Agenda item

8.42pm – Councillor Andrew Jones moved, seconded by Councillor Alexandra Sanderson, the special motion in their names:

 

“This Council calls on the Conservative government to immediately end austerity and not just talk of doing so.

 

The Council acknowledges that austerity was introduced in 2010 by the Conservative / Liberal Democrat government, not as part of good economic management, but to deliver that government’s ideologically conservative agenda.

 

The Council notes that austerity is economically illiterate and counter-productive which is why in 2010 it had the immediate effect of killing economic growth, driving the UK into recession and curtailing UK debt payments. It further notes that this policy has been widely condemned internationally, exemplified in particular by a 2016 IMF report concluding that it did ‘more harm than good’.

 

The Council notes the broad coloration between the areas of Great Britain hardest hit by austerity and the vote to leave the European Union during David Cameron’s flawed EU Referendum.

 

The Council views with sadness the consequences of austerity to our society most recently reported by the United Nation’s which detailed how it has caused extreme poverty and damaged people’s human rights.

 

The Council declares that it is a matter of shame for the Conservative / Liberal Democrat (2010-2015) and Conservative (2015-present) governments that the UN report was able to conclude:

 

“The UK is the world’s fifth largest economy, it contains many areas of immense wealth, its capital is a leading centre of global finance, its entrepreneurs are innovative and agile, and despite the current political turmoil, it has a system of government that rightly remains the envy of much of the world.  It thus seems patently unjust and contrary to British values that so many people are living in poverty. This is obvious to anyone who opens their eyes to see the immense growth in foodbanks and the queues waiting outside them, the people sleeping rough in the streets, the growth of homelessness, the sense of deep despair that leads even the Government to appoint a Minister for suicide prevention and civil society to report in depth on unheard of levels of loneliness and isolation.  And local authorities, especially in England, which perform vital roles in providing a real social safety net have been gutted by a series of government policies.  Libraries have closed in record numbers, community and youth centres have been shrunk and underfunded, public spaces and buildings including parks and recreation centres have been sold off.  While the labour and housing markets provide the crucial backdrop, the focus of this report is on the contribution made by social security and related policies.”

 

The Council recognises that since 2010 almost sixty pence out of every pound of government funding has been cut to this council’s budget.

 

The Council applauds the fact that the borough’s Labour councillors opposed austerity from its start at the beginning of this decade. It notes that Conservative councillors have consistently justified austerity and voted to support it.

 

The Council calls for all councillors to now oppose austerity and the government’s flawed management of our economy and joins with other councils across the country in calling for fair funding for councils.”

 

Speeches on the special motion were made by Councillors Andrew Jones, Alexandra Sanderson (who made her maiden speech), Rebecca Harvey (who also made her maiden speech), Natalia Perez, and Rowan Rees (for the Administration). Councillor Andrew Brown made a speech for the Opposition.

 

Under Standing Order 15(e)(6), Councillor Andrew Brown moved, seconded by Councillor Matt Thorley, an amendment to the special motion:

 

Delete all after "This Council"

 

And replace with:

 

"deeply regrets the horrendous state the last Labour Government left the public finances highlighted by Labour Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Rt. Hon. Liam Byrne MP's note stating "I'm afraid there is no money. Kind regards and good luck".

 

Reflects and predicts that a Labour Government led by Jeremy Corbyn, were it ever to happen, would damage the country's economy so severely, that the Labour Party would be irrevocably damaged and cease to be one of the two main parties in British politics.”

 

[NOTE: After the amendment was tabled, Councillor Lisa Homan made a declaration of interest as she works for Liam Byrne MP]

 

Speeches were made on the amendment by Councillor Andrew Brown (for the Opposition) – and Councillors Christabel Cooper and Andrew Jones (for the Administration).

 

The amendment was then put to the vote:

 

FOR                            9

AGAINST                  30

NOT VOTING                        0

 

The amendment was declared LOST.

