Agenda item

Welfare Reform

It was moved by Councillor Shaffaq Mohammed, seconded by Councillor Katie Condliffe, that this Council:-

(a)       notes the announcement by the Shadow Chancellor, The Rt. Hon. Ed Balls MP, that the Labour Party are considering proposals for a Regional Benefits Cap;

(b)       believes this policy would amount to an attack on the people of Sheffield and regrets that the Labour Party leadership are proposing a policy so damaging to our City;

(c)        furthermore notes the comments of the ex-Chief Whip of the Labour Party and MP for Newcastle East, who ridiculed the proposals;

(d)       is delighted that the Liberal Democrat Chief Secretary to the Treasury, The Rt. Hon. Danny Alexander MP, has stated that there is “no prospect” of the current Government introducing a regional cap and highlights his comments that “In terms of regionalising benefits, for me as a Liberal Democrat, it's just a non-starter”; and

(e)       calls upon the Leader of the Council to write to the Shadow Chancellor, condemning this unfair proposal, and use her influence in the Labour Party to ensure this policy is not adopted.

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

1.         the re-lettering of paragraph (e) as a new paragraph (f); and

2.         the addition of a new paragraph (e) as follows:-

(e)       shares the concerns of a Labour Councillor for Nether Edge that the Labour Party have a “lack of courage” and that their values are not “obvious”;

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

It was then moved by Councillor Mazher Iqbal, seconded by Councillor Martin Lawton, as an amendment, that the original 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)       notes the present Government’s shambolic mismanagement of welfare reform;

(b)       reiterates opposition to many of the Government welfare cuts, including the “Bedroom Tax”, cuts to council tax benefit, the introduction of Personal Independence Payments, which is a clear intention to reduce benefits for the most vulnerable, and the mismanagement of the introduction of universal credit;

(c)        notes research by Sheffield Hallam University which indicates that the overall impact of welfare reform for Sheffield is likely to be in the region of £173 million per annum, which equates to a financial loss to this City of £471 per annum for an average working age adult in the City;

(d)       further notes that this research indicates that the wealthiest areas in the country are significantly less hit by these welfare reforms and believes that Sheffield is being unfairly targeted by the Government’s welfare reforms; and

(e)       believes it is unbelievable for the Leader of the Main Opposition Group to criticise the Shadow Chancellor on the issue of welfare given their own party’s disastrous record in Government.

On being put to the vote the amendment was carried. 

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

RESOLVED:  That this Council:-

(a)       notes the present Government’s shambolic mismanagement of welfare reform;

(b)       reiterates opposition to many of the Government welfare cuts, including the “Bedroom Tax”, cuts to council tax benefit, the introduction of Personal Independence Payments, which is a clear intention to reduce benefits for the most vulnerable, and the mismanagement of the introduction of universal credit;

(c)        notes research by Sheffield Hallam University which indicates that the overall impact of welfare reform for Sheffield is likely to be in the region of £173 million per annum, which equates to a financial loss to this City of £471 per annum for an average working age adult in the City;

(d)       further notes that this research indicates that the wealthiest areas in the country are significantly less hit by these welfare reforms and believes that Sheffield is being unfairly targeted by the Government’s welfare reforms; and

(e)       believes it is unbelievable for the Leader of the Main Opposition Group to criticise the Shadow Chancellor on the issue of welfare given their own party’s disastrous record in Government.

(Note: Councillor Robert Murphy voted for Paragraphs (b), (c) and (d) and abstained on Paragraphs (a) and (e) of the Substantive Motion and asked for this to be recorded.)