This council condemns the scale and severity of proposed Government welfare reforms, along with the speed with which they are being introduced.
Council notes with concern that these proposals risk denying vital support to those seeking a more independent life and will result in a welfare system that is unable to stabilise the lives of vulnerable people at times of economic or personal change.
Council further notes that these reforms risk increasing pressure on homelessness services and undermining wider efforts to establish stable, sustainable local communities.
Council requests that the Chief Executive writes to the Welfare Bill’s sponsor Iain Duncan-Smith (Secretary of State for Work and Pensions) to call for ministers to establish a sustainable system that protects those in need and promotes meaningful employment opportunities.
B ATHA
Minutes:
It was moved by Councillor Atha, seconded by Councillor Driver that this Council condemns the scale and severity of proposed Government welfare reforms, along with the speed with which they are being introduced.
Council notes with concern that these proposals risk denying vital support to those seeking a more independent life and will result in a welfare system that is unable to stabilise the lives of vulnerable people at times of economic or personal change.
Council further notes that these reforms risk increasing pressure on homelessness services and undermining wider efforts to establish stable, sustainable local communities.
Council requests that the Chief Executive writes to the Welfare Bill’s sponsor Iain Duncan-Smith (Secretary of State for Work and Pensions) to call for Ministers to establish a sustainable system that protects those in need and promotes meaningful employment opportunities.
An amendment was moved by Councillor Golton, seconded by Councillor Hamilton to delete ‘condemns’ after ‘This Council’ and replace with “notes the concerns of many over”
Delete ‘severity’ in line one and replace with “depth”
After paragraph 1 insert new paragraph:-
“Council believes that the welfare system as it stands is unfit for purpose and unsustainable, in many cases penalising those it seeks to benefit and rewarding those it doesn’t.”
Delete ‘with concern’ in paragraph 2, line 1 and replace with“concerns expressed by a range of individuals and organisations”
Insert “concerns” after ‘notes’ in paragraph 3 line 1
After paragraph 3 insert new paragraph
“Council welcomes the constructive and consultative approach the government has taken with the elements of the Bill dealing with DLA where it listened to concerns of service users and stakeholders and adapted proposals accordingly. Council calls on the government to adopt the same approach with regard to the concerns noted above. Council further resolves to adopt an all-party approach to ensuring that the views of Leeds residents are effectively articulated to the Government.”
The amended White Paper would read as below:-
‘This council notes the concerns of many over the scale and depth of proposed Government welfare reforms, along with the speed with which they are being introduced.
Council believes that the welfare system as it stands is unfit for purpose and unsustainable, in many cases penalising those it seeks to benefit and rewarding those it doesn’t.
Council notes concerns expressed by a range of individuals and organisations that these proposals risk denying vital support to those seeking a more independent life and will result in a welfare system that is unable to stabilise the lives of vulnerable people at times of economic or personal change.
Council further notes concerns that these reforms risk increasing pressure on homelessness services and undermining wider efforts to establish stable, sustainable local communities.
Council welcomes the constructive and consultative approach the government has taken with the elements of the Bill dealing with DLA where it listened to concerns of service users and stakeholders and adapted proposals accordingly. Council calls on the government to adopt the same approach with regard to the concerns noted above. Council further resolves to adopt an all-party approach to ensuring that the views of Leeds residents are effectively articulated to the Government.
Council requests that the Chief Executive writes to the Welfare Bill’s sponsor Iain Duncan-Smith (Secretary of State for Work and Pensions) to call for ministers to establish a sustainable system that protects those in need and promotes meaningful employment opportunities.’
A second amendment was moved by Councillor Marjoram, seconded by Councillor Robinson, to delete wording between “This council” and “Council therefore requests” and replace with:
“notes the growth in benefit dependency witnessed in the UK over recent years. With over 5 million people claiming benefits in 2010 this Council believes that proposals contained in the Welfare Reform Bill (2011) bring a fresh approach to breaking cycles of deprivation by encouraging employment and by simplifying the benefits system to ensure that housing benefit costs are controlled and that resources can be allocated to the most vulnerable in society.
The Council encourages the Government to ensure that any concerns raised are examined and if necessary acted upon, but that the important work of breaking cycles of deprivationis prioritised and introduced as quickly as possible.”
Delete all after “Council therefore requests” and replace with:
“that the Chief Executive writes to the Welfare Bill’s sponsor Iain Duncan-Smith (Secretary of State for Work and Pensions) expressing support for the proposals contained in the Bill and urging him to continue in his efforts to introduce a simpler, fairer and employment focussed benefits system in the United Kingdom.”
The amended White Paper would read as follows:-
“This council notes the growth in benefit dependency witnessed in the UK over recent years. With over 5 million people claiming benefits in 2010 this Council believes that proposals contained in the Welfare Reform Bill (2011) bring a fresh approach to breaking cycles of deprivation by encouraging employment and by simplifying the benefits system to ensure that housing benefit costs are controlled and that resources can be allocated to the most vulnerable in society.
The Council encourages the Government to ensure that any concerns raised are examined and if necessary acted upon, but that the important work of breaking cycles of deprivationis prioritised and introduced as quickly as possible.
