Councillor Arthur to move and Councillor Bremner to second the following motion: 

Social housing faces great challenges in meeting the needs of those affected by welfare cuts and rule changes over recent years including the ‘bedroom tax’ and increased pressure from the escalating number of council homes lost through Right to Buy after the coalition government increase in discount in 2012.

Government has made funding available for local authorities to bid for which would enable new housing to be built but the lending conditions mean that the rent for these homes have to be at 80% of market rent.  There are people on our waiting list who may not be able to afford this. 

Council therefore RESOLVES to: 

(1)    ask the leader of the council to write to the two MPs for Norwich, laying out the case for the council being able to support people and future generations who cannot afford high rents by allowing it to bid for funding to build good quality homes at social rent  which current and potential City Homes tenants can afford and -

a)    requesting their support for this; 

b)    requesting them to actively lobby ministers to raise the Housing Revenue Account cap and give local authorities the freedom to manage this process rather than via offering one-off opportunities;

c)    asking them to lobby the Minister for Communities and Local Government to ensure the housing programme favours a Norwich social rented programme.

(2)    ask the cabinet to: 

a)    consider how the City Deal can continue to enable the delivery of more council homes at social rent levels, including working in partnership with other providers and local authorities; and

b)    support the work of the SHOUT campaign and take a lead in affirming the positive value and purpose of social rented housing.

Councillor Arthur to move and Councillor Waters to second the following motion:

Norwich City Council’s ability to provide quality local services would be significantly enhanced by increased funding from central government. Clamping down on tax dodging could enhance government’s ability to give more support to local authorities.

Council therefore RESOLVES to:

(1)    support the Towns Against Tax Dodging campaign; and, 

(2)    ask the leader of the council to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer asking the government to listen to the strength of public feeling and act to end the injustice of tax dodging by large international companies in the UK.

Councillor Grahame to move and Councillor Jackson to second the following motion:

According to the Local Government Association, by the end of this parliament, local government will have to have made £20 billion worth of savings.  This is mainly down to a major reduction in funding from central government.  There are alternative sources of funding that can be used to reverse this attack on public services.

In light of the continued effect of the coalition government's cuts programme upon local residents, council RESOLVES to ask the government to reverse the ongoing reduction in grants to councils, and recommend alternative measures including:

(1)    the levy of a financial transaction tax on speculative activities;

(2)    raising income tax for those with incomes above £100,000;

(3)    cracking down on tax havens and tax avoidance;

(4)    introducing a  wealth tax on the top 1%, those with assets of more than £3million;
 
(5)    putting far greater emphasis on taxes that discourage environmentally or other damaging behaviour; and

(6)    not replacing trident.

Councillor Howard to move and Councillor Grahame to second the following motion: 

Council RESOLVES to ask the cabinet to establish - along with partners - a publicity campaign to counter myths against the homeless, unemployed, disabled, addicts, single mothers and other groups who are similarly negatively affected by austerity and welfare reform.

Councillor Ackroyd to move, Councillor Wright to second:

In 2013, there were estimated to be over 14,000 people affected by dementia in Norfolk and that figure is expected to continue rising.

The Alzheimer's Society is running a campaign to make communities more dementia friendly. They want people with dementia to enjoy a good quality of life for as long as possible, able to continue everyday activities like shopping, meeting up at a café, or spending time with friends.

They hope to recruit at least 1 million Dementia Friends who will help people with dementia to live well for longer. 

Council therefore RESOLVES to:

(1)    support the Dementia Friends campaign

(2)    ask cabinet to encourage :-

a)    all staff and councillors to take part in an Alzheimer’s Society information session; and,