‘Community Wealth Building’ is about ensuring money, skills and investment do not leak out of the borough. Encouraging local and ethical banking, ensuring people are paid properly with a living wage and skilling up local people will undoubtedly have a positive measurable impact on everyone within South Ribble.
The Labour Administration at the Council have introduced a brand new Credit Union and we have become an accredited ‘real living wage employer.’ We are encouraging all local businesses wherever possible to get in touch if they want advice on this programme. Everyone we do business with needs to be paying the living wage as a minimum our residents deserve nothing less.
South Ribble Community Credit Union – Unify
Our brand new Credit Union partner, Unify, has opened a branch in Leyland with the direct support of South RibbleBorough Council.
Unify Credit Union is a community savings and loan co-
operative, which means it is owned by the members and
works for the members, not shareholders. The Leader of the Council and Councillor for Bamber Bridge, Cllr Paul Foster said: “The Coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the need for financial inclusion and resilience, so we are thrilled to be supporting Unify Credit Union with an initial grant of £150k.”
Cabinet Member for Communities, Social Justice and Wealth Building Cllr Aniela Bylinski Gelder said: “We want our residents to have access to affordable loans rather than expensive interest payments on credit cards and pay day loans. The opening of the Credit Union in Leyland has created three new jobs including an apprentice for a 16-24 year old. This all contributes to our Community Wealth Building programme.”
The benefits for those who join Unify include; dividends, free life insurance, online services including financial planning and debt advice. Unify can be contacted directly by calling 01942 245656 or emailing [email protected].
Living Wage Employer
A priority for your Labour Administration at South Ribble Borough Council has been gaining accreditation as a Living Wage Employer.
The council’s commitment to the real
living wage ensures all employees receive a minimum hourly pay of £9.50 – significantly higher than the government minimum for over 23’s, which currently stands at £8.91 per hour.
Member for Community Wealth Building Cllr Aniela Bylinski Gelder said: “We are really proud of this achievement as it is a central pillar of our Community Wealth Building agenda, almost a quarter of all jobs in the North West (around 584,000) pay less than the real living wage which means lots of our residents are not earning enough to live on comfortably and money is not circulating in our local economy.”
The Director of the Living Wage Foundation, Laura Gardiner said: “We’re delighted that South Ribble Borough Council has joined the movement of over 7000 responsible employers.”
