To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors Cooper, Lee-Richards and Allison;
“This Council
notes:
Local
government has endured central government funding cuts of more than
50% since 2010. Between 2010 and 2020, councils lost 60p out of
every £1 they have received from central government. Councils
across England are now facing a collective funding gap of
£2.4bn for the financial year 2023/24 and a cumulative
funding gap of £4.08bn for 2024/25 according to UNISON
research.
Councils led the way in efforts against the
Covid-19 pandemic, providing a huge range of services and support
for our communities. Local government has shown more than ever how
indispensable it is. But Covid has led to a massive increase in
expenditure and loss of income, and as we emerge from the pandemic,
local authorities and schools need far more support from
Westminster. Recent funding announcements from the Government
relating to schools did nothing to help.
Council
and school workers kept our communities safe through the pandemic,
often putting themselves at considerable risk as they work to
protect public health, provide quality housing, ensure our children
continue to be educated, and look after older and vulnerable
people.
Since
2010, the local government workforce has endured years of pay
restraint with the majority of pay points losing at least 25 per
cent of their value since 2009/10. Staff are now facing the worst
cost of living crisis in a generation, with inflation hitting 10%
and many having to make impossible choices between food,
heating and other essentials. This is a
terrible situation for anyone to find themselves
in.
At the
same time, workers have experienced ever-increasing workloads and
persistent job insecurity. Across the UK, 900,000 jobs have been
lost in local government since June 2010 – a reduction of
more than 30 per cent. Local government has arguably been hit by
more severe job losses than any other part of the public
sector.
There
has been a disproportionate impact on women, with women making up
more than three-quarters of the local government
workforce.
Recent
research shows that if the Government were to fully fund the
unions’ 2023 pay claim, around half of the money would be
recouped thanks to increased tax revenue, reduced expenditure on
benefits and tax credits, and increased consumer spending in the
local economy.
This
Council believes:
Our
workers are public service super-heroes. They keep our communities
clean and safe, look after those in need and keep our towns and
cities running.
Without
the professionalism and dedication of our staff, the council
services our residents rely on would not be
deliverable.
Local
government workers deserve a proper real-terms pay increase. The Government needs to
take responsibility and fully fund this increase; it should not put
the burden on local authorities whose funding has been cut to the
bone and who were not offered adequate support through the Covid-19
pandemic.
This
Council resolves to:
Support
the pay claim submitted by UNISON, GMB and Unite on behalf of
council and school workers, for an increase of RPI + 2% and in
order to enable the Council to do that, asks Cabinet
to;
(i) Call on the
Local Government Association to make urgent representations to
central government to fund the NJC pay claim
(ii)
Write to the Chancellor and Secretary of State to call for a pay
increase for local government workers to be funded with new money
from central government
(iii)
Meet with local NJC union representatives to convey support for the
pay claim and consider practical ways in which the council can
support the campaign
(iv)
Encourage all local government workers to join a
union.”
Decision:
Item not considered (due to time constraints).