Call for action over cost of living crisis in Brighton and Hove

Labour members are also calling for the council to move to a “full crisis-footing” – akin to the coronavirus pandemic and climate emergency.

The opposition Labour group plans to seek backing for the moves at a Brighton and Hove City Council meeting at Hove Town Hall on Thursday.

Labour councillor Gary Wilkinson intends to put forward a seven-point plan at the meeting.

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He has drafted a motion that said that Britain was heading into recession with inflation at more than 10 per cent – a 40-year high – and rising interest rates.

As costs went up, he said, the real value of people’s pay had fallen by 3 per cent up to August this year.

To help families, Labour wants the council to take into account rising childcare costs when distributing money from the Household Support Fund and to seek out any grant funding for childcare costs.

The Household Support Fund includes £2.1 million of government funding, topped up with £400,000 from the council.

The bulk of the money goes towards providing supermarket vouchers worth £15 a child for families who receive free school meals. The vouchers are given out during the October and February half term holidays and the Christmas and Easter holidays in the current school year.

Money is also going to a local discretionary social fund, community organisations, the Brighton and Hove Food Partnership, food clubs and children’s centres.

Gary Wilkinson is calling for action

Labour councillor Jackie O’Quinn, who is expected to second the motion, said: “The impact on pensioners, children, people with health and mobility issues and those who are only just getting by, or not, is going to be particularly harsh as a warm home and nutritious food are vital to them.

“I don’t think we want to go back to the days, only a short time ago, in the 1990s, when many pensioners lived in one room – as it was all they could afford to heat – and lived on soup and toast.

“A high percentage of pensioners only have their state pension to live on and it will not be enough to deal with fast-moving rampant inflation even if the triple lock is adhered to.

“It’s why it’s so important for the council to work to ensure that pensioners are claiming pension credit if they are eligible for it and any other benefits.”

• READ MORE: Council creates £30,000 emergency food fund to help tackle cost-of-living crisis

The council is also asked to promote awareness campaigns to give people advice about where they can find help.

Last week, the council’s policy and resources committee backed a Labour proposal to organise a “cost of living crisis summit” to find ways to help people in the long term.

Councillor John Allcock, the joint Labour opposition leader, called for a summit to bring together various organisations including big private companies to help build “community resilience” and provide support for residents.

The meeting of the full council is due to start at 4.30pm on Thursday at Hove Town Hall. The meeting is scheduled to be webcast on the council’s website.