Full Council met Thursday 17th December. It was a long meeting, with my motion coming late in the day. I introduced this nearly as follows (except the text is edited as I had no documentary support for the import percentages except as now modified from government sources).
“We left the European Union on the 31st January 2020. The Transition Period will end on 31st December 2020. We may be 3/4 of the way through a pandemic but whether we had this challenge to society, to businesses, or to personal budgets, or we didn’t – one thing is certain … 2021 will produce difficulties for all but the rich.
We are yet to find out whether we are
. leaving with a deal,
. leaving with no deal, or
. asking for an extension to the transition.
But I’ll start with the good news. There will be no customs checks on imports until July 2021 (that’s taking back control). Therefore we might be OK for food imports. Just as well as we import both food for processing and raw foodstuffs including 26% from the EU and 19% from the rest of the world.
However, you don’t build a 27 acre lorry park in Kent for no reason. Lorries not able to get out of Britain won’t be there to bring back imports. Lorry drivers will prefer to work within a free trade area rather than sit in a Kent toilet park.
It’s even said our wooden pallets won’t pass regulations.
Those of our poorer residents and those without work due to Covid have needed unusual help:
. free meals for schoolchildren (though only provided because one man had a conscience and influence); and
. a massive increase in the use of Foodbanks.
So what can we do? We’re not a charity, we’re a service provider. There are quite a few practical things that can be done but let’s not do the detail – let’s do the principle. SHDC staff contributed much time and effort with local Covid-support measures. Let us agree that staff can be allocated to identify issues; and to communicate with residents.
I encourage you to make available the resources we have to counter the worst excesses of the coming year.
Let the officers discuss the problems and identify the opportunities where the Council can help.
Let us stand by our residents.
The motion had been discussed with the Leader of the Council and was modified prior to the meeting. There was a further short discussion and then it was put to the vote.
‘Whilst recognising the valuable work being undertaken by the SHDC Officers in addressing the issues arising out of the Covid-19 pandemic Council resolves to assist those residents and businesses within the District who are affected by the import and/or export problems arising at the end of the Transition Period for leaving the European Union, using our established joint working arrangements across Devon and that are reflected in our existing work programmes and resources to do so.’
With 28 present at the time, 27 voted for and 1 abstained.