Agenda item

Cllr M Wilkes to Move

A landmark Ombudsman report in March 2024 told the Government to pay compensation and apologise to 3.6 million, women born in the 1950’s who were affected by the lack of communication in relation to their State Pension age. The report concluded ministers failed to properly notify those impacted by the changes. Urgent action is imperative as more than 290,000 WASPI women have tragically died since the campaign began; another dies every 13 minutes. The longer the Government prevaricates, the fewer women they will have to pay compensation to.

This Council resolves to publicly voice its disappointment and frustration with the Government in its failing to back fair and fast compensation for WASPI women in County Durham in their first budget and demands that they now act to compensate WASPI women as a matter of urgency.

Councillor R Bell to Move

County Durham’s farmers perform a vital service for us all in growing crops and raising animals for our food and clothing. Yet in recent years governments have not appreciated this and the new government has further eroded confidence among farmers and the suppliers and contractors that support them. We are a rural council and we have a large number of farming families who contribute to the economy of County Durham. We must as a council do what we can to arrest this decline. Therefore council resolves that:

The Group Leaders of the Council write to the Prime Minister, Chancellor and Secretary of State for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs along with the Co. Durham MPs, to outline the Council’s dismay at the decisions made in the recent Budget to (a) restrict Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief (b)make large reductions in the delinked Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) and call upon the government to (a) reverse these decisions and thus stop the Family Farm Tax, and (b) take action to plug the income gap left by the BPS cuts and the delayed rollout of the Agricultural Transition Plan schemes.

Additionally, that the Leader, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Portfolio Holder engage with local farmers and rural community representatives to consider what support the Council might offer to them in strengthening the rural economy, and invite the DEFRA Secretary of State to visit the County and meet representatives of local farmers.