Plymouth declares cost of living emergency

It wants government help

Councillors in Plymouth have agreed to declare a “cost of living emergency” and to ask the government for more help to tackle the crisis. 

The decision, taken at the city’s full council meeting on Monday [21 November], followed two amendments by Labour and the Greens and went further than original proposals by the leading Conservative group.  

Introducing the motion, Tory councillor for Plymstock Radford, Rebecca Smith, spoke about the work already being done by the council and difficulties everyone now faces. 

Referring to reports which say the UK is facing its biggest economic crisis in over 70 years, Cllr Smith admitted:  “We're beating all of those post-world war difficulties at the moment. And that is a very harsh reality. 

“But that's not, as others in this chamber have said, because of mismanagement of the council finances. That is because we are dealing with unprecedented world and global issues such as the pandemic and the war in the Ukraine, which has that impact on energy prices.

“So we are working together with partners, specialist agencies and stakeholders to deliver a range of relevant and supportive financial inclusion services that meet the needs of our residents.”

Cllr Smith proposed a motion which welcomed the the council’s cost of living taskforce set up to help “deal with the increased pressures of the cost of living on families, individuals and businesses across the city.”

However, deputy Labour leader and councillor for Stoke, Jemima Laing, proposed an amendment which went further; imploring the government to do more to help the people of Plymouth. 

“I want us to send a very clear message from this council to our Conservative government that we are in trouble and we need help,” she said.  “And the reasons, we can debate them ‘til the cows come home, but in large part they are down to this Conservative government. So they need to step up and they need to help.”

Before voting on Labour’s amendment, Green Party councillor for St Budeaux, George Wheeler, welcomed the council’s increased funding for adult social care, as proposed in the chancellor’s statement but said the money should not come from increased council taxes.

Cllr Wheeler said Plymothians in need would end up losing out.  

“[Raising council tax] produces less funding in poorer areas than it does in wealthier areas. And the need is usually greater in the poorer areas which have the least funding than it is in the wealthier areas. 

“Sadly, Plymouth is one of the poorer areas, so we will be raising less money than the average to deal with a greater problem.”

Both amendments were accepted and the motion was passed with 29 votes in favour and all but one of the Tory group abstaining.