Council therefore requests that the Chief Executive writes to the Welfare Bill’s sponsor Iain Duncan-Smith (Secretary of State for Work and Pensions) expressing support for the proposals contained in the Bill and urging him to continue in his efforts to introduce a simpler, fairer and employment focussed benefits system in the United Kingdom.”
The amendments were lost and, upon the motion being put to the vote, it was
RESOLVED – That this Council condemns the scale and severity of proposed Government welfare reforms, along with the speed with which they are being introduced.
Council notes with concern that these proposals risk denying vital support to those seeking a more independent life and will result in a welfare system that is unable to stabilise the lives of vulnerable people at times of economic or personal change.
Council further notes that these reforms risk increasing pressure on homelessness services and undermining wider efforts to establish stable, sustainable local communities.
Council requests that the Chief Executive writes to the Welfare Bill’s sponsor Iain Duncan-Smith (Secretary of State for Work and Pensions) to call for Ministers to establish a sustainable system that protects those in need and promotes meaningful employment opportunities.
On the request of Councillors J Lewis and Nash, the voting on the first amendment in the name of Councillor Golton was recorded as follows:-
YES
Bentley, Campbell, Chapman, Chastney, Downes, Elliott, Ewens, Finnigan, Gettings, Golton, M Hamilton, Harris, Kirkland, Leadley, Matthews, Pryke, Townsley, Varley, Wilson.
19
NO
Akhtar, Anderson, Armitage, Atha, Atkinson, A Blackburn, Blake, Bruce, A Carter, J L Carter, Castle, Charlwood, Cohen, Collins, Congreve, Coulson, Davey, Dawson, Dobson, Dowson, Driver, Dunn, Feldman, Fox, Gabriel, P Grahame, R Grahame, Groves, Gruen, S Hamilton, Hanley, Hardy, G Harper, J Harper, Harrand, A Hussain, G Hussain, G Hyde, W Hyde, Illingworth, Iqbal, Jarosz, Khan, Lamb, G Latty, P Latty, J Lewis, R Lewis, Lobley, Lowe, Lyons, MacNiven, Maqsood, Marjoram, A McKenna, J McKenna, Mitchell, Morgan, Mulherin, Murray, Nash, Ogilvie, Parker, J Procter, Rafique, Renshaw, Robinson, Selby, Taggart, E Taylor, Wadsworth, Wakefield, Walshaw, Wilkinson, Wood, Yeadon.
76
ABSTAIN
0
On the request of Councillors J Lewis and Nash, the voting on the second amendment in the name of Councillor Marjoram was recorded as follows:-
YES
Anderson, A Carter, J L Carter, Castle, Cohen, Collins, Feldman, Fox, Harrand, W Hyde, Lamb, G Latty, P Latty, Lobley, Marjoram, J Procter, Robinson, Wadsworth, Wilkinson, Wood.
20
NO
Akhtar, Armitage, Atha, Atkinson, A Blackburn, Blake, Bruce, Charlwood, Congreve, Coulson, Davey, Dawson, Dobson, Dowson, Driver, Dunn, Gabriel, P Grahame, R Grahame, Groves, Gruen, S Hamilton, Hanley, Hardy, G Harper, J Harper, Harris, A Hussain, G Hussain, G Hyde, Illingworth, Iqbal, Jarosz, Khan, J Lewis, R Lewis, Lowe, Lyons, MacNiven, Maqsood, A McKenna, J McKenna, Mitchell, Morgan, Mulherin, Murray, Nash, Ogilvie, Parker, Rafique, Renshaw, Selby, Taggart, E Taylor, Wakefield, Walshaw, Yeadon.
57
ABSTAIN
Bentley, Campbell, Chapman, Chastney, Downes, Elliott, Ewens, Finnigan, Gettings, Golton, M Hamilton, Kirkland, Leadley, Matthews, Pryke, Townsley, Varley, Wilson.
18
On the requisition of Councillors J Lewis and Nash, the voting on the motion recorded as follows:-
YES
Akhtar, Armitage, Atha, Atkinson, A Blackburn, Blake, Bruce, Charlwood, Congreve, Coulson, Davey, Dawson, Dobson, Dowson, Driver, Dunn, Gabriel, P Grahame, R Grahame, Groves, Gruen, S Hamilton, Hanley, Hardy, G Harper, J Harper, A Hussain, G Hussain, G Hyde, Illingworth, Iqbal, Jarosz, Khan, J Lewis, R Lewis, Lowe, Lyons, MacNiven, Maqsood, A McKenna, J McKenna, Mitchell, Morgan, Mulherin, Murray, Nash, Ogilvie, Parker, Rafique, Renshaw, Selby, Taggart, E Taylor, Wakefield, Walshaw, Yeadon.
56
NO
Anderson, Bentley, Campbell, A Carter, J L Carter, Castle, Chapman, Chastney, Cohen, Collins, Downes, Ewens, Feldman, Fox, Golton, M Hamilton, Harrand, W Hyde, Kirkland, Lamb, G Latty, P Latty, Lobley, Marjoram, Matthews, J Procter, Pryke, Robinson, Townsley, Wadsworth, Wilkinson, Wilson, Wood.
33
ABSTAIN
Elliott, Finnigan, Gettings, Harris, Leadley, Varley.
6
The provisions of Council Procedure Rule 3.1(d) were applied at the conclusion of the debate on this motion.