Agenda item

To receive any Motions submitted in accordance with the Council Procedure Rules contained in the Council's Constitution.

Council considered the under-mentioned urgent Motion (Agenda item 13) submitted in the name of Councillor Matt Shakespeare relating to the Government proposal to end of universal winter fuel payments.

At this point, Councillor Ross Mackinnon raised a point of order about the grounds of urgency on which the Motion was being brought to Council. In response, the Deputy Monitoring Officer clarified that the urgent Motion was accepted by the Chairman as there was limited time between the ending of the winter fuel allowance and the onset of winter.

MOTION: Proposed by Councillor Matt Shakespeare and seconded by Councillor Martha Vickers.

That Council:

“Notes the recent announcement by the Labour Government to end universal winