By Cllr Rachel Bishop-Firth
2020 really made us appreciate our key workers. From supermarket workers to care workers, from hospital cleaners to delivery drivers – the pandemic made us realise how much we all depend on those who often work long hours for little pay or job security.
If you work in a low paid job, life in a wealthy area like Wokingham can present particular challenges. The high cost of housing means that many people earning even average incomes struggle to make ends meet. Add in the cost of school essentials, running a car for those who can’t get to work by public transport, and the ever-rising costs of food and fuel and many Wokingham families have budgets which are stretched to breaking point. If anything goes wrong, such as an unexpected bill or a cut in working hours, families may find themselves unable to cope. The recent £20 cut in Universal Credit is going to make life very hard for many working families.
It’s even harder for those who can’t work because of unemployment, poor health or caring responsibilities. The UK has some of the lowest unemployment benefits in western Europe and those who rely on benefits live with the constant threat of losing them due to a review or benefit sanctions.
No wonder food banks and volunteer schemes to feed children during the school holidays are now such a prominent part of life in Wokingham. No wonder so many low income pensioners and those living with disabilities are struggling.
So, what difference can Wokingham Borough Council make? The Liberal Democrats successfully campaigned last year for the council to develop an anti-poverty strategy. This is being developed by a cross-party working group, with the help of local voluntary organisations.
The Liberal Democrats will push for this strategy to provide a framework for real action. This action must then make a concrete difference to those in Wokingham who are just about managing, those who are being pushed into debt by the high cost of living, and those who are destitute.
We need to look at what we as a council can control. We need to build more high quality social housing. We need to ensure that our libraries are open on a Sunday so that young people living in cramped housing have somewhere peaceful to study, and that we have safe cycle lanes and pedestrian routes for those who don’t have a car. We need to look at how we provide genuine and empathetic support to those who are struggling to pay their council tax, and that the council website provides clear information on support available to residents who are struggling.
Wokingham Borough Council also needs to look at what it can influence. How can we ensure that we have affordable, reliable public transport so that people can get to work without a car? What can we do to support schools in ensuring that the essentials are within the reach of all families? How can we best support and work with our fantastic voluntary sector?
We as a council can and must do more. I’ve been calling for the council to take action to help ensure that essential school costs are kept affordable and nothing has happened. I asked months ago for Wokingham Borough Council to publish clear information – as recommended by the government – on the help which we’re required to provide when someone can’t afford a funeral. Again nothing has happened. This has to change.
I’m calling for every Council initiative to take account of how it will impact those living on lower incomes, in the same way that we look at how initiatives impact those with a protected characteristic such as disability.
It’s time for us to start taking the needs of our lower income residents seriously.
Cllr Rachel Bishop-Firth is a Liberal Democrat councillor for Emmrbook Ward on Wokingham Borough Council
