Call on Borough Council to back Make Poverty History Campaign

6.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 16th Jun 2005

"Northampton Borough Council should back the campaign"

Northampton North Lib Dem Parliamentary spokesperson Cllr Andrew Simpson is behind moves to get Northampton Borough Council to support the Make Poverty History Campaign and the MPH Day on 1st July.

"It is important for the Borough Council to be backing this unique opportunity" said Andrew. "We should be showing as a town that we want to end poverty and that all politicians whether local or national can unite to back the campaign".

Andrew Simpson and Council colleague Cllr Jane Hollis have drawn up a motion that will be going to the Full Borough Council meeting on 27th June, it is expected to have the full support of the Council, with all three parties backing the move.

Cllr Jane Hollis who is proposing the motion said "The G8 summit in Edinburgh might seem a long way from Northampton and it might also seem that we as a town can do little to influence the world leaders meeting there. But we can show our unity with the MPH campaign and show that when people from across the political spectrum come together we can influence the people who govern in our name."

The full text of the proposed motion to be debated on 27th June is shown below:

Motion for Full Council meeting - Monday 27th June

That procedural rule 3.4 be suspended to enable the following motion to be discussed and a vote be taken

Make Poverty History

This Council welcomes the UK Government's commitment to the Millennium Development Goals.

This Council notes with concern that the current debt crisis, trade injustice and shortcomings of aid further exacerbate poverty, inequality, the HIV/AIDS crisis and environmental degradation across the developing world

This Council further notes that if the international community is to make poverty history then there needs to be further co-ordinated political action by the world's governments and Politicians at all levels of democracy

This Council recognizes that Local Authorities with their duty to promote economic and social well being can play a role in highlighting and promoting issues to address world poverty. Northampton already has made a start locally by recently by promoting fair trade.

This Council resolves to support and publicise all Make Poverty History events taking place either locally and nationally and specifically by:

- adding the white band symbol of the campaign to the councils website with supporting information to raise awareness of this important campaign

- giving Borough wide support to the Make Poverty History Day on July 1st by encouraging staff to support the campaign

- providing information about the campaign in the One Stop Shop and other relevant locations

In addition this Council proposes to:

- conduct a 'trade audit' of all NBC suppliers and contractors to ensure compliance with the principles of trade justice in terms of international suppliers

- work with other authorities and strategic partnerships to promote the campaign to increase aid to Africa and drop debt.

- ask support from our twin towns of Marburg and Poitiers in support of the Make Poverty History Campaign

- seek support from Northampton MP's to this campaign

Finally this Council calls on the United Kingdom Government to lead the way for change and use its influence when it holds the presidency of the G8 and chairs the EU to make poverty history in 2005.