“This Council notes that:
· On 1 April 2022, Ofgem increased the energy price cap by 54 per cent
· In light of the increased energy price cap, the average standard tariff energy bill will increase by £693 per year. The average pre-pay meter energy bill will increase by £708 per year (Ofgem, 2022)
· In 2021/22, Hinckley & Bosworth food banks distributed food parcels at a rate of 4,900 per 100,000 people (Trussell Trust, 2022).
Council notes the decision taken in June 2022 by the government to impose a ‘windfall tax’ on the super-profits of oil and gas companies and to redistribute this as a one-off payment of £400 to households later this year. Council notes that this windfall tax was first proposed by Sir Ed Davey MP, leader of the Liberal Democrats, in January 2022. Though the windfall tax is welcome, Council believes it does not go nearly far enough and the government should be doing much more to support local people through the cost of living crisis.
This Council therefore declares a ‘cost of living emergency’ and calls on the government to:
· Immediately reduce the standard rate of VAT from 20 per cent to 17.5 per cent for one year, saving the average household in Hinckley & Bosworth a further £600 this year
· Immediately restore the universal credit supplement of £20 which was cancelled by the government in September 2021.
Council instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to express the Council’s demands for VAT to be cut to 17.5% and for the £20 universal credit supplement to be restored.”
Minutes:
The following motion was proposed by Councillor M Mullaney and seconded by Councillor Sheppard-Bools:
“This Council notes that:
· On 1 April 2022, Ofgem increased the energy price cap by 54 per cent
· In light of the increased energy price cap, the average standard tariff energy bill will increase by £693 per year. The average pre-pay meter energy bill will increase by £708 per year (Ofgem, 2022)
· In 2021/22, Hinckley & Bosworth food banks distributed food parcels at a rate of 4,900 per 100,000 people (Trussell Trust, 2022).
Council notes the decision taken in June 2022 by the government to impose a ‘windfall tax’ on the super-profits of oil and gas companies and to redistribute this as a one-off payment of £400 to households later this year. Council notes that this windfall tax was first proposed by Sir Ed Davey MP, leader of the Liberal Democrats, in January 2022. Though the windfall tax is welcome, Council believes it does not go nearly far enough and the government should be doing much more to support local people through the cost of living crisis.
This Council therefore declares a ‘cost of living emergency’ and calls on the government to:
· Immediately reduce the standard rate of VAT from 20 per cent to 17.5 per cent for one year, saving the average household in Hinckley & Bosworth a further £600 this year
· Immediately restore the universal credit supplement of £20 which was cancelled by the government in September 2021.
Council instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to express the Council’s demands for VAT to be cut to 17.5% and for the £20 universal credit supplement to be restored.”
During discussion, the following points were raised:
· There was a cost of living crisis
· Businesses were suffering as a result of increasing costs and decreasing sales
· Pensioners and carers were struggling as a result of increasing costs
· Increasing costs to heat homes would lead to deaths over the winter months
· That representations be sent to other appropriate government ministers.
Members were informed of a public event on 15 September in partnership with the Salvation Army and other organisations to provide advice and support in relation to the cost of living increases, details of which would be circulated to members.
The motion having been moved and seconded, Councillor M Mullaney along with five further councillors requested that voting on the motion be recorded. The vote was taken as follows:
Councillors Bill, Cartwright, M Crooks, W Crooks, Findlay, Flemming, Gibbens, Glenville, Hodgkins, Hollick, Lynch, L Mullaney, M Mullaney, Nichols, Pendlebury, Sheppard-Bools, Walker and H Williams voted FOR the motion (18);
Councillors Collett, Cook, Ladkin, Morrell and O’Shea voted AGAINST the motion (5).
The motion was therefore declared CARRIED and it was
RESOLVED - Council instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to express the Council’s demands for VAT to be cut to 17.5% and for the £20 universal credit supplement to be restored.