Agenda item

To consider a Notice of Motion proposed by Cllr N Ireland.

Full Council received the following Notice of Motion: Proposed by Cllr N Ireland, seconded by Cllr S Jones and supported by: Cllrs M Rennie, L Fry, D Gray, P Kimber, B Ezzard, S Williams, C Sutton, K Wheller, D Morgan, D Tooke, P Barrow, D Bolwell, A Canning, M Roe, R Holloway, G Taylor, S Jones, R Legg, R Crabb, B Bawden  

Motion Narrative and Action Required

“Council notes that: 

• The two-child limit, introduced by the Conservative Government in 2017, restricts support in Universal Credit and tax credits to two children in a family. 
• Analysis by the Child Poverty Action Group shows that 900,000 children living in poverty in England do not currently qualify for free school meals because the Conservative Government introduced an arbitrary £7,400 household income threshold in 2018.
• A new report by the Commons Education Select Committee warns mental health problems and cost-of-living pressures on families are among the complex reasons for increased absenteeism. 
• Scrapping the two-child limit is the most cost-effective way to reduce child poverty. It would lift 250,000 children out of poverty and mean 850,000 children are in less deep poverty. 

Council resolves to: 

• Call on the UK Government to scrap the two-child benefit cap.
• Ask the Council’s Chief Executive to write to Members of Parliament representing Dorset Council, expressing the Council’s support for the scrapping of the two-child benefit cap.”

Cllr L O’Leary proposed, Cllr A Kerby seconded the following amendment.

“Obviously the leader of the opposition brining a motion on a policy in Place for 7 years the last likely meeting before an election isn't for political reasons and instead brought forward to benefit the lowest earning in society so i would like to amend it.

Low-income families have been hit hard by inflation and a cost of living crisis. Low paid workers often face the brunt of this via our unfair and regressive tax system.

Therefore this council calls on the government to

Raise the basic rate of income tax threshold to from £12,571 to £20,000 taking millions of the lowest paid working people in this country out of tax all together especially has inflation has pushed more and more people into income tax. This would help push growth in the economy and make work pay"

On a point of order the amendment was not relevant to the original motion and was over-ruled by the Chairman.

Members debated the original motion and commented on the effect of malnourishment on children and although in agreement with the sentiment there were concerns of the knock-on effects and implications regarding where the finances would be sourced.

Generally, members were supportive of the motion and although sceptical that it would not go anywhere, agreed that support was needed by many households, not just those with children but working adults on a low income also.

The Portfolio Holder for Culture and Communities felt that this was a debate that the Council had no power over.  There was a lot of excellent work going on in Dorset that the Council and partners did have an element of control over.

On being put to the vote the Motion was approved.

Proposed by Cllr N Ireland, seconded by Cllr S Jones and supported by: Cllrs M Rennie, L Fry, D Gray, P Kimber, B Ezzard, S Williams, C Sutton, K Wheller, D Morgan, D Tooke, P Barrow, D Bolwell, A Canning, M Roe, R Holloway, G Taylor, S Jones, R Legg, R Crabb, B Bawden  

Resolved:

“That Council noted that: 

• The two-child limit, introduced by the Conservative Government in 2017, restricts support in Universal Credit and tax credits to two children in a family. 
• Analysis by the Child Poverty Action Group shows that 900,000 children living in poverty in England do not currently qualify for free school meals because the Conservative Government introduced an arbitrary £7,400 household income threshold in 2018.
• A new report by the Commons Education Select Committee warns mental health problems and cost-of-living pressures on families are among the complex reasons for increased absenteeism. 
• Scrapping the two-child limit is the most cost-effective way to reduce child poverty. It would lift 250,000 children out of poverty and mean 850,000 children are in less deep poverty. 

And

That Council resolved to: 

• Call on the UK Government to scrap the two-child benefit cap.
• Ask the Council’s Chief Executive to write to Members of Parliament representing Dorset Council, expressing the Council’s support for the scrapping of the two-child benefit cap.”