Proposed by Councillor Mark Johnston

Seconded by Councillor Pat Williams

(1)  Council notes with concern and distress the disturbances that took place in Birkenhead on 9 August 2011 and across the country during the same week.

(2)  Council condemns and deplores the behaviour of all those who participated in disorder and other illegal activity, bringing disruption, fear and violence to our streets. The criminal behaviour of a tiny minority of our citizens cannot be excused or tolerated.

(3)  Council congratulates and expresses its sincere thanks to Merseyside Police, Fire and Rescue Service and other emergency services who dealt with matters in a highly professional and dedicated manner. Council also thanks the Courts for their swift response and robust approach to dealing with those found guilty of criminal acts.

(4)  Council praises the resilience, restraint and community spirit demonstrated by the overwhelming majority of residents of the Borough.

(5)  Council believes that the community response to the disorder more accurately reflects the state of our communities than the disturbances themselves, but further believes that it is important that the causes of the disorder are identified, understood and dealt with through long term measures and thoughtful consideration of the issues.

(6)  Whilst there can be no excuses for the behaviour of those involved in the disorder, Council recognises the damaging affects of poverty and worklessness and its role in creating social exclusion and therefore welcomes the draft child poverty strategy report to Cabinet. Council welcomes the contribution to its development from the Wirral Child and Family Poverty Working Group and thanks the voluntary and faith sector representatives, officers and councillors who have served on it.

(7)  In particular, Council believes the following issues identified in the draft strategy are crucial to ensuring that that no young people are left behind or excluded from our society and that action in these areas should help contribute to ensuring the August disturbances are never repeated:

·  Targeting efforts to make work the best route out of poverty

·  Improving life chances for children through early interventions such as: support for effective parenting, promoting social and emotional development through greater emphasis on the early years and closing the gap in educational attainment

·  Supporting neighbourhoods by building on community assets

(8)  Council requests the Leader to ensure that the recommendations in the report form the basis of a robust and properly resourced action plan that is embedded into the work programme of the authority. The cycle of child and family poverty is a generational blight on some of our communities and breaking into this damaging pattern must be a priority of this Council. Council requests that regular updates of progress in implementing the recommendations are provided to the Children and Young People and Economy & Regeneration Scrutiny Committees.

Amendment submitted in accordance with Standing Order 7(2)

Proposed by Councillor Pat Hackett

Seconded by Councillor Tony Smith

Insert after paragraph (5) and renumber accordingly:

Council notes the report just published by the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies which shows that the next two years will be “dominated by a large decline” in incomes, pushing an extra 600,000 children and 800,000 adults of working age into absolute poverty by 2012/13, and creating a situation by 2013 where 2.5m working age parents and 4m working age adults without children will be in absolute poverty.

Council further notes that the consequences of actions taken by this government mean that targets set in 2010 for the reduction of child poverty will be missed by up to 23%.

Council recognises that the public perception is that savage public spending cuts are being inflicted on ordinary people, while the bankers who caused the original problems continue to flourish and enjoy high bonuses, and while rich corporations successfully avoid paying billions in tax which could have been used instead to help reduce the deficit and mitigate the consequences of damaging cuts.

Council also notes that by 2015 Merseyside Police will have been forced to cut their budget by £66m as a consequence of this Coalition government’s policies and expresses its concern that their ability to maintain the level of protection which helped protect lives and properties during the disorder in Birkenhead on 9 August could be affected.

Council believes that these issues create a climate where future disorder is increasingly likely.

Continue with former paragraph 6 “Whilst there can be no excuses for the behaviour etc.”

Having applied the guillotine in accordance with Standing Order 7(8) the Council did not debate this matter.

The amendment was put and lost (29:34) (One abstention)

The Motion was put and carried unanimously.

Resolved (unanimously) –

(1)  Council notes with concern and distress the disturbances that took place in Birkenhead on 9 August 2011 and across the country during the same week.

(2)  Council condemns and deplores the behaviour of all those who participated in disorder and other illegal activity, bringing disruption, fear and violence to our streets. The criminal behaviour of a tiny minority of our citizens cannot be excused or tolerated.

(3)  Council congratulates and expresses its sincere thanks to Merseyside Police, Fire and Rescue Service and other emergency services who dealt with matters in a highly professional and dedicated manner. Council also thanks the Courts for their swift response and robust approach to dealing with those found guilty of criminal acts.

(4)  Council praises the resilience, restraint and community spirit demonstrated by the overwhelming majority of residents of the Borough.

(5)  Council believes that the community response to the disorder more accurately reflects the state of our communities than the disturbances themselves, but further believes that it is important that the causes of the disorder are identified, understood and dealt with through long term measures and thoughtful consideration of the issues.

(6)  Whilst there can be no excuses for the behaviour of those involved in the disorder, Council recognises the damaging affects of poverty and worklessness and its role in creating social exclusion and therefore welcomes the draft child poverty strategy report to Cabinet. Council welcomes the contribution to its development from the Wirral Child and Family Poverty Working Group and thanks the voluntary and faith sector representatives, officers and councillors who have served on it.

(7)  In particular, Council believes the following issues identified in the draft strategy are crucial to ensuring that that no young people are left behind or excluded from our society and that action in these areas should help contribute to ensuring the August disturbances are never repeated:

·  Targeting efforts to make work the best route out of poverty

·  Improving life chances for children through early interventions such as: support for effective parenting, promoting social and emotional development through greater emphasis on the early years and closing the gap in educational attainment

·  Supporting neighbourhoods by building on community assets

(8)  Council requests the Leader to ensure that the recommendations in the report form the basis of a robust and properly resourced action plan that is embedded into the work programme of the authority. The cycle of child and family poverty is a generational blight on some of our communities and breaking into this damaging pattern must be a priority of this Council. Council requests that regular updates of progress in implementing the recommendations are provided to the Children and Young People and Economy & Regeneration Scrutiny Committees.