 

Under Standing Order 15(e)(6), Councillor Andrew Brown moved, seconded by Councillor Matt Thorley, a second amendment to the special motion:

 

Delete all after ''This Council"

 

And replace with:

 

"congratulates the Conservative led Governments since 2010 for cutting the deficit by 80% and reducing unemployment to the lowest levels since the 1970s.

 

Further congratulates the Conservative Governments for cutting taxes for 32 mil lion people and removing the lowest paid people in our country from paying any income tax at all.

 

Also congratulates the Conservative Governments for welcome investment in public services, including the biggest cash boost in the NHS's history of £394 Million extra every week by 2023-24.

 

And recognises that local Government bore a significant proportion of the burden of cutting the deficit, and should now receive an increased funding settlement and greater devolution of tax raising and spending at a local level."

 

Speeches were made on the amendment by Councillor Andrew Brown (for the Opposition) – and Councillors Rowan Ree, PJ Murphy, Max Schmid, Iain Cassidy, and Ben Coleman (for the Administration).

 

The amendment was then put to the vote:

 

FOR                            9

AGAINST                  30

NOT VOTING                        0

 

The amendment was declared LOST.

 

Councillor Andrew Jones made a speech on the substantive motion winding up the debate. The special motion was then put to the vote:

 

FOR                            30

AGAINST                   9

NOT VOTING                        0

 

The special motion was declared CARRIED.

 

10.04pm – RESOLVED

 

This Council calls on the Conservative government to immediately end austerity and not just talk of doing so.

 

The Council acknowledges that austerity was introduced in 2010 by the Conservative / Liberal Democrat government, not as part of good economic management, but to deliver that government’s ideologically conservative agenda.

 

The Council notes that austerity is economically illiterate and counter-productive which is why in 2010 it had the immediate effect of killing economic growth, driving the UK into recession and curtailing UK debt payments. It further notes that this policy has been widely condemned internationally, exemplified in particular by a 2016 IMF report concluding that it did ‘more harm than good’.

 

The Council notes the broad coloration between the areas of Great Britain hardest hit by austerity and the vote to leave the European Union during David Cameron’s flawed EU Referendum.

 

The Council views with sadness the consequences of austerity to our society most recently reported by the United Nation’s which detailed how it has caused extreme poverty and damaged people’s human rights.

 

The Council declares that it is a matter of shame for the Conservative / Liberal Democrat (2010-2015) and Conservative (2015-present) governments that the UN report was able to conclude:

 

The UK is the world’s fifth largest economy, it contains many areas of immense wealth, its capital is a leading centre of global finance, its entrepreneurs are innovative and agile, and despite the current political turmoil, it has a system of government that rightly remains the envy of much of the world.  It thus seems patently unjust and contrary to British values that so many people are living in poverty. This is obvious to anyone who opens their eyes to see the immense growth in foodbanks and the queues waiting outside them, the people sleeping rough in the streets, the growth of homelessness, the sense of deep despair that leads even the Government to appoint a Minister for suicide prevention and civil society to report in depth on unheard of levels of loneliness and isolation.  And local authorities, especially in England, which perform vital roles in providing a real social safety net have been gutted by a series of government policies.  Libraries have closed in record numbers, community and youth centres have been shrunk and underfunded, public spaces and buildings including parks and recreation centres have been sold off.  While the labour and housing markets provide the crucial backdrop, the focus of this report is on the contribution made by social security and related policies.”

 

The Council recognises that since 2010 almost sixty pence out of every pound of government funding has been cut to this council’s budget.

 

The Council applauds the fact that the borough’s Labour councillors opposed austerity from its start at the beginning of this decade. It notes that Conservative councillors have consistently justified austerity and voted to support it.

 

The Council calls for all councillors to now oppose austerity and the government’s flawed management of our economy and joins with other councils across the country in calling for fair funding for councils.