'Cost of living emergency' declared in Eastbourne alongside calls for urgent action from government

On Wednesday night (May 18), Eastbourne Borough Council debated a motion from Liberal Democrat Josh Babarinde which called on the government to reduce the standard rate of VAT, immediately reinstate the pension ‘triple lock’ and introduce a windfall tax on the profits of oil and gas companies then use the income to lower the cost of household energy bills.

Cllr Babarinde, who is also Liberal Democrat’s parliamentary candidate for Eastbourne, said: “The cost of living crisis that we have all been talking about for quite some time has become a cost of living emergency.

“Bills have skyrocketed, National Insurance has been put up, the triple lock on pensions, which was promised by this government in its manifesto, has been broken this year leaving pensioners out of pocket and Eastbourne’s foodbank is among the busiest in the country.

“That is testament to the amazing work that the foodbank is doing in getting food out there, but it is also testament to the fact that not enough is being done to address poverty in our town.”

He added: “More needs to be done. These are massive problems and government has access to massive solutions to tackle these. The government needs to wake up and smell the coffee.”

Liberal Democrats went on to say they hoped that, by passing the motion, the council would be the first of many to declare a cost of living emergency.

While passed by the Lib Dem majority, the motion was not supported by the council’s Conservative group, which argued that its aims were beyond what could be achieved by the council itself.

In light of these criticisms, Conservatives put forward an alternative motion, which instead argued the council should push for an uptake of pension credit, help prevent homelessness and toxic debt and establish a cost of living emergency fund by selling off council assets.

Tony Freebody (Con) said: “This amendment focuses on Eastbourne and what this council can do; not calling on the government. I do think the government need to do more, but actually this is the power of Eastbourne Borough Council and what we can do as a council.”He added: “It’s tough for so many people at the moment, but the amendment, rather than being something that is outside the remit of Eastbourne Borough Council can do, is supported, targeted and local.”

As well as removing the calls on government, the alternative motion also removed the declaration of a cost of living emergency.

It also removed mention of Eastbourne Foodbank, the pension ‘triple lock’ and the average costs of energy bills from the motion’s preamble, while also making reference to ‘post-pandemic global inflation’ and the ‘conflict in Ukraine’.

These changes were criticised by Liberal Democrats, who described it as a ‘wrecking amendment’.

Following further debate the amendment was rejected and the original motion voted through. Conservative councillors abstained from the vote.