To be moved by Councillor Tarmey and seconded by Councillor C. Carter:
That this Council:
That this Council recognises the numerous ways in which both National and Local Government can provide support to local people to ease the burden of rising prices and fuel poverty.
Therefore, this Council resolves to:
1. Call on the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to hold a Cost-of-Living Emergency Summit with stakeholders including Citizens Advice, Food Banks, Local Trade Unions, Chambers of Commerce, local councils, and local MPs to explore how more local help can be provided for those struggling with the cost of living – including extending the use of discretionary payments.
2. Ensure that free-to-access warm spaces are available within local communities over the winter months for vulnerable residents. Working with Parish Councils and the voluntary sector where required to encourage facilities such as ‘village halls’ to be open for this purpose.
3.
Investigate the feasibility bringing
forward some planned improvements in the energy efficiency of
council owned housing stock and all other buildings operated by the
council.
4. Require an assessment of all building management systems and user-controlled heating systems to be set to heat spaces to the minimum comfortable temperature commensurate with the use of the space (with necessary exceptions where required due to health of individuals or the nature of the service being provided).
5. Reduce the use of energy for lighting council owned buildings at times when spaces are unoccupied and implement dimming of street lighting where safe and considered appropriate by elected members in each ward.
6. Ask Group Leaders to write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, expressing the council’s desire for the Government to:
a. Immediately reduce the standard rate of VAT from 20 per cent to 17.5 per cent for one year, saving the average household in Rotherham a further £600 this year
b. Immediately restore the Universal Credit supplement of £20, which was cancelled by the Government in September 2021.
c. Extend Fuel Duty Relief to cover Rotherham and double it to save local people 10p per litre on petrol.
Minutes:
It was moved by Councillor Tarmey and seconded by Councillor C. Carter:
That this Council:-
1. Recognises we are in the middle of the worst cost of living crisis in 50 years, with record breaking inflation (forecast to hit of 22.4 per cent next year) and spiralling energy costs leaving many people in Rotherham struggling to pay their household bills.
2. Recognises that high inflation, increased energy prices, and the cost-of-living crisis disproportionately affect residents with lower household incomes, as they spend a higher proportion of their disposable income on household bills and essentials like groceries.
3. Notes the decision taken in June 2022, by the then Chancellor, to impose a Windfall Tax on the profits of giant oil and gas companies for the purpose of providing limited financial support for energy bills.
4. Regrets that the Government recently decided to fund additional support for consumers in recent months through additional borrowing rather than from the record-breaking annual profits made by energy companies.
5. Notes that on 1st April 2022 and 1st October 2022, Ofgem increased the energy price cap by 54 per cent and 27 per cent respectively. This increased the average energy bill for a ‘typical household’ well beyond the support provided by Government (by £693 in April and £529 in October).
6. Notes that increases in the cost of energy for the residents and business of Rotherham are likely to occur in 2023 which will further compound the already disastrous impact of the cost-of-living crisis on our area; pushing thousands of local people deeper into poverty.
Council recognises the numerous ways in which both National and Local Government can provide support to local people to ease the burden of rising prices and fuel poverty. Therefore, this Council resolves to:
1. Call on the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to hold a Cost of Living Emergency Summit with stakeholders including Citizens Advice, Food Banks, Local Trade Unions, Chambers of Commerce, local councils, and local MPs to explore how more local help can be provided for those struggling with the cost of living – including extending the use of discretionary payments.
2. Ensure that free-to-access warm spaces are available within local communities over the winter months for vulnerable residents. Working with Parish Councils and the voluntary sector where required to encourage facilities such as ‘village halls’ to be open for this purpose.
3. Investigate the feasibility bringing forward some planned improvements in the energy efficiency of Council owned housing stock and all other buildings operated by the Council.
4. Require an assessment of all building management systems and user-controlled heating systems to be set to heat spaces to the minimum comfortable temperature commensurate with the use of the space (with necessary exceptions where required due to health of individuals or the nature of the service being provided).
5. Reduce the use of energy for lighting Council-owned buildings at times when spaces are unoccupied and implement dimming of street lighting where safe and considered appropriate by Elected Members in each Ward.
6. Ask Group Leaders to write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, expressing the Council’s desire for the Government to:
a) Immediately reduce the standard rate of VAT from 20 per cent to 17.5 per cent for one year, saving the average household in Rotherham a further £600 this year
b) Immediately restore the Universal Credit supplement of £20, which was cancelled by the Government in September 2021.
c) Extend Fuel Duty Relief to cover Rotherham and double it to save local people 10p per litre on petrol.
