People are struggling to stay afloat with the sharp rise in living costs and we need our local Council to take action. We want a #FairChanceDerby but our city is among the 20% most deprived areas nationally and the city has higher rates of children in low income families, households facing fuel poverty, and homelessness, than the overall rates for England (1). Please sign and share this petition today! (some browsers are not compatible with change.org please use Google Chrome)

The urgent issues:

>>> Rent, food prices and energy bills are all going up; about a third of the city's population, over 30,000 households in Derby, could suffer 'fuel stress', with a further 23% having to make difficult decisions such as 'eating or heating' to get by, due to the cost of living crisis (2).

>>> Though prices are rising, many people are facing financial impacts of the pandemic, low wages, reduced benefits, risk of job losses, zero hours contracts, and the impact of over ten years of cutbacks to public services (2). 

>>> This is causing more people to suffer with debt, needing foodbanks, fuel poverty, evictions, stress and poorer mental health, homelessness, and more children in poverty (3).

>>> Derby has suffered budget cuts to local services, such as public health and social care, children's centres, youth services, libraries, arts & leisure facilities, schools and support for children requiring SEND (Special Educational Needs & Disabilities) provision. These cuts affect life chances. Derby is listed in the worst 10 local authorities in England for the lifetime gap between wealthy and deprived areas - this means people in poorer areas live shorter lives and spend more of their shorter lives in poorer health (4)

>>> Derby also has a shortage of affordable housing with thousands of people on the social housing waiting list for more than 18 months (5).

>>> The rise of foodbanks is a response to this humanitarian crisis, but it is not a solution and must not become the 'new normal'. 

Another way: The Council has the power to make decisions that help people rather than cause more hardship. No Council should make decisions that cause or worsen poverty and financial struggle, nor make life harder for those with the least. 

Did you know? There is already a law that has been passed in Parliament that prevents Councils from making decisions that cause people to be worse-off. This law is called the Socio-Economic Duty (Section 1 of the Equality Act 2010) (6). It has been launched in Scotland and Wales but not yet in England; the United Nations has criticised the UK government for failing to activate this law and steps to address rising poverty in England. 

We are asking Derby City Council to voluntarily sign up to this Duty to ease suffering and give the people of Derby a chance #FairChanceDerby 

It's happening in other cities: Councils in other areas such as Newcastle, Southwark, Stroud and North of Tyne have already signed up and Councils including in Sheffield, Preston, Glasgow, Wigan, York, Bristol & Manchester are taking action because of the way that cutbacks and financial struggles have affected their residents. Now we are calling on Derby City Council to step up too.

If we are successful the Council would pledge to consider the impact of every big decision upon people's financial security and take steps to reduce poverty and the disadvantages that come with it. If the Council fails to act on this campaign more people's lives will be at risk. 

Are you with us? Please sign and share this petition today!

We, the undersigned, call on Derby City Council to voluntarily sign up to the ‘Socio-Economic Duty’ (Section 1 of the Equality Act 2010). This means taking action to reduce the disadvantages faced by people who are struggling with the cost of living and poverty crisis. This will make Derby a better, fairer place to live.

We call for the following steps to be taken –

1. To formally adopt the Socio-Economic Duty via a motion at Full Council

2. To ‘poverty-check’ decisions and policies for socio-economic impact, and how this interacts with other types of inequalities (protected characteristics e.g. race, disability, gender) including within EIAs (Equality Impact Assessments) 

3. To urgently develop a proactive strategy, taking meaningful action to alleviate effects of the cost of living crisis and reduce socio-economic disadvantage. This must draw upon good practice examples from other cities and consultation with diverse local community groups, unions, activists, Derby People’s Assembly, Derby United Against Poverty, Derby Poverty Commission, and the voices of those who are living the struggles in Derby.  

Are you affected? Local community groups and charities are working hard to help people who are struggling including advice on debt, benefits, eviction notices, plus food hubs and other kinds of support - click here to find local support or call Derby Direct - Community Hub on 01332 640000 or the Text service for the D/deaf community 07774 333 412

This is a campaign from Derby People's Assembly and Derby United Against Poverty, a collective of concerned community groups and trade unions - join us and get involved in on-going campaigns to create change.

When you sign this petition online there will be an automated invite from change.org to chip in to help promote this petition (lovely if you can spare something) and to support the change.org platform - these are optional, no pressure - we appreciate your moral support.  

References:

1. The Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) 2019

2. Derby Poverty Commission - ‘Fuel Stress’ Report, 2022

3. Annual UK Poverty Report 20/21 Joseph Rowntree Foundation

4. Derby Director of Public Health Report 2019

5. Council's housing waiting list demand continues to outstrip supply 2021

6. The Equality Act 2010, Section 1, Socio-Economic Duty