Agenda item

In accordance with the Notice of Motion received under Section 4.19 of the Constitution, Councillor Elin Hywel will propose as follows:-

 

1.    This Council notes the disproportionate and cumulative effects of austerity policies on the most vulnerable inhabitants of our society by successive UK governments – whether Conservative or Labour governments.

2.    Following the UK Government's recent announcement of further cuts to benefits totalling £5 billion, this Council recognises that these cuts are the continuation and progression of austerity policies. With a proportion of 18.1% of Gwynedd's population considered as being disabled, the people of Gwynedd will be hit particularly hard by the cuts. Furthermore, people considered as disabled in Gwynedd are less likely to be in employment, with only 50.5% in a paid job, and are therefore more likely to rely on benefits as their only source of income.

3.    The Council notes our growing responsibility to mitigate the brutal effects of austerity policies through the Council's services. We are seeing an increase in demand for services such as social housing, emergency accommodation and social care, and the subsequent increasing cost of maintaining these services. We recognise the pressure this places on the Council's budgets.

4.    For the sake of the residents of Gwynedd, Cyngor Gwynedd calls upon the Welsh Government to stand up for Wales and demand that their fellow Labour members in the UK Government make a U-turn on their plans to cut benefits.

5.    In order to ensure respect and dignity for all, Cyngor Gwynedd calls upon the Welsh Government and the UK Government to adequately fund benefits and social services.

6.    In order to end austerity in Wales, this Council demands that the Welsh Government calls upon the UK Government to devolve welfare and benefits, together with all the necessary levers to enable the Welsh Government to protect, care for and sustain our society.

 

 

1.    This Council notes the disproportionate and cumulative effects of austerity policies on the most vulnerable inhabitants of our society by successive UK governments – whether Conservative or Labour governments.

2.    Following the UK Government's recent announcement of further cuts to benefits totalling £5 billion, this Council recognises that these cuts are the continuation and progression of austerity policies. With a proportion of 18.1% of Gwynedd's population considered as being disabled, the people of Gwynedd will be hit particularly hard by the cuts. Furthermore, people considered as disabled in Gwynedd are less likely to be in employment, with only 50.5% in a paid job, and are therefore more likely to rely on benefits as their only source of income.

3.    The Council notes our growing responsibility to mitigate the brutal effects of austerity policies through the Council's services. We are seeing an increase in demand for services such as social housing, emergency accommodation and social care, and the subsequent increasing cost of maintaining these services. We recognise the pressure this places on the Council's budgets.

4.    For the sake of the residents of Gwynedd, Cyngor Gwynedd calls upon the Welsh Government to stand up for Wales and demand that their fellow Labour members in the UK Government make a U-turn on their plans to cut benefits.

5.    In order to ensure respect and dignity for all, Cyngor Gwynedd calls upon the Welsh Government and the UK Government to adequately fund benefits and social services.

6.    In order to end austerity in Wales, this Council demands that the Welsh Government calls upon the UK Government to devolve welfare and benefits, together with all the necessary levers to enable the Welsh Government to protect, care for and sustain our society.

 

 

Submitted - the following notice of motion by Councillor Elin Hywel under Section 4.19 of the Constitution, and it was seconded:-

 

This Council notes the disproportionate and cumulative effects of austerity policies on the most vulnerable inhabitants of our society by successive UK governments – whether Conservative or Labour governments.

 

Following the UK Government's recent announcement of further cuts to benefits totalling £5 billion, this Council recognises that these cuts are the continuation and progression of austerity policies.  With a proportion of 18.1% of Gwynedd's population considered as being disabled, the people of Gwynedd will be hit particularly hard by the cuts. Furthermore, people considered as disabled in Gwynedd are less likely to be in employment, with only 50.5% in a paid job, and are therefore more likely to rely on benefits as their only source of income.

 

The Council notes our growing responsibility to mitigate the brutal effects of austerity policies through the Council's services. We are seeing an increase in demand for services such as social housing, emergency accommodation and social care, and the subsequent increasing cost of maintaining these services. We recognise the pressure this places on the Council's budgets.

 

For the sake of the residents of Gwynedd, Cyngor Gwynedd calls upon the Welsh Government to stand up for Wales and demand that their fellow Labour members in the UK Government make a U-turn on their plans to cut benefits.

 

In order to ensure respect and dignity for all, Cyngor Gwynedd calls upon the Welsh Government and the UK Government to adequately fund benefits and social services.

 

In order to end austerity in Wales, this Council demands that the Welsh Government calls upon the UK Government to devolve welfare and benefits, together with all the necessary levers to enable the Welsh Government to protect, care for and sustain our society.

 

The member set out the context to her motion, noting:-

·         That she was tabling this motion because she was appalled by the living circumstances of our most vulnerable residents, due to cruel and ideological decisions by the Westminster Government, which have turned their backs on the people of Gwynedd.