It was then moved by Councillor Sheppard and seconded by Councillor Cusworth that the motion be amended as follows:
That this Council: -
1. Recognises we are in the middle of the worst cost-of-living crisis in 50 years, with record breaking inflation (forecast to hit of 22.4 per cent next year) and spiralling energy costs leaving many people in Rotherham struggling to pay their household bills.
2. Recognises that high inflation, increased energy prices, and the cost of living crisis disproportionately affect residents with lower household incomes, as they spend a higher proportion of their disposable income on household bills and essentials like groceries.
3. Notes the decision taken in June 2022, by the then Chancellor, to impose a Windfall Tax on the profits of giant oil and gas companies for the purpose of providing limited financial support for energy bills.
4. Regrets that the Government recently decided to fund additional support for consumers in recent months through additional borrowing rather than from the record-breaking annual profits made by energy companies.
5. Notes that on 1st April 2022 and 1st October 2022, Ofgem increased the energy price cap by 54 per cent and 27 per cent respectively. This increased the average energy bill for a ‘typical household’ well beyond the support provided by Government (by £693 in April and £529 in October).
6. Notes that increases in the cost of energy for the residents and business of Rotherham are likely to occur in 2023 which will further compound the already disastrous impact of the cost-of-living crisis on our area; pushing thousands of local people deeper into poverty.
INSERT:
7. Notes that more than 1,000 households in Rotherham have already benefited from the Council’s Energy Crisis payments, and 12,000 Rotherham children regularly now receive free school meal vouchers during the holidays, and that the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board have already outlined plans to further consider the cost of living crisis and the Council’s response.
Council recognises
the numerous ways in which both National and Local Government can
provide support to local people to ease the burden of rising prices
and fuel poverty. Therefore, this Council resolves to:
1. DELETE: Call on the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to hold a Cost-of-Living Emergency Summit with DELETE: stakeholders including Citizens Advice, Food Banks, Local Trade Unions, Chambers of Commerce, local councils, and local MPs – INSERT: relevant local partners and stakeholders, including the Food Crisis Partnership to explore how more local help can be provided for those struggling with the cost of living – including extending the use of discretionary payments.
2. Ensure that free-to-access warm spaces are available within local communities over the winter months for vulnerable residents. Working with Parish Councils and the voluntary sector where required to encourage facilities such as ‘village halls’ to be open for this purpose.
3. Investigate the feasibility bringing forward some planned improvements in the energy efficiency of Council-owned housing stock and all other buildings operated by the Council.
4. Require an assessment of all building management systems and user-controlled heating systems to be set to heat spaces to the minimum comfortable temperature commensurate with the use of the space (with necessary exceptions where required due to health of individuals or the nature of the service being provided).
5. Reduce the use of energy for lighting Council-owned buildings at times when spaces are unoccupied DELETE: and implement dimming of street lighting where safe and considered appropriate by Elected Members in each Ward.
6. Ask Group Leaders to write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, expressing the Council’s desire for the Government to:
a) Immediately reduce the standard rate of VAT from 20 per cent to 17.5 per cent for one year, saving the average household in Rotherham a further £600 this year
b) Immediately restore the Universal Credit supplement of £20, which was cancelled by the Government in September 2021.
c) DELETE: Extend Fuel Duty Relief to cover Rotherham and double it to save local people 10p per litre on petrol. INSERT: Provide the funding for buses and public transport that our community, and particularly people on low incomes, really needs.
In accordance with Rule of Procedure 19 (2) Councillor Tarmey requested that a recorded vote should be taken on the proposed motion. In accordance with the Rule of Procedure 5 Members stood to show their support for a recorded vote to be taken on the motion.
Resolved:-
On being put to the vote, the motion as amended was declared as carried.
Mover:- Councillor Tarmey Seconder:- Councillor C. Carter
In accordance with Rule of Procedure 19 (1) a recorded vote was taken on the motion as follows:
FOR: Councillors Alam, Allen, Andrews, Atkin, Aveyard, Baker-Rogers, Beck, Bennett-Sylvester, Bird, Browne, A. Carter, C. Carter, Clark, Cooksey, Cowen, Cusworth, Elliott, Ellis, Griffin, Haleem, Havard, Hughes, Jones, Khan, McNeely, Miro, Monk, Pitchley, Read, Roche, Sansome, Sheppard, Tarmey, Taylor, Wyatt and Yasseen.
AGAINST: Councillors Bacon, Ball, Burnett, T. Collingham, Z. Collingham, Fisher, Hunter, Mills, Reynolds, Tinsley and Whormsley.
ABSTENTIONS: Councillor Barker.