Issue - meetings

Motion:   Having submitted notice, Councillor Mrs Wright proposed (and Councillor L Williams seconded):

‘The Council calls upon the Government to make fair transitional state pension arrangements for all women born on or after 6th April 1951 who have unfairly borne the burden of the increase to the State Pension Age (SPA) with lack of appropriate notification.  This affects many women in Blackpool and the Chief Executive is asked to write to the Secretary of State to outline the Council's position.’

Amendment:  Councillor T Williams then proposed (and Councillor Galley seconded) the following amendment:

‘This Council recognises that both women and men are living longer than the ages at which the State Pension was introduced in 1940. At that time pension age for women was paid to those reaching 60 years of age.

Under this arrangement women were spending 40% of their adult lives in receipt of SP as opposed to 31% for men.

This imbalance was also recognised by the Labour Government in 2007 when they announced that both men and women would see their retirement age go up to 66 between 2004 and 2006.

To ensure the sustainability of the UK pension scheme it is recognised by all parties that equalisation is essential to ensure a fair and generous provision.

This Council calls upon the Government to consider their current equalisation scheme against all other alternative proposals and suggestions that have been submitted when making their final arrangements.  This will ensure that the very best possible sustainable pension scheme is delivered.  The Chief Executive is asked to write to Secretary of State to outline the Council’s position.’

Debate then took place on the amendment.

Amendment lost:  The amendment was submitted to the Council and lost.

Debate then took place on the original motion and prior to voting, five members of the Council requested that the vote on the original motion be recorded.  The voting was as follows:

Recorded vote on the original motion:

For the original motion:  Councillors Benson, Blackburn,  Cain, Campbell, D Coleman, G Coleman, I Coleman, Critchley, Cross, Elmes, Hobson, Humphreys, Hunter, Hutton, Jackson, Kirkland, Matthews, Mitchell, O’Hara, Owen, Mrs Rowson, Ryan, Singleton, Smith, I Taylor, L Taylor, L Williams, Mrs Wright - total 28.

Against the original motion:  None - total 0.

Abstentions:  Councillors Brown, Mrs Callow, Callow, Clapham, Cox, Galley, Mrs Henderson, Maycock, Roberts, Robertson, T Williams - total 11.

Motion carried:  The original motion was therefore carried.