Councillor C Martin to Move
Council strongly believes that the two-child limit to benefit payments, introduced by the Government in 2017, is a cruel and harmful policy that should be scrapped. Research from the University of York has shown its introduction has had no positive impacts on employment and earnings. Instead it has dragged thousands of local families into poverty.
Council notes with concern the stance of the Government who are committed to keeping the cap – going as far suspending the whip from MPs who rebel against this position.
Council resolves to:
Call upon the Portfolio Holder for Equalities and Inclusion to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Prime Minister indicating Durham County Council's strong belief that the two child limit to benefit payments should be scrapped.
Further request the Portfolio Holder to write to all MPs covering the Durham County Council area, asking them to commit their public support to the campaign to end the cruel two child limit to benefit payments.
Councillor J Miller to Move
The former Bluebell Primary School site in Trimdon Grange has been empty for some time, becoming a blight on our community, and a hotspot of ASB and other crime, including arson. This has resulted in damage to a Council building which would cost around £1 million to repair, with current ongoing costs of paying for 24/7 security.
This is because the Council does not have an empty buildings strategy.
Therefore, this Council calls on the relevant Portfolio Holder to establish a cross-party working group to create an Empty Buildings Strategy, to prevent issues, such as this in Trimdon, happening across our county.