Mendip District Council has committed to supporting a trial of a universal basic income, after Somerset rejected such a move.

At the Full Council (February 22) councillors overwhelming supported a motion proposed by the Keyford councillor Cllr Shane Collins, who is leader of the Green Party Group.

It was seconded by Cllr Ros Wyke, Lib Dem leader of the council, and passed with cross party support, including votes from 29 Green and Liberal Democrat councillors.

Cllr Collins said: " Next step is to write to the government asking for a trial, so don't hold your breath, but Mendip is now one of many councils who have asked for a trial. This is progressive pressure to make sure UBI is debated at the next election and before.

"In a time of COVID, Brexit, Artificial Intelligence, the gig economy and climate emergency, the amount of paid jobs are shrinking and with 5.8 million people on Universal Credit and often falling through the net, now is the time for a UBI trial in Mendip.

"UBI for all would simplify and replace benefits such as Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits, with additional UBI payments for groups of people who experience barriers to working, including disabled people, single parents and people of pension age.

"UBI would also offer basic financial security for all people at a time when it is needed more than ever."

Last week Somerset County Council rejected a proposal to see if it could take part in any universal income benefit trail. You can read about that decision by clicking HERE :

the Frome Nub News site

The full motion was :

This council notes:

1. The drastic impacts of the Covid pandemic on employment and household incomes in Mendip, in particular the self employed, those on zero hours contracts and people working in the arts, festival and cultural industries.

1. The threat to income and employment from Brexit, climate breakdown, automation and artificial intelligence, which could affect a great many more jobs in future;

1. The development of universal basic income (UBI) trials in other countries, which offer a non-means-tested sum paid by the state to cover the basic cost of living, which is paid to all citizens individually, regardless of employment status, wealth, or marital status, which has been widely debated in recent months;

1. The resolutions of other local authorities including Sheffield, Bristol, Oxford, Birmingham, Lewes, and Brighton and Hove [with cross party support] calling for trials of UBI;

1. A network of Universal Basic Income Labs has been set up and works with local authorities across the UK developing UBI proposals to address problems such as poverty, inequality, discrimination and environmental damage, long-term and immediately, in relation to coronavirus.

1. UBI has been Green Party Policy since the '70's and now taken up by the Liberal Democrats and more recently the Labour manifesto calling for a UBI trial.

1. The time has come for Universal Basic Income.

This council believes:

1. That the current benefit system is failing citizens, with Universal Credit causing hardship to many communities;

1. A UBI is the fairest, most effective way to mitigate the effects of coronavirus on people's incomes as it does not discriminate between employment status, caring responsibilities, age, or disability when providing basic support;

1. There is a danger of increasing numbers of people facing poverty as a result of the coronavirus crisis;

1. Testing a UBI is needed, as a UBI has the potential to help address key challenges such as inequality, poverty, precarious employment, loss of community, and breach of planetary boundaries through:

i. Giving employers a more flexible workforce whilst giving employees greater freedom to change their jobs;

ii. Valuing unpaid work, such as caring for family members and voluntary work;

iii. Removing the negative impacts of benefit sanctions and conditionality; and

iv. Giving people more equal resources within the family, workplace and society;

v. Breaking the link between work and consumption, thus helping reduce strain on the environment.

vi. Enabling greater opportunities for people to work in community and cultural activities or to train or reskill in areas that will be needed to transition to a lower-carbon economy.

1. The success of a UBI pilot should not be measured only by impact upon take-up of paid work, but also the impact upon communities and what the people within them do, how they feel, and how they relate to others and the environment around them; and

1. Given its history of social innovation, wealth of expertise, and active networks across community, business and public services, Mendip is ideally placed to pilot a UBI.

Full Council calls on the Cheif Executive / leader to:

1. Send a joint letter with the other party leaders to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the leader of the party in Government, their counterparts in all opposition political parties in parliament, and all local MPs, and media asking for a trial of Universal Basic Income in Mendip citing the above reasons.