Motion: Impact of the Ongoing Increase in the Cost of Living

This Council, the primary civic institution in the district:

raises its continued concern with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and the impact that it continues to have on households across our district;

affirms our ambition to support vulnerable residents who are struggling with rising costs in the weeks and months ahead; commend the work already undertaken by the council and remains committed to working with partners to help alleviate financial pressure wherever possible;

 recognises that many families and workers will face increased financial pressure in the weeks leading up to Christmas and throughout the winter;

 further recognises the vital work being carried out by voluntary and community sector organisations in supporting vulnerable groups who are disproportionately affected by the rise in the cost of living;

 acknowledges the ongoing concerns expressed by the community sector with regards to the shortcomings of the draft anti-poverty strategy published by the Minister for Communities;

 will write to the Minister for Communities to revise his draft anti-poverty strategy to set out what actions he will take to support workers and families struggling with cost-of-living crisis, and to look at opportunities that will help support local councils to mitigate against the pressures of the rising cost of living; and, will write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to confirm that the UK Government will scrap the two-child limit, reduce VAT on Domestic Energy Bills; introduce a windfall tax on energy companies making extortionate profits, reduce insurance indemnity tax which is driving up car and home insurance; stop investing in weapons of war and instead invest in much needed frontline public services.