The Labour Party councillor for Cowes North, Cllr Richard Quigley, is calling on fellow councillors to make a pledge to work together on the cost of living crisis for the benefit of the Isle of Wight and its residents.
Cllr Quigley submitted a motion to next week’s Full Council meeting, which as well as suggesting a dedicated group be set up to address the issues, asks for the IWC to call on the Government to ensure ‘a right to food’ is written into law and that the IWC champions a real living wage for all workers on the Island.
Treat cost of living emergency as a key issue
Cllr Quigley’s motion reads:
As a council, we recognise that our residents face a cost of living emergency. It is expected that 54 per cent of households will be in food and/ or energy stress by this winter.
The council notes
- That that the cost of living emergency is a key issue for us as a local authority.
- We need to provide access to the appropriate advice and support and support partners in the community to deliver help.
The council resolves to
- Ensure we continue to take a co-ordinated approach to addressing the emergency, working with community partners and providing resources where possible
- Set up a dedicated officer working group to address the issues
- Call on national government to ensure a right to food is written into law
- Free up finance to target help through community groups
- Ensure all council decisions do not disproportionately impact residents who are struggling the most, by considering the socio economic impact in our assessments of actions we need to take.
- Champion a real living wage for all workers on the Island.
- Make it easier for local groups to access any funding available.
- We commit as 39 Cllrs to work together on the cost of living emergency for the benefit of the Island and our residents.
Declare a Cost of Living emergency
Cllr Michael Lilley (Alliance) also has a motion on the agenda for next week’s meeting (5th October from 6pm) that relates to the cost of living crisis.
His motion reads:
Isle of Wight Council resolves to declare a Cost-of-Living emergency in acknowledgement of rise inflation and energy prices through the United Kingdom and the rise in poverty of Isle of Wight residents due to the crisis.
Isle of Wight Council resolves to put in place a clear package of support and help for Isle of Wight residents within its power in collaboration with all stakeholders including Town, Community, and Parish Councils and Voluntary sector at grass-root level.
Image: towfiqu barbhuiya under CC BY 2.0
