Agenda item

(i) Stop the Council Tax Squeeze

A motion had been received and set out in the Summons in the names of:

Councillors C Boles, N Boroda, S Butler, C Cummins, U Farooq, R Gold, J Grimshaw, S Haroon, M Hayes, T Holt, K Leach, G McGill, C Morris, B Mortenson, E O’Brien, K Peel, T Pilkington, A Quinn, D Quinn, T Rafiq, A Simpson, L Smith, T Tariq, K Thomas, S Walmsley, C Walsh and M Whitby.

The Chancellor and Conservative Government have openly admitted that this winter will be tough for many as we see soaring energy prices, rising costs in shops and cuts in Universal Credit. With the Bank of England warning a possible rise of inflation as high as 5%, many people across Bury are facing a real cost of living crisis – one that has been exacerbated by last month’s Budget.

Despite a 10% hike in national insurance on workers and businesses, local councils across the country are facing no other but to also raise council tax next year in order to maintain frontline services - in fact, the Government’s spending figures for local government rely on councils doing so, it is there in black and white in the Budget.

The council notes:

• That direct funding to local government has been cut year on year by the Conservatives with a cut to Bury Council of over £100 million so far since 2010.
• That the Conservative Government’s latest Budget expects us to raise Council Tax by 3% in order to increase our spending power.
• Even with this hike in Council Tax, Bury Council will still be forced to make around £18m in cuts by the financial year 2023/24.

This council resolves to:

1. Call on the Government to stop the squeeze and fund Bury Council directly to avoid increases in council tax.
2. Call on the Government to reverse tax cuts on banks and consider a windfall levy on individuals and enterprise whose wealth grew exponentially in the pandemic.
3. Write to Bury’s Conservative MPs asking them to co-sign a letter demanding true levelling up for Bury, by restoring our direct funding grant so that Council Tax payers don’t have to bear an even heavier burden of funding vital local services, which should be funded by Government.

 (ii)  Supporting our wonderful high streets over the festive period

A motion had been received and set out in the Summons in the names of:

Bernstein, Brown, Caserta, Cropper, Dean, Gartside, Harris, Lancaster, Hurst, Hussain, N Jones, Lewis, McBriar, Rydeheard, Vernon, Y Wright

The Council recognises:

Bury Council notes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has had on residents and businesses across the borough over the last two years. The Borough owes a debt of gratitude to our key workers, residents, businesses and organisations for all that they have done through the pandemic.

As the festive period approaches the Council must do all it can to support our fantastic independent businesses across the borough and our high streets

The Council notes:

The Government provided over £100 million to Bury MBC to support residents and businesses whether the COVID-19 storm across the borough

In the October Budget our borough was awarded two levelling up bids totalling £40 million to regenerate Bury Market and Radcliffe Town Centre. Now we must celebrate this success and support our high streets, encouraging residents and visitors to shop local this festive period.

There are 4 Saturdays in December, including Small Business Saturday on the 4^th, and as a Council we must do all we can to support business

This motion aims to support the boroughs high streets and independent retailers across Ramsbottom, Tottington, Bury, Radcliffe, Whitefield, and Prestwich and promote shopping locally throughout the month of December

The Council resolves to:

·         All Council-owned car parks to be free every Saturday in December 2021 across Ramsbottom, Tottington, Bury, Radcliffe, Whitefield and Prestwich including Christmas Day

·         Actively support and promote ‘Small Business Saturday’ in December by spreading the word across the Borough via locally via the Council website and all digital media channels

·         Promote ‘Shop Local’ throughout the month of December across all the Councils digital media channels and share press releases with local media to drum up support for our wonderful towns this festive period

(iii)  Children’s Catch-up Funding

A motion had been received and set out in the Summons in the names of:

CouncillorsM Powell, C Tegolo and S Wright

This Council recognises that:

- There has been an enormous impact from Covid-19 on schoolchildren in Bury

- The staff, pupils and Governors in our schools in Bury have worked incredibly hard to make sure the impact of Covid is mitigated

- For months at a time, most children have not been able to attend school, been isolated from their friends, and missed out on valuable experiences such as playing sports or learning a musical instrument

- The Government’s former Education Commissioner Sir Kevan Collins recommended that £15 billion is required to help school children catch up on the learning and experiences they have lost during the pandemic

