Councillor J Armstrong to Move
Durham County Council deplores the Public Sector cuts in our region which leads to 2000 job losses every month as reported in the Northern Echo of 11 October 2011. It also states that 41,000 private sector jobs were created in the region little more than a third of the 110,000 jobs lost. We call on the Lib Dem/Conservative Government to reverse their draconian policies and invest in public services.
Minutes:
The Chairman informed Council that the Motion submitted by Councillor J Armstrong should contain the figure 110,000, and not 110,00 as printed on the agenda. Councillor J Armstrong informed the Council that the reference in his Motion to 41,000 private sector jobs being created in the region should be 41,000 private sector jobs being created in England.
In accordance with a Notice of Motion, it was Moved by Councillor J Armstrong and Seconded by Councillor J Shuttleworth:
Durham County Council deplores the Public Sector cuts in our region which leads to 2000 job losses every month as reported in the Northern Echo of 11 October 2011. It also states that 41,000 private sector jobs were created in England, little more than a third of the 110,000 jobs lost. We call on the Lib Dem/Conservative Government to reverse their draconian policies and invest in public services.
The following Amendment was Moved by Councillor N Martin, Seconded by Councillor O Temple:
Durham County Council, recognising the parlous state of UK finances left by the Labour Government, regrets deeply that one of the consequences of the need to balance the nation’s books has been a reduction in public sector employment as reported in the Northern Echo on 11 October 2011.
The Council also notes that:
(a) since March 2010, a reduction of 268,000 public sector jobs nationally has been offset by an increase of 575,000 private sector jobs, although
(b) in the past quarter the public sector reduction nationally of 111,000 was offset by only 41,000 in the private sector, but that
(c) in County Durham, more than half the county council job losses can be accounted for by the process of local government reorganisation and so should have been predicted anyway
The Council further recognises the efforts of the coalition government to support families and young people by:
(a) working towards a tax free allowance of £10,000 by the end of this parliament
(b) introducing the pupil premium which in the current year will see an additional £6.8 million being invested in the education of more deprived children in County Durham, with the intention to increase this year on year throughout this parliament
(c) investing in the creation of 175,000 apprenticeships across the UK
The Council is, however, concerned that the projects in County Durham which were successful in Round 1 of the Regional Growth Fund bidding process have yet to see the funds promised, and so urges the government to implement payment as soon as possible to help support the development of much needed jobs in the County.
At this point a recorded vote was requested in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 16.4. The result of the vote was as follows:
For the Amendment
Councillors A Bainbridge, B Bainbridge, R Bell, D Brown, D Burn, G Holland, K Holroyd, S Hugill, G Huntington, N Martin, B Ord, G Richardson, J Rowlandson, M Simmons, D Stoker, T Taylor, O Temple, K Thompson, L Thomson, M Wilkes, J Wilkinson and M Woods.
Against the Amendment
Councillors J Armstrong, B Arthur, A Barker, D Barnett, E Bell, J Bell, J Blakey, G Bleasdale, D Bowman, D Boyes, P Brookes, C Carr, J Chaplow, J Cordon, R Crute, M Dixon, J Docherty, N Foster, B Graham, S Henig, L Hovvels, J Hunter, E Huntington, S Iveson, A Laing, J Lee, J Lethbridge, C Marshall, D Marshall, L Marshall, J Moran, D Morgan, E Murphy, B Myers, D Myers, A Napier, A Naylor, J Nicholson, R Ord, E Paylor, M Plews, S Robinson, C Robson, A Shiell, J Shuttleworth, W Stelling, B Stephens, P Taylor, G Tennant, E Tomlinson, J Turnbull, Allen Turner, C Vasey, C Walker, A M Williams, A Willis, A Wright, R Yorke, B Young and R Young
The Amendment was lost.
Upon a further vote being taken the Motion was carried.