Agenda item

8.42pm – Councillor Sue Fennimore moved, seconded by Councillor Lisa Homan, the special motion in their names:

“Universal credit is the most radical reform to the British welfare system since The Beveridge report in 1942.

The Council agrees that supporting people into sustainable work and careers is key to ending poverty for those who are able to work. Whilst universal credit is in principle an approach that could have genuinely helped achieve these aims and simplify the benefits system, its inception was ill-conceived by Iain Duncan Smith MP and its implementation has been badly executed. These fundamental flaws have caused considerable harm particularly to vulnerable people.

Since Universal Credit was fully rolled out in this borough, the food bank has reported a huge increase in its use and has projected a 100% increase in its distribution of food parcels and requests for support by the end of this financial year. This is just one of the consequences of this policy and one which the government should be ashamed of.

Further roll out across the country has been described as a 'disaster waiting to happen'.

This Council calls on Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Teresa May MP and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Esther McVey MP…

·         to halt the roll-out of Universal Credit before it damages the lives of anymore of our residents.

·         to listen to ‘Citizens Advice’ and other agencies who are publicly calling for this to happen before anymore households face financial devastation and the very real possibility of homelessness.

·         to fix the inherent problems with the system and acknowledges the mistakes they made in its design.

·         to stop ignoring those who are “just about managing” and listen to MPs of all parties who are deeply concerned about this reform.

·         to acknowledge the vote in the House passed by 299 to zero in favour of halting Universal Credit.

·         to listen to Housing Associations who say it could seriously affect their house building plans.

·         to listen to private landlords who are refusing to rent properties to people who claim Universal credit because of its innate flaw in their ability to ensure they receive rent owed to them.

·         put pressure on the DWP to significantly improve and provide proper help to those who are entitled it.”

Speeches on the special motion were made by Councillors Sue Fennimore, Lisa Homan, Max Schmid and Natalia Perez (for the Administration) – and Councillors Harry Phibbs and Andrew Brown (for the Opposition).

Councillor Sue Fennimore then made a speech winding up the debate before the special motion was put to the vote:

FOR                            21

AGAINST                   16

NOT VOTING            0

The special motion was declared CARRIED.

9.12pm – RESOLVED

Universal credit is the most radical reform to the British welfare system since The Beveridge report in 1942.

The Council agrees that supporting people into sustainable work and careers is key to ending poverty for those who are able to work. Whilst universal credit is in principle an approach that could have genuinely helped achieve these aims and simplify the benefits system, its inception was ill-conceived by Iain Duncan Smith MP and its implementation has been badly executed. These fundamental flaws have caused considerable harm particularly to vulnerable people.

Since Universal Credit was fully rolled out in this borough, the food bank has reported a huge increase in its use and has projected a 100% increase in its distribution of food parcels and requests for support by the end of this financial year. This is just one of the consequences of this policy and one which the government should be ashamed of.

Further roll out across the country has been described as a 'disaster waiting to happen'.

This Council calls on Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Teresa May MP and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Esther McVey MP…

·         to halt the roll-out of Universal Credit before it damages the lives of anymore of our residents.

·         to listen to ‘Citizens Advice’ and other agencies who are publicly calling for this to happen before anymore households face financial devastation and the very real possibility of homelessness.

·         to fix the inherent problems with the system and acknowledges the mistakes they made in its design.

·         to stop ignoring those who are “just about managing” and listen to MPs of all parties who are deeply concerned about this reform.

·         to acknowledge the vote in the House passed by 299 to zero in favour of halting Universal Credit.

·         to listen to Housing Associations who say it could seriously affect their house building plans.

·         to listen to private landlords who are refusing to rent properties to people who claim Universal credit because of its innate flaw in their ability to ensure they receive rent owed to them.

·         put pressure on the DWP to significantly improve and provide proper help to those who are entitled it.