Councillor Geoff Lumley’s VAT Motion

Looking at the Agenda for next week’s Isle of Wight council meeting (which we’re covering live from 6pm BTW), we noticed an unusual item.

It’s a Motion submitted by Councillor Geoff Lumley related to recent VAT increase from 17.5% to 20% at the budget by the Government.

The full text of the Motion is below.

You’ve got to admire the resilience for Cllr Lumley.

He’s currently the only Labour councillor and continues to represent his views in the face of overwhelming odds.

He will of course stand no chance in getting this voted through as the IW council is dominated by Conservative councillors who vote as a single block and don’t vote against their local leaders, never mind against the National Party.

Motion submitted under Procedure Rule 10 of the Council’s Constitution:
By Councillor Geoff Lumley

That Council notes:

• That the increase in VAT from 17.5% to 20% announced in the Government’s June Budget will fall hardest on those least able to afford it.
• That the increase in VAT will lead to higher prices for goods and services, will have a disproportionate impact on pensioners and other low income groups; and will have a severe impact on businesses, charities and community groups on the Isle of Wight.
• That the effect of the increase in VAT, when taken with other measures in the Budget, will be unfair to pensioners, who have not had a compensatory increase in other benefits and allowances.
• That the way the VAT increase will affect pensioners and other low income groups runs counter to the Government’s Coalition Agreement statement on 20 May 2010 that it would “ensure that fairness is at the heart of those decisions so that all those most in need are protected.”
• That the Institute of Fiscal Studies has stated the VAT increase was not “unavoidable,” as the Chancellor of the Exchequer said in his Budget speech.

That Council resolves:

To write directly to the Chancellor of the Exchequer raising concerns about the impact of the proposed VAT increase on pensioners, other vulnerable groups and businesses on the Isle of Wight.

Image: Visentico under CC BY-SA 2.0