Picture: Cllr Sam Bromiley, Leader of the Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council
Cutting Winter Fuel Payments will have a devastating impact on thousands of elderly people in South Gloucestershire, Conservative councillors say.
Members of South Gloucestershire Council’s opposition Conservative Group have today tabled a special motion calling on the Labour/Liberal Democrat-run council to play its part in helping to reverse the cut in Winter Fuel Payments.
The motion, which will be debated at the next meeting of the Full Council on Wednesday 16 October, calls on the joint Labour/Lib Dem administration to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer expressing strong opposition to the decision to abolish Winter Fuel Payments, and demands that the benefit be reinstated.
It follows the controversial decision by the national Labour government to remove the entitlement to the Winter Fuel Payment from households in England and Wales unless they receive Pension Credit.
Cllr Sam Bromiley, Leader of the Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council, said: “The decision by the Labour government to cut Winter Fuel Payments is utterly callous and completely unnecessary. I condemn it and call for the decision to be immediately reversed.
"Thousands of pensioners in South Gloucestershire will suffer this winter as a direct result of this mean and short-sighted policy.
“The Conservative Group has submitted this motion today because we are unequivocally opposed to the cut in Winter Fuel Payments, and we believe that the council’s joint administration must do its job by standing up for residents and challenging the government on this critical issue.
“I sincerely hope that members of the council’s Labour and Liberal Democrat groups will support our motion when it comes to council later this month. Anything else would be a dereliction of their duty as elected representatives of the people.”
The Conservative Group’s motion recognises that cutting Winter Fuel Payments will have a devastating impact on pensioners in South Gloucestershire, leaving them at risk of fuel poverty and severe health complications arising from cold weather conditions.
It calls on the Leader and Co-Leader of the Council to lobby the government to change its decision and to reach out to residents in South Gloucestershire who may be affected.
The motion will be debated at a meeting of the Full Council at Kingswood Civic Centre on Wednesday 16 October at 7pm. Members of the public who are opposed to the cuts in Winter Fuel Payments are encouraged to attend to register their opposition.
