Agenda item

To consider a motion submitted by Councillor Maddocks, Dant, Hamilton-Cox and Penny.

Councillor Maddocks had submitted the following motion having given the required notice to the Chief Executive in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15:-

“This Council notes:

1. The cost-of-living crisis is hitting thousands of Lancaster district's households and is expected to get worse as the energy cap is increased dramatically in October.
2. The impact of domestic fuel - and food - price rises will adversely affect the health and well- being of many of the district's residents.
3. Local authorities have a duty to promote and protect the health and well-being of the public, and to prevent avoidable harm.
4. Martin Lewis, the MoneySavingExpert founder, has warned this month that the latest forecasts take the typical annual energy bill to more than one third of the state pension.

Those estimates point to an expected rise of more than 50% compared to current bills, which are already dramatically elevated compared to 12 months ago. Those now paying £100 a month can expect a rise to £165 in October, while those whose monthly bill is now around £200 will be paying £330; and that he describes the effect as a 'cataclysmic issue' for the government.

5. Martin Lewis has posted on Twitter: “Can’t believe I’m writing this, but I wonder if this winter we'll need ‘warm banks’ the equivalent of ‘food banks’ where people who can’t afford heating are invited to spend their days at no cost with heating (eg libraries, public buildings)?”

Lancaster City Council therefore:

(1)             Instructs the Chief Executive:

(a)   to develop a deliverable plan which ensures that every community in the district has access free of charge to a ‘warm and welcome' public building where people can keep warm and comfortable this coming autumn and winter during day-times (as a minimum);

(b)   to work with Lancashire County Council and other partner organisations to identify locations and public and community buildings for this purpose;

(c)   where possible to ensure such 'warm and welcome' public spaces should offer additional support and information to aid individuals to access other services to alleviate hardship.

(2)        Resolves that funding be made available from the Household Support Fund (2 and/or 3, to be determined) and the council's hardship reserve to enable this service to be in place by autumn 2022.

 

(3)        Notwithstanding (2), given the pressing demands on these limited funds, asks the chief executive to write to HM Treasury and to the chair of the LGA to seek funding for this purpose.”

 

 

Councillors Penny and Dant had indicated in advance that they would be willing to second the motion and an officer briefing note had been supplied to accompany the motion on the agenda. 

 

However, Councillor Maddocks asked permission of Council, as set out in Council Procedure Rule 17.7, to alter the wording of her motion to replace all the text after points 1-5  with the following:

 

“Lancaster City Council resolves:

 

(1)           To support Lancashire County Council’s work to develop a deliverable plan as agreed at its Council meeting on 14 July 2022 and bring it back to an appropriate Cabinet meeting.

(2)           To request that the Community Connector Team work to establish what, if any, plans the VCSFE have to offer venues for residents to attend

(3)           To provide for members a list of opening times and locations of publicly accessible locally-based County Council buildings and VCSFE provision that are free of charge and offer a warm and welcome place where people can keep warm and comfortable this coming autumn and winter. 

(4)           Consider relevant funding streams including the Household Support Fund 3.

 

Councillor Penny seconded Councillor Maddocks’ request to Council to alter the wording of her motion.

 

A vote was taken and with 19 for the request, 25 against and one abstention, the request to alter the wording of the motion was not granted.  

 

Councillor Maddocks therefore proposed the motion she had submitted on notice, seconded by Councillor Dant. She then responded to questions from Councillors.

 

An amendment to the motion was moved by Councillor Whitehead, as follows:

 

“1. To add to ‘This Council notes’ section

 

Lancashire County Council passed a related motion at its Council meeting on 14 July 2022, in which

 

Lancashire County Council resolved to:

 

a)  Provide for members a list of opening times and locations of publicly accessible County Council buildings that are free of charge and offer a warm and welcome place where people can keep warm and comfortable this coming autumn and winter.

 

b)  To ask district councils to identify other locally-based VCFSE (voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise) provision that offers similar support and for that list to be shared with members.

c)  To ensure such 'warm and welcome' public spaces should offer additional support and advice services to support individuals and families to access other services to alleviate food and fuel poverty.

d)  To place this resolution before the Lancashire Leaders and Health and Wellbeing Board meetings later this month, and work with districts to develop a deliverable plan as soon as possible and report on progress to September Cabinet with a view to reporting final arrangements to the October Cabinet with, where possible, all sources of funding for the scheme being identified at that meeting.

e)  And further, to ask Scrutiny Management Board to form a cross-party task and finish group with immediate effect to identify and adopt best practice, and work in delivering warm hubs and welcoming space schemes and report the same to Cabinet.

 

2.      Delete all three sections for action by Lancaster City Council and replace with

 

Lancaster City Council resolves

 

(1)  To support Lancashire County Council’s work to develop a deliverable plan as agreed at its Council meeting on 14 July 2022.

(2)  To request that the Community Connector team work to establish what, if any, plans the VCSFE have to offer venues for residents to attend.

(3)  To provide for members a list of opening times and locations of publicly accessible locally-based County Council buildings and VCFSE provision that are free of charge and offer a warm and welcome place where people can keep warm and comfortable this coming autumn and winter.”

 

Councillor Maddocks did not wish to accept this as a friendly amendment. Councillor Parr therefore seconded Councillor Whitehead’s amendment which was debated for some time.

 

At the conclusion of debate on the amendment a vote was taken and the amendment was passed with 30 Councillors voting ‘for’, 14 ‘against’ and two abstentions.

 

The amendment then became the substantive motion and further debate took place before a vote was taken, which was clearly carried with 33 Members voting for the motion, none against and 14 abstentions.

 

Resolved:-

This Council notes:

1. The cost-of-living crisis is hitting thousands of Lancaster district's households and is expected to get worse as the energy cap is increased dramatically in October.
2. The impact of domestic fuel - and food - price rises will adversely affect the health and well- being of many of the district's residents.
3. Local authorities have a duty to promote and protect the health and well-being of the public, and to prevent avoidable harm.
4. Martin Lewis, the MoneySavingExpert founder, has warned this month that the latest forecasts take the typical annual energy bill to more than one third of the state pension.

Those estimates point to an expected rise of more than 50% compared to current bills, which are already dramatically elevated compared to 12 months ago. Those now paying £100 a month can expect a rise to £165 in October, while those whose monthly bill is now around £200 will be paying £330; and that he describes the effect as a 'cataclysmic issue' for the government.

5. Martin Lewis has posted on Twitter: “Can’t believe I’m writing this, but I wonder if this winter we'll need ‘warm banks’ the equivalent of ‘food banks’ where people who can’t afford heating are invited to spend their days at no cost with heating (eg libraries, public buildings)?”

6.    Lancashire County Council passed a related motion at its Council meeting on 14 July 2022, in which

 

Lancashire County Council resolved to:

 

a)  Provide for members a list of opening times and locations of publicly accessible County Council buildings that are free of charge and offer a warm and welcome place where people can keep warm and comfortable this coming autumn and winter.

 

b)  To ask district councils to identify other locally-based VCFSE (voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise) provision that offers similar support and for that list to be shared with members.

 

c)  To ensure such 'warm and welcome' public spaces should offer additional support and advice services to support individuals and families to access other services to alleviate food and fuel poverty.

 

d)  To place this resolution before the Lancashire Leaders and Health and Wellbeing Board meetings later this month, and work with districts to develop a deliverable plan as soon as possible and report on progress to September Cabinet with a view to reporting final arrangements to the October Cabinet with, where possible, all sources of funding for the scheme being identified at that meeting.

 

e)  And further, to ask Scrutiny Management Board to form a cross-party task and finish group with immediate effect to identify and adopt best practice, and work in delivering warm hubs and welcoming space schemes and report the same to Cabinet.

 

Lancaster City Council resolves

 

(1)  To support Lancashire County Council’s work to develop a deliverable plan as agreed at its Council meeting on 14 July 2022.

 

(2)  To request that the Community Connector team work to establish what, if any, plans the VCSFE have to offer venues for residents to attend.

 

(3)  To provide for members a list of opening times and locations of publicly accessible locally-based County Council buildings and VCFSE provision that are free of charge and offer a warm and welcome place where people can keep warm and comfortable this coming autumn and winter.