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Legacy of social care still lives on (From York Press)
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Legacy of social care still lives on
10:02am Tuesday 8th January 2013 in Letters By Readers' letters
I WAS astonished to read the rash statement made by Coun Steward about there being no need for food banks in the UK.
I wonder if the councillor would have reached a similar conclusion had he lived in York 100 years ago. When Seebohm Rowntree (son of Joseph) conducted research on the incidence of poverty in York, his published report identified the level of income required to survive.
The research he did helped to shape the Welfare State after the Second World War, the State Pension and the National Insurance Scheme.
The influence of the Rowntree family on the welfare of many in York is hard to over-estimate. Their compassion for the poor in society remains a legacy which is unequalled. It seems clear to me that the food bank idea is simply looking to provide a very great need in the city today. I wish it every success.
Mike Burkett, Dikelands Lane, Upper Poppleton, York.
• COUN Gillies and Coun Steward find it difficult to accept there is poverty in York, and the country or any need for food banks. The facts are out there and clearly reported by Shelter:
• 1 in 5 children live in poverty
• 1.4m people are falling behind with rent/mortgage payments,
• 7.8m people struggle to pay their monthly rent/mortgage, an increase of 44 per cent since 2011.
• A million people used a payday loan, in 2012, to help pay rent/mortgage
• 2.8m people used an unauthorised overdraft, in 2012, to pay their rent/mortgage –ten per cent did so every month.
• One in 115 households across England risks homelessness.
• 198,470 households were threatened with losing their home between September 2011-2012
• Homeless families with children living in B&Bs have risen by 51 per cent during 2012.
• More than 2,000 families live in B&Bs, often in single rooms, no cooking facilities and shared bathrooms. Those in B&Bs longer than six weeks, the legal limit, has tripled during 2012.
• Homeless families with children has risen by 12% to 8,820 in 2012 People in work are struggling and this will only get worse with the introduction of Universal Credit.
Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing, Deputy leader City of York Council.
• How ironic it is that a local Conservative councillor is against food banks but is part of a group that is pro taxpayer-subsidised sandwiches for councillors.
Coun Fiona Fitzpatrick (Labour) Hull Road ward, Rowntree Wharf, York.
Comments(11)
Scarlet Pimpernel
says...
12:22pm Tue 8 Jan 13
City of York
Net Housing Completions
2004/05 1,160
2005/06 906
2006/07 798
2007/08 523
2008/09 451
2009/10 507
2010/11 514
2011/12 321
York's housing completions went into decline after the introduction of the 50% affordable housing policy target in April 2005, before the credit crunch. The majority of councils in the Yorks and Humber region went into declie 3-4 years after York.
In 2011/12, when other councils were seeing an upturn, York's completions have continued to fall to an all-time low.
This is proof that the council's housing policies have failed, and caused massive damage to the local economy, and made the housing crisis in York worse.
Who is to blame ?
The councillors and officers behind the policies. Coun Simpson-Laing and Coun Merrett being the ring-leaders.
Dr Brian
says...
12:35pm Tue 8 Jan 13
Scarlet Pimpernel
says...
12:38pm Tue 8 Jan 13
Dr Brian wrote:As you are so good at giving advice to others on donations, tell us what you intend to do. As a 'Dr' you will no doubt be far better paid than Coun Gillies, so presumably can afford to donate more than him ?
Having seen photographs of Cllr Gillies perhaps he could do the poverty stricken and himself a favour by donating some of his supermarket trolley load to the food bank - he would lose some pounds and the needy would benefit - result for all
TheTruthHurts
says...
1:19pm Tue 8 Jan 13
Her stats are meaningless in this context
Scarlet Pimpernel
says...
1:37pm Tue 8 Jan 13
TheTruthHurts wrote:She is only interested in party politics, and the national picture. Her agenda is to use York to make the statistics as bad as possible, as a stick to beat the government. Like I said, she NEVER comes up with any helpful ideas or solutions for York, just excuses and criticisms of the government.
TSL has got some some real brass! why is she trotting out national statistics? i would much rather her be concerned with what is going on in York by some way of comparison or something. Her stats are meaningless in this context
York's housing stats, which she also NEVER quotes, tell us that York Council are a failure on housing, and that's largely down to Coun Simpson-Laing and her inner circle of left-wing officers, who manipulate policies to suit their own ideological beliefs. Dogma rules at COYC, and housing can go to hell in a handcart for all she cares.
perplexed
says...
3:48pm Tue 8 Jan 13
Scarlet Pimpernel wrote:Here we go again!
Coun Simpson-Laing is keen to trot out the statistics on housing affordability, but, NEVER does anything, or suggests anything to increase housebuilding in York.
She is happy for the housing crisis in York to worsen, so she can blame it on the government, and she has done all she can to stop housebuilding in the city. Her cruel plan has however been exposed, as whilst York's housebuilding figures have dropped to an all time low in 2012, other councils have seen an improvement.
It's time this scheming politician was given her marching orders, as she does nothing for York, and uses her position only for the benefit of the Labour party.
By all means Pimpernel, treat us to your 'theories', they are often quite entertaining but a little less vitriol please.
Scarlet Pimpernel
says...
4:10pm Tue 8 Jan 13
perplexed wrote:Just stating the facts, which cannot be denied or disproved. If she can't do the job, she should be sacked. She can then spend more time on things she really cares about, like; selling tea on the market, and tweeting about the weather, Liverpool FC, Formula 1 and her favourite TV programmes - not that she doesn't already spend most of her time on these passtimes !
Scarlet Pimpernel wrote: Coun Simpson-Laing is keen to trot out the statistics on housing affordability, but, NEVER does anything, or suggests anything to increase housebuilding in York. She is happy for the housing crisis in York to worsen, so she can blame it on the government, and she has done all she can to stop housebuilding in the city. Her cruel plan has however been exposed, as whilst York's housebuilding figures have dropped to an all time low in 2012, other councils have seen an improvement. It's time this scheming politician was given her marching orders, as she does nothing for York, and uses her position only for the benefit of the Labour party.Here we go again! By all means Pimpernel, treat us to your 'theories', they are often quite entertaining but a little less vitriol please.
akaroa
says...
11:33pm Tue 8 Jan 13
akaroa
says...
11:34pm Tue 8 Jan 13
Scarlet Pimpernel
says...
2:09am Wed 9 Jan 13
akaroa wrote:You mean she's a bluffer ?
Simpson-Lang has never been very good in any position she has ever held on the council. Shes really clever at making rhetorical statements using irrevelant non pertaining statistics Good at canvassing, to promote her own prestige with unknowlegable electors.
Scarlet Pimpernel says...
12:05pm Tue 8 Jan 13
She is happy for the housing crisis in York to worsen, so she can blame it on the government, and she has done all she can to stop housebuilding in the city. Her cruel plan has however been exposed, as whilst York's housebuilding figures have dropped to an all time low in 2012, other councils have seen an improvement.
It's time this scheming politician was given her marching orders, as she does nothing for York, and uses her position only for the benefit of the Labour party.