·         That there had been further cuts to the benefits system in recent months, including Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Universal Credit and housing cost support, and that these cuts had come without any meaningful consultation, without a thorough social impact assessment, and completely unaccounted for in terms of their impact on real people's lives.

·         The number of people in Gwynedd receiving Universal Credit had remained high over the years, with many of them in work, yet unable to afford to live.

·         The cuts to housing cost support were creating unprecedented pressures, with private rents rising and options decreasing.

·         That the cuts were increasing demand on our welfare services, housing, debt advice, and even our libraries, which had developed over the past few years into a place of refuge and support.

·         That this Council, year after year, had to step into the gap that had been created by the Westminster Government and their poor decisions, providing support that was not a statutory responsibility, but a moral requirement, and that brought direct financial pressure on our budgets.

·         The benefits system was no longer there to support people, and was a system designed to undermine confidence, harm mental health and create barriers.

·         Recent reports from Shelter Cymru, Citizens Advice and even Westminster Committees themselves recognised that the assessment process for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) caused serious harm to vulnerable people, including increased stress, depression and much worse situations as well.

·         That the Council saw an increasing, unprecedented and unsustainable demand for:-

Ø  social services, including support for older people, people with disabilities and families.

Ø  emergency housing and emergency accommodation.

Ø  mental health and counselling services, which often failed to keep up with demand.

·         That this created a situation where councils like Gwynedd were paying for the consequences of policies that were being made over 200 miles away by a Labour Government that had no understanding of our communities or local context.

·         That the proposal was a call for morality, justice and support.

·         These decisions by the Government were not due to financial cuts and lack of funds, but to a lack of political will.

·         It was hypocritical that the Government could create a tax system that was of value to the wealthy and to the biggest companies, but at the same time failed to maintain a basic income for people living on less than £80 a week.

 

Enthusiastic support for the proposal was expressed by members.

 

A member referred to a recent speech by Ann Davies, MP in Westminster which stated:-

·         That very extensive research into the numbers of people registered with disabilities showed that in Wales this figure was 28%, with 50% of those people unable to work.

·         This compared to a figure of 22% registered with disabilities in the South East of England, with 61% of those people in work.

·         The impact of £5m cuts in benefits was going to have a significantly greater impact on the devolved governments, than other areas of the UK.

·         That the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) situation, where people received money to live more independently, was going to get worse in Wales because higher numbers were receiving this payment.

·         That the Welsh Government was going to have to shoulder the serious cost and the major difficulties that would result from cutting the £5m benefits budget.

·         That Wales was second from bottom in terms of numbers in working age who were disabled.

·         It would have been very easy for the Westminster Government to put a 2% levy on assets over £10m, thereby bringing £24bn into their fund, but instead they had decided to hit the most disabled people who were already suffering.

 

The Leader noted:-

·         That the Supporting the People of Gwynedd programme was a priority for the Cabinet and made a difference to people's lives. However, that could never be enough because, as this motion, and other motions on the agenda of this meeting had highlighted, the problem had been caused far from Gwynedd.

·         That the fact that Wales did not benefit from its natural resources and that we were underfunded by the Barnett Formula had a direct impact on our economy, on poverty in Wales, on people's health and on the future of our children.

·         Research by Policy and Practice showed that the latest cuts meant Wales faced 3 times the economic impact compared to London and the South East of England, with almost 200,000 people in Wales affected, or 6.1% of the population, and some losing up to £9,000 a year.

·         These changes would not come into effect immediately and anyone concerned about the situation would be encouraged to contact the Council or their local councillor for assistance.

 

 

RESOLVED to adopt the motion, namely:-

 

This Council notes the disproportionate and cumulative effects of austerity policies on the most vulnerable inhabitants of our society by successive UK governments – whether Conservative or Labour governments.

 

Following the UK Government's recent announcement of further cuts to benefits totalling £5 billion, this Council recognises that these cuts are the continuation and progression of austerity policies.  With a proportion of 18.1% of Gwynedd's population considered as being disabled, the people of Gwynedd will be hit particularly hard by the cuts.  Furthermore, people considered as disabled in Gwynedd are less likely to be in employment, with only 50.5% in a paid job, and are therefore more likely to rely on benefits as their only source of income.

 

The Council notes our growing responsibility to mitigate the brutal effects of austerity policies through the Council's services. We are seeing an increase in demand for services such as social housing, emergency accommodation and social care, and the subsequent increasing cost of maintaining these services.  We recognise the pressure this places on the Council's budgets.

 

For the sake of the residents of Gwynedd, Cyngor Gwynedd calls upon the Welsh Government to stand up for Wales and demand that their fellow Labour members in the UK Government make a U-turn on their plans to cut benefits.

 

In order to ensure respect and dignity for all, Cyngor Gwynedd calls upon the Welsh Government and the UK Government to adequately fund benefits and social services.

 

In order to end austerity in Wales, this Council demands that the Welsh Government calls upon the UK Government to devolve welfare and benefits, together with all the necessary levers to enable the Welsh Government to protect, care for and sustain our society.