Agenda item

State Pension

It was moved by Councillor Andrew Sangar, seconded by Councillor Rob Frost, that this Council:-

(a)       recalls the Liberal Democrats’ 2010 manifesto commitment to introduce a triple-lock to ensure the state pension rises by inflation, earnings or 2.5%;

(b)       is proud that Liberal Democrats in Government have delivered the triple-lock, restoring the earnings link that was scrapped by Margaret Thatcher’s Government;

(c)        is pleased that this policy has ensured pensions have risen by £800 a year for Sheffield pensioners;

(d)       contrasts this with the measly 75p a week increase agreed by Gordon Brown and the last Labour Government;

(e)       welcomes calls by Liberal Democrats to legislate the triple-lock, guaranteeing an annual £790 increase and taking the state pension up to £131 a week by 2020; and

(f)        recognises that this policy will benefit thousands of Sheffield pensioners and calls upon the Council to support this policy and lobby for its implementation.

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Ben Curran, seconded by Councillor Julie Dore, 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 addition of the following words therefor:-

(a)       supports the triple lock guarantee and welcomes comments by the Rt. Hon. Ed Miliband MP “nobody should be in any doubt about my commitment to the triple-lock on pensions.";

(b)       regrets that pensioners in Sheffield are suffering from the cost of living crisis caused by the present Government, particularly noting increases in energy bills and supports the price freeze pledged by Labour;

(c)        notes comments from Dot Gibson, National Pensioners Convention General Secretary in June 2014, “Rising fuel bills and the government’s inability to get a grip on the problem has resulted in more people suffering from fuel poverty now than two years ago … Since coming to power they have cut back on home energy efficiency programmes and reduced the winter fuel allowance.”;

(d)       recalls that the Liberal Democrats have been part of a government that introduced the “Granny Tax” and the 2011 Budget announced that Winter Fuel Payments would revert to £200 for the over 60s and £300 for the over 80s in 2011-12 – a cut of £50 and £100 respectively;

(e)       recalls the report from the Institute of Fiscal Studies which stated that between 1997 and 2010 “both absolute and relative measures of income poverty fell markedly among children and pensioners”; and

(f)        continues to campaign to support Sheffield’s pensioners and calls on the Government to implement Labour’s energy price freeze which save Sheffield pensioners significant amounts of money on heating bills.

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)       supports the triple lock guarantee and welcomes comments by the Rt. Hon. Ed Miliband MP “nobody should be in any doubt about my commitment to the triple-lock on pensions.";

(b)       regrets that pensioners in Sheffield are suffering from the cost of living crisis caused by the present Government, particularly noting increases in energy bills and supports the price freeze pledged by Labour;

(c)        notes comments from Dot Gibson, National Pensioners Convention General Secretary in June 2014, “Rising fuel bills and the government’s inability to get a grip on the problem has resulted in more people suffering from fuel poverty now than two years ago … Since coming to power they have cut back on home energy efficiency programmes and reduced the winter fuel allowance.”;

(d)       recalls that the Liberal Democrats have been part of a government that introduced the “Granny Tax” and the 2011 Budget announced that Winter Fuel Payments would revert to £200 for the over 60s and £300 for the over 80s in 2011-12 – a cut of £50 and £100 respectively;

(e)       recalls the report from the Institute of Fiscal Studies which stated that between 1997 and 2010 “both absolute and relative measures of income poverty fell markedly among children and pensioners”; and

(f)        continues to campaign to support Sheffield’s pensioners and calls on the Government to implement Labour’s energy price freeze which save Sheffield pensioners significant amounts of money on heating bills.