Agenda item

MOTION C 2012/13

Councillor Goldberg has given notice that he will MOVE the following MOTION:

This Council believes:

-         With many low and middle income families struggling with the impact of tax and benefit changes and rising household costs, it is wrong for the Government to prioritise giving a £40,000 income tax cut to 14,000 millionaires across the UK in April 2013.     

-    This is particularly the case given that low income households with children in Haringey have been disproportionately hit by cuts in working tax credits since April 2012 

This council notes:

-    Around 1880 Haringey families in part time work have seen their working tax credits cut by up to £3,870 a year as a result of the Government increasing the amount of hours couples are required to work from 16 to 24 hours     

-         In the current economic climate, the majority of couples in part time work will find it difficult to increase their hours in order to be eligible for tax credits. 

-         The cuts in working tax credits are impacting the lives of around 5000 children in Haringey

-         For those families affected by the tax credit changes, the cut negates any small benefit obtained from the rise in the income tax threshold introduced in April 2012

-         The cuts in working tax credits undermine the Government’s claims to be ‘making work pay’ as extra financial support for the low paid in part time work is withdrawn at a time of squeezed household budgets and record high childcare costs   

-         Of those who benefit from the cut in the 50p tax rate next year, 86% will be men and 14% women

   This Council resolves:

-         To write to the chancellor asking that he cancels the proposed cut in the top rate of income tax being introduced in April 2013

-         To ask the chancellor that he use the autumn statement to reinstate working tax credits for low paid households working fewer than 24 hours a week.        

Motion D  2012/13

Councillor Strang has given notice that he will MOVE the following MOTION:

The Council acknowledges

·        that local businesses are struggling in the tough economic circumstances.

·        that changes to parking fees would attract more shoppers to Haringey’s high streets and boost local trade. 

·        that local traders in Muswell Hill and other areas have already expressed concerns about parking fees and have asked for them to be changed to help their businesses.

The Council notes

·      Labour controlled Merton Council has introduced free parking at the council’s car parks over the Christmas period.    

·      That a number of other councils also provide some form of free parking at Christmas including: Stockport, Epping Forest, Liverpool, Newcastle, and East Riding.   

·      There is a total surplus of over £5.5m in the account used for parking income, this is an increase over last year of over £2.2m.

·      That the pay and display review in March last year re-banded Muswell Hill, Crouch End and Green Lanes from the medium parking charge to the High parking charge. This combined with the increase in the pay and display charges, meant that the cost of parking in these areas more than doubled from £1.40 to £3.00

The Council resolves

·        To implement 30 minutes of free parking over the Christmas period on local high streets all across the borough, including Crouch End, Muswell Hill and Green Lanes.

·        To review the effects of the free parking over Christmas and consider implementing 30 minutes of free parking on these high streets all year round.

Motions C & D (2012/13)

Motions C  & D were not reached due to the late hour.