Burnley Council backs call for the Government to remove two-child benefit cap

Its full meeting on Wednesday authorised chief executive Lukman Patel to write to Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride and the borough’s MP Antony Higginbotham “asking them to consider removing the benefit cap to lift thousands of Burnley families out of poverty”.The motion was proposed by Green group leader Coun. Scott Cunliffe and backed by Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors with the Conservatives voting against it.It said: “In 2017, families were stopped from claiming Child Tax Credits or Universal Credit for more than two children.“[Some] 6,520 children in the Burnley constituency are living in relative poverty according to figures from the Department for Work and Pensions.”Coun. Cunliffe told the debate: “The Green Party believes in social justice just as much as environmental justice.“With more than 6,000 children in Burnley living well below the breadline, it’s clear we need an open and honest discussion about child poverty in our town, which results in positive action.”Conservative finance spokesman, Coun. Jamie McGowan, said: “We have a motion here from the Green Party which has absolutely nothing to do with what Burnley Borough Council is all about.“It’s not something we have any power over. It’s not something we can help residents with.“It’s not only a waste of all of our time but a sad indictment of those whose only contribution is playing fantasy politics.”Coun. Gordon Birtwistle, the leader of Burnley’s Lib Dem group, said: “I am appalled.“We all should be concerned about the welfare of the children of this borough. We are here to secure the future of the most important residents of our town – our children.”And the council’s Labour leader Coun. Afrasiab Anwar said: “This is a very simple motion about the most vulnerable in society.”Coun. Cunliffe said afterwards: “We are delighted that Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors backed this motion and feel it sends a clear message to the Conservative Government.”