- The Liberal Democrats announced a policy at their Party Conference in September 2021 calling for the full £15 billion to be made available as a ‘Catch-Up Fund’ for schoolchildren

- £5 billion of this fund would go directly to parents in the form of vouchers to be spent in the best way they see fit. This would mean each school child in Bury would receive £200 worth of vouchers a year for each of the next three years (these vouches would increase to £400-£600 a year for those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds or those in need of additional support)

This Council resolves to:

- Welcome these proposals and acknowledge they would result in parents and carers being able to give their children new opportunities and experiences that they have sorely missed out on over the past 18 months

- Instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Education to demand that the recommendations of the Liberal Democrat’s Children’s Catch-Up Policy are implemented in full. In particular, that the full £15 billion is made available as a Catch-Up Fund for schoolchildren, and that £5 billion of this goes directly to parents in the form of vouchers that can be spent on their choice of approved courses and experiences

(i) Stop the Council Tax Squeeze

A motion had been received and set out in the Summons in the names of:

Councillors C Boles, N Boroda, S Butler, C Cummins, U Farooq, R Gold, J Grimshaw, S Haroon, M Hayes, T Holt, K Leach, G McGill, C Morris, B Mortenson, E O’Brien, K Peel, T Pilkington, A Quinn, D Quinn, T Rafiq, A Simpson, L Smith, T Tariq, K Thomas, S Walmsley, C Walsh and M Whitby.

The Chancellor and Conservative Government have openly admitted that this winter will be tough for many as we see soaring energy prices, rising costs in shops and cuts in Universal Credit. With the Bank of England warning a possible rise of inflation as high as 5%, many people across Bury are facing a real cost of living crisis – one that has been exacerbated by last month’s Budget.

Despite a 10% hike in national insurance on workers and businesses, local councils across the country are facing no other but to also raise council tax next year in order to maintain frontline services - in fact, the Government’s spending figures for local government rely on councils doing so, it is there in black and white in the Budget.

The council notes:

• That direct funding to local government has been cut year on year by the Conservatives with a cut to Bury Council of over £100 million so far since 2010.
• That the Conservative Government’s latest Budget expects us to raise Council Tax by 3% in order to increase our spending power.
• Even with this hike in Council Tax, Bury Council will still be forced to make around £18m in cuts by the financial year 2023/24.

This council resolves to:

1. Call on the Government to stop the squeeze and fund Bury Council directly to avoid increases in council tax.
2. Call on the Government to reverse tax cuts on banks and consider a windfall levy on individuals and enterprise whose wealth grew exponentially in the pandemic.
3. Write to Bury’s Conservative MPs asking them to co-sign a letter demanding true levelling up for Bury, by restoring our direct funding grant so that Council Tax payers don’t have to bear an even heavier burden of funding vital local services, which should be funded by Government.

On being put with

(ii)  Supporting our wonderful high streets over the festive period

A motion had been received and set out in the Summons in the names of:

Bernstein, Brown, Caserta, Cropper, Dean, Gartside, Harris, Lancaster, Hurst, Hussain, N Jones, Lewis, McBriar, Rydeheard, Vernon, Y Wright

The Council recognises:

Bury Council notes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has had on residents and businesses across the borough over the last two years. The Borough owes a debt of gratitude to our key workers, residents, businesses and organisations for all that they have done through the pandemic.

As the festive period approaches the Council must do all it can to support our fantastic independent businesses across the borough and our high streets

The Council notes:

The Government provided over £100 million to Bury MBC to support residents and businesses whether the COVID-19 storm across the borough

In the October Budget our borough was awarded two levelling up bids totalling £40 million to regenerate Bury Market and Radcliffe Town Centre. Now we must celebrate this success and support our high streets, encouraging residents and visitors to shop local this festive period.

There are 4 Saturdays in December, including Small Business Saturday on the 4^th, and as a Council we must do all we can to support business

This motion aims to support the boroughs high streets and independent retailers across Ramsbottom, Tottington, Bury, Radcliffe, Whitefield, and Prestwich and promote shopping locally throughout the month of December

The Council resolves to:

·         All Council-owned car parks to be free every Saturday in December 2021 across Ramsbottom, Tottington, Bury, Radcliffe, Whitefield and Prestwich including Christmas Day

·         Actively support and promote ‘Small Business Saturday’ in December by spreading the word across the Borough via locally via the Council website and all digital media channels

·         Promote ‘Shop Local’ throughout the month of December across all the Councils digital media channels and share press releases with local media to drum up support for our wonderful towns this festive period

Councillor Jones moved and Councillor Liam James Dean seconded that in order to expedite the discussion that the question now be put and the Council moves to a recorded vote.

On being put with 26 voting for and 18 voting against, and the Mayor abstaining the motion that the question now be put was lost.

It was moved by Councillor Peel and seconded by Councillor Pilkington as an amendment to:-

DELETE:

·         All Council-owned car parks to be free every Saturday in December 2021 across Ramsbottom, Tottington, Bury, Radcliffe, Whitefield and Prestwich including Christmas Day

ADD:

Call on officers and the Combined Authority to explore options to fund free or discounted bus travel for the first three weekends in December 

On being put, with 44 voting for, 0 voting against, and with the Mayor abstaining, the Mayor declared the amendment carried.

On being put with 44 voting for, O voting against and the Mayor abstaining the substantive motion was carried.

(iii) Children’s Catch-up Funding

A motion had been received and set out in the Summons in the names of:  Councillors Powell, Tegolo and S Wright.

This Council recognises that:

- There has been an enormous impact from Covid-19 on schoolchildren in Bury

- The staff, pupils and Governors in our schools in Bury have worked incredibly hard to make sure the impact of Covid is mitigated

- For months at a time, most children have not been able to attend school, been isolated from their friends, and missed out on valuable experiences such as playing sports or learning a musical instrument

- The Government’s former Education Commissioner Sir Kevan Collins recommended that £15 billion is required to help school children catch up on the learning and experiences they have lost during the pandemic

- The Liberal Democrats announced a policy at their Party Conference in September 2021 calling for the full £15 billion to be made available as a ‘Catch-Up Fund’ for schoolchildren

- £5 billion of this fund would go directly to parents in the form of vouchers to be spent in the best way they see fit. This would mean each school child in Bury would receive £200 worth of vouchers a year for each of the next three years (these vouches would increase to £400-£600 a year for those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds or those in need of additional support)

This Council resolves to:

- Welcome these proposals and acknowledge they would result in parents and carers being able to give their children new opportunities and experiences that they have sorely missed out on over the past 18 months

- Instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Education to demand that the recommendations of the Liberal Democrat’s Children’s Catch-Up Policy are implemented in full. In particular, that the full £15 billion is made available as a Catch-Up Fund for schoolchildren, and that £5 billion of this goes directly to parents in the form of vouchers that can be spent on their choice of approved courses and experiences

It was moved by Councillor Whitby and seconded by Councillor Tariq as an amendment to:-

[ADD] – The Labour Party launched its £15 billion “Children’s Recovery Plan” in June, in line with Sir Kevan Collins’ recommendations. This plan includes Breakfast clubs and new activities for every child, Quality mental health support in every school, Small group tutoring for all who need it, not just 1%, Continued development for teachers, An Education Recovery Premium and Ensure no child goes hungry.

[REMOVE] - The Liberal Democrats announced a policy at their Party Conference in September 2021 calling for the full £15 billion to be made available as a ‘Catch-Up Fund’ for schoolchildren

- £5 billion of this fund would go directly to parents in the form of vouchers to be spent in the best way they see fit. This would mean each school child in Bury would receive £200 worth of vouchers a year for each of the next three years (these vouches would increase to £400-£600 a year for those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds or those in need of additional support)

This Council resolves to:

[REMOVE] - Welcome these proposals and acknowledge they would result in parents and carers being able to give their children new opportunities and experiences that they have sorely missed out on over the past 18 months

[ADD} – Welcome the Labour Party’s proposals and support the provision of the necessary resources for a strong recovery for our children and their education.

[REMOVE] - Instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Education to demand that the recommendations of the Liberal Democrat’s Children’s Catch-Up Policy are implemented in full. In particular, that the full £15 billion is made available as a Catch-Up Fund for schoolchildren, and that £5 billion of this goes directly to parents in the form of vouchers that can be spent on their choice of approved courses and experiences

[ADD] - Instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Education to demand that the recommendations of the Labour Party’s “Children’s Recovery Plan” are implemented in full.

On being put, with 26 voting for, 18 voting against, and with the Mayor abstaining, the Mayor declared the amendment carried.

On being put with 29 voting for, 15 voting against and the Mayor abstaining the substantive motion was carried.