Agenda item - Motion

Agenda item

Motion

Motion in the name of Councillor Cheryl Barnard:

 

This Council notes with alarm that the number of children living in poverty in the UK has risen from 2.6 million in 2009/10 to 4.2 million in 2018/19. In Nottingham, 34.6 % of children live in poverty.

 

This Council notes that over the last decades, political decisions have driven the increase in child poverty, as austerity has hit the poorest hardest.  Many children living in poverty are in working households, where insecure work, stagnant wages and insufficient pay is creating a growing crisis of in work poverty. Many Nottingham households have been pushed below the breadline by changes to welfare, which should act as a safety net, but is failing many Nottingham families, and cuts to vital public services.

 

This Council notes that the Covid pandemic is worsening the divides of poverty, and notes with great concern that this Government voted against providing Nottingham children with money to support food during the October holidays, in spite of the well documented challenges created by the Covid pandemic. Free school meals benefit around 11,500 Nottingham children (excluding Key Stage 1 pupils); this Council believes that these children have been let down by this Government.

 

This Council notes the work already underway in Nottingham to reduce child poverty; from our commitments to increase the number of children attending good or outstanding schools, to the work of Small Steps Big Changes and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. It also notes the motion on holiday hunger and food poverty brought to Full Council in 2019 and the work that has already been undertaken both by the Council and the voluntary sector to support those without sufficient food. Both within the Council and across our schools, voluntary organisations and the community, Nottingham people are committed to improving the lives of Nottingham children.

 

This Council notes and thanks all those in Nottingham working to end child poverty.

 

This Council believes that the time is now to end child poverty in our City.

 

The Council therefore resolves to:

·  continue to support Marcus Rashford’s campaign to #endchildfoodpovertynow

·  work with supermarkets to develop a voucher scheme that Nottingham people can donate to in order toensure that no Nottingham child need go hungry this Christmas

·  continue to work towards eradicating holiday hunger, supporting school holiday lunch clubs in our most deprived neighbourhoods

·  continue to develop our resources which connect Nottingham people with food available in the community

·  support local foodbanks and projects, distributing funding where it is needed most and using our resources to promote these projects

·  campaign to extend free school meals to all primary school children by 2025

·  provide a free book every month from birth to 5 years for 10,000 Nottingham children

·  work with the voluntary sector to ensure that welfare rights advice is available in all areas of the City

·  be the voice of Nottingham children and stand up for Nottingham families

·  create an action plan to end Child Poverty in Nottingham and report back regularly to this Council.

Minutes:

Motion proposed by Councillor Cheryl Barnard, and seconded by Councillor Rebecca Langton:

 

This Council notes with alarm that the number of children living in poverty in the UK has risen from 2.6 million in 2009/10 to 4.2 million in 2018/19. In Nottingham, 34.6 % of children live in poverty.

 

This Council notes that over the last decades, political decisions have driven the increase in child poverty, as austerity has hit the poorest hardest.  Many children living in poverty are in working households, where insecure work, stagnant wages and insufficient pay is creating a growing crisis of in work poverty. Many Nottingham households have been pushed below the breadline by changes to welfare, which should act as a safety net, but is failing many Nottingham families, and cuts to vital public services.

 

This Council notes that the Covid pandemic is worsening the divides of poverty, and notes with great concern that this Government voted against providing Nottingham children with money to support food during the October holidays, in spite of the well documented challenges created by the Covid pandemic. Free school meals benefit around 11,500 Nottingham children (excluding Key Stage 1 pupils); this Council believes that these children have been let down by this Government.

 

This Council notes the work already underway in Nottingham to reduce child poverty; from our commitments to increase the number of children attending good or outstanding schools, to the work of Small Steps Big Changes and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. It also notes the motion on holiday hunger and food poverty brought to Full Council in 2019 and the work that has already been undertaken both by the Council and the voluntary sector to support those without sufficient food. Both within the Council and across our schools, voluntary organisations and the community, Nottingham people are committed to improving the lives of Nottingham children.

 

This Council notes and thanks all those in Nottingham working to end child poverty.

 

This Council believes that the time is now to end child poverty in our City.

 

The Council therefore resolves to:

·  continue to support Marcus Rashford’s campaign to #endchildfoodpovertynow

·  work with supermarkets to develop a voucher scheme that Nottingham people can donate to in order toensure that no Nottingham child need go hungry this Christmas

·  continue to work towards eradicating holiday hunger, supporting school holiday lunch clubs in our most deprived neighbourhoods

·  continue to develop our resources which connect Nottingham people with food available in the community

·  support local foodbanks and projects, distributing funding where it is needed most and using our resources to promote these projects

·  campaign to extend free school meals to all primary school children by 2025

·  provide a free book every month from birth to 5 years for 10,000 Nottingham children

·  work with the voluntary sector to ensure that welfare rights advice is available in all areas of the City

·  be the voice of Nottingham children and stand up for Nottingham families

·  create an action plan to end Child Poverty in Nottingham and report back regularly to this Council.

 

Resolved to carry the motion.