Councillor Moira McLaughlin moved and Councillor Anita Leech seconded the following Motion submitted in accordance with Standing Order 7 –

“One of the hidden effects of living on a low income is the startling fact that 40% of teenage girls in that situation cannot afford to buy proper sanitary protection and have to use unsuitable and degrading alternatives.

Council recognises the excellent work being done by volunteers involved in the ‘Feeding Birkenhead’ project in initiating their Pink Box campaign to address this and we are pleased that it is now being rolled out to other parts of the country through Feeding Britain and that Women`s Aid and other charities are providing similar help.

However, this is only a small part of what is needed and we are looking to gather support from across all political parties and faith and community groups in Wirral and across the country that are working to tackle the impact of poverty, to ask the government to recognise the extent of this as a problem and develop the approach taken in Scotland to ensure all women and girls living on low incomes have the sanitary protection they need to maintain their self-respect and dignity. 

Council agrees that the Leader of the Council should write to the Prime Minister and ask that the government supports this campaign”.

Councillor David Burgess-Joyce moved and Councillor Wendy Clements seconded the following amendment submitted in accordance with Standing Order 12(9) such that the Motion be approved subject to –

The deletion of “.” In the final paragraph and the insertion of –

“and, as soon as practicable following our withdrawal from the European Union, applies a zero rating for Value Added Tax (VAT) to all sanitary products.

In the meantime, Council agrees to encourage all appropriate local organisations including ‘Feeding Birkenhead’ to apply for grants from the Tampon Tax Fund, established by the Government, which ring-fences VAT receipts from sanitary products to support projects working with women and girls.”

Following a debate conducted in accordance with Standing Order 12, and Councillor McLaughlin having replied, the amendment was put and carried (60:0) (One abstention).

The substantive motion, as amended, was put and carried (60:0) (One abstention).

Resolved (60:0) (One abstention) –

One of the hidden effects of living on a low income is the startling fact that 40% of teenage girls in that situation cannot afford to buy proper sanitary protection and have to use unsuitable and degrading alternatives.

Council recognises the excellent work being done by volunteers involved in the ‘Feeding Birkenhead’ project in initiating their Pink Box campaign to address this and we are pleased that it is now being rolled out to other parts of the country through Feeding Britain and that Women`s Aid and other charities are providing similar help.

However, this is only a small part of what is needed and we are looking to gather support from across all political parties and faith and community groups in Wirral and across the country that are working to tackle the impact of poverty, to ask the government to recognise the extent of this as a problem and develop the approach taken in Scotland to ensure all women and girls living on low incomes have the sanitary protection they need to maintain their self-respect and dignity. 

Council agrees that the Leader of the Council should write to the Prime Minister and ask that the government supports this campaign and, as soon as practicable following our withdrawal from the European Union, applies a zero rating for Value Added Tax (VAT) to all sanitary products.

In the meantime, Council agrees to encourage all appropriate local organisations including ‘Feeding Birkenhead’ to apply for grants from the Tampon Tax Fund, established by the Government, which ring-fences VAT receipts from sanitary products to support projects working with women and girls.