Motions

Draft motion to Lincolnshire County Council  from Cllr Richard Cleaver, Lincolnshire County Council

This Council notes:  

• The commitments given by government during the current parliament to ‘levelling-up’ the country to the benefit of rural and coastal communities. 
• That more than 100,000 people in Lincolnshire live in areas which are within the most deprived two deciles (20%) of the Indices of Multiple Deprivation for England. 
• That no meaningful, concerted, integrated approach has yet been proposed to tackle these levels of deprivation in Lincolnshire and enable the affected areas to thrive again. 
• That the facility to adopt and fund such an approach is not included within any currently planned ‘devolution’ powers. 
• That the current cost of living crisis increases the urgency with which the issue of high levels of multiple deprivation needs to be addressed. 

This council therefore resolves: 

• To produce, jointly with the LEP and District Councils, its own 4 -year investment plan to counter these high levels of deprivation in an integrated way taking into account all of the relevant factors including economic development, housing, education, and health & social care. 
• To present and promote this plan to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities requesting that it provides the necessary support to implement it. 

Draft Cost of Living motion from Cllr Phil Dilks

This Council recognises that many residents we are elected to represent across Lincolnshire are already struggling to pay rocketing energy bills and as one of the lowest-wage areas in the country are likely to be among the hardest hit by the current cost of living crisis, the worst in a generation, and the Recession predicted by the Bank of England.

While acknowledging measures announced by the Government over the past few days, this Council pledges to do all within its power to assist Lincolnshire residents to survive the coming winter.

Therefore, this Council resolves to:

1. Declare a ‘Cost of Living Emergency’ to highlight the massive challenges many Lincolnshire residents face now and in the months ahead.
2. Work where practical with the seven district councils and other organisations including voluntary and charitable bodies serving Lincolnshire to organise and promote a network of ‘warm hubs’ to serve local communities so residents have a warm place to meet, spend time together and be supported during the crisis.
3. Launch a ‘Cost of Living Hub’ as an online resource offering financial advice and money saving tips to help get through the crisis.
4. Convene an urgent Cost of Living Emergency Summit with stakeholders such as Citizen’s Advice, food banks, business organisations, trade unions, charities and other partners to jointly address the current crisis as it affects Lincolnshire residents.
5. Create an immediate ‘Cost of Living Emergency Fund’ to support the above initiatives to be underwritten with up to £1 million from the Council’s reserves, specifically using a small proportion of the ‘Budget underspends’ from the last financial year - money taken in council tax by this authority but not yet spent on services.
6. Work with community and voluntary organisations to develop our community response, building on what already exists and taking a social justice approach. Ideas include a network of welcoming space where people can spend time, have access to Wi-Fi, free activities and support .