Agenda item

To consider the Notices of Motion received.

(a)       That the Notice of Motion from Councillor Aaron Shotton be supported as follows: ‘That this Council recognises and supports the recent formation of a local Flintshire WASPI (Women against State Pension Inequality) Group and that we as a Council resolve to take action to call upon the Government to make fair transitional state pension arrangements for all women born in the 1950s affected by the changes to the SPA (State Pension Age) and, who have unfairly borne the burden of the increase to the SPA with lack of appropriate notification’; and

(b)       That the Notice of Motion from Councillor Aaron Shotton be supported as follows: ‘This Council calls upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer to end the UK Government’s policy of austerity in his Budget, due to be presented to Parliament on the 22nd November. This Council believes that after seven years of austerity, as a political and economic strategy, it is completely discredited and has inflicted untold damage on our public services and communities across Flintshire and the UK.  This Council believes that the public sector in Flintshire and across the UK can no longer endure the significant year-on-year reductions in funding. Welsh funding has reduced by 7% in real terms since 2010, equating to a staggering £1.2bn.  It is time for the UK Government to recognise the value of public services by delivering the funding levels required to meet rising demand for services.  This Council agrees to:

·         Continue to campaign over the coming weeks to communicate the need for an end to austerity.

·         Continue to be open about the scale of the financial challenges that the Council faces in the short and medium term if austerity is not ended, and the damage this could do to our local communities and services.

·         Request that the Leader of the Council writes to Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary State for Wales to request an end to austerity and for fair funding be delivered to Wales, particularly to enable the council to meet increasing need pressures in Education and Social Care.’

Two Notice of Motion had been received from Councillor Aaron Shotton:

(i)        Make Fair Transitional State Pension Arrangements for Women born in the 1950s

‘Hundreds of thousands of women had significant pension changes imposed on them by the Pensions Acts of 1995 and 2011 with little or no personal notification of the changes. Some women had less than two years notice of a six-year increase to their state pension age. Some women have had no notice at all.

Many women born in the 1950s are living in hardship. Retirement plans have been shattered with devastating consequences. Many of these women are already out of the labour market, caring for elderly relatives, providing childcare for grandchildren, or suffer discrimination in the workplace and therefore struggle to find employment.

Women born in this decade are suffering financially. These women have worked hard, raised families and paid their tax and national insurance with the expectation that they would be financially secure when reaching 60. It is not the pension age itself that is in dispute - But that the rise in the women's state pension age has been too rapid and has happened without sufficient notice being given to the women affected, leaving women with insufficient time to make alternative arrangements.

Resolution:

That this Council recognises and supports the recent formation of a local Flintshire WASPI (Women against State Pension Inequality) Group and that we as a Council resolve to take action to call upon the Government to make fair transitional state pension arrangements for all women born in the 1950s affected by the changes to the SPA (State Pension Age) and, who have unfairly borne the burden of the increase to the SPA with lack of appropriate notification.’

In support of his Motion, Councillor Shotton hoped that the unfairness of the issue was recognised by all and he gave examples of the personal devastation caused to local individuals.  He called upon the Council to support the national WASPI campaign which included a local action group, some of whose members were present.

In seconding the Motion, Councillor Kevin Hughes provided background information to the WASPI campaign.  He stressed that the focus of the campaign was about the rapid rise in women’s state pension age where changes imposed without notification had left many in hardship and unable to plan for retirement.

Also speaking in favour of the Motion were Councillors Mike Peers, Rita Johnson and Paul Shotton.

On being put to the vote, the Motion was unanimously supported.

(ii)       An End to UK Government Austerity

‘This Council calls upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer to end the UK Government’s policy of austerity in his Budget, due to be presented to Parliament on the 22nd November. This Council believes that after seven years of austerity, as a political and economic strategy, it is completely discredited and has inflicted untold damage on our public services and communities across Flintshire and the UK.

This Council believes that the public sector in Flintshire and across the UK can no longer endure the significant year-on-year reductions in funding. Welsh funding has reduced by 7% in real terms since 2010, equating to a staggering £1.2bn.

It is time for the UK Government to recognise the value of public services by delivering the funding levels required to meet rising demand for services.

This Council agrees to:

·         Continue to campaign over the coming weeks to communicate the need for an end to austerity.

·         Continue to be open about the scale of the financial challenges that the Council faces in the short and medium term if austerity is not ended, and the damage this could do to our local communities and services.

·         Request that the Leader of the Council writes to Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary State for Wales to request an end to austerity and for fair funding be delivered to Wales, particularly to enable the council to meet increasing need pressures in Education and Social Care.’

Councillor Shotton said that the public engagement events being held across the county to highlight the impact of funding cuts were generating widespread support for changes to be made at UK Government level.

The Motion was seconded by Councillor Bernie Attridge.

Councillor Peers commented on the approach taken by the Council in previous years.  He said that as Flintshire was recognised as a low-funded council in Wales, mention should be made of Welsh Government (WG) on its responsibilities towards the current financial position.

Councillor Heesom spoke in support of the Motion but raised a number of concerns about the impact of outsourcing services, the delivery of equitable services and pre-scrutiny of issues by Overview & Scrutiny which he hoped would be addressed as part of the next stage of the budget process.

As Cabinet Member for Streetscene & Countryside, Councillor Thomas referred to the significant efficiencies achieved in her portfolio and commended the teams involved in maintaining frontline services.  In strong support of the Motion and an end to austerity, she expressed concerns about the effect on the workforce and residents, and the lack of financial support to provide vital services and meet statutory obligations.

Also in support, Councillor Bithell said that the UK Government was in a position to provide WG with the funding required to invest and sustain essential services.

Councillor Woolley was unable to support the Motion and remarked on the recognised effects of austerity on the economy and the impact of previous borrowing and spend.  He felt that the financial situation could not be resolved without positive alternatives which were not evident.

Councillor Carver commented on the top-slicing of finances by WG to fund unnecessary projects.  He proposed an amendment to the third bullet point of the Motion as follows: “Request that the Leader of the Council writes to Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary State for Wales to request an end to austerity and to the First Minister for the fair apportionment of funding be delivered for Wales.”

This was seconded by Councillor Axworthy.

Councillor Attridge requested a recorded vote on the substantive Motion and the requisite number of Members indicated their support.

On being put to the vote, the amendment by Councillor Carver was lost.

In his right of reply, Councillor Shotton said that the Council had reached a “tipping point” on the budget process.  Whilst the responsibilities of WG formed part of the next agenda item, the Motion was about recognising and supporting the call for a change to UK fiscal policy.

On being put to the vote, the substantive Notice of Motion was carried as follows:

For the proposal:

Councillors: Brian Lloyd, Paul Cunningham, Bernie Attridge, Glyn Banks, Haydn Bateman, Marion Bateman, Sean Bibby, Chris Bithell, Derek Butler, David Cox, Jean Davies, Ron Davies, Ian Dunbar, Andy Dunbobbin, Mared Eastwood, Carol Ellis, David Evans, George Hardcastle, David Healey, Gladys Healey, Patrick Heesom, Cindy Hinds, Dave Hughes, Kevin Hughes, Ray Hughes, Joe Johnson, Paul Johnson, Rita Johnson, Christine Jones, Colin Legg, Mike Lowe, Hilary McGuill, Billy Mullin, Ted Palmer, Michelle Perfect, Vicky Perfect, Neville Phillips, Mike Reece, Ian Roberts, Tony Sharps, Aaron Shotton, Paul Shotton, Ian Smith, Carolyn Thomas, Andy Williams, David Williams and David Wisinger

Against the proposal:

Councillors: Janet Axworthy, Sian Braun, Clive Carver, Bob Connah, Rob Davies, Veronica Gay, Andrew Holgate, Dennis Hutchinson, Dave Mackie, Mike Peers and Arnold Woolley

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the Notice of Motion from Councillor Aaron Shotton be supported as follows: ‘That this Council recognises and supports the recent formation of a local Flintshire WASPI (Women against State Pension Inequality) Group and that we as a Council resolve to take action to call upon the Government to make fair transitional state pension arrangements for all women born in the 1950s affected by the changes to the SPA (State Pension Age) and, who have unfairly borne the burden of the increase to the SPA with lack of appropriate notification’; and

(b)       That the Notice of Motion from Councillor Aaron Shotton be supported as follows: ‘This Council calls upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer to end the UK Government’s policy of austerity in his Budget, due to be presented to Parliament on the 22nd November. This Council believes that after seven years of austerity, as a political and economic strategy, it is completely discredited and has inflicted untold damage on our public services and communities across Flintshire and the UK.  This Council believes that the public sector in Flintshire and across the UK can no longer endure the significant year-on-year reductions in funding. Welsh funding has reduced by 7% in real terms since 2010, equating to a staggering £1.2bn.  It is time for the UK Government to recognise the value of public services by delivering the funding levels required to meet rising demand for services.  This Council agrees to:

·         Continue to campaign over the coming weeks to communicate the need for an end to austerity.

·         Continue to be open about the scale of the financial challenges that the Council faces in the short and medium term if austerity is not ended, and the damage this could do to our local communities and services.

·         Request that the Leader of the Council writes to Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary State for Wales to request an end to austerity and for fair funding be delivered to Wales, particularly to enable the council to meet increasing need pressures in Education and Social Care.’