and

(g)

resolves to continue to work constructively in partnership with other cities to stand up for the interests of our cities and hopes that the overwhelming objection to the Government’s unfair policy of targeting cuts at areas of higher deprivation will lead to a reconsideration of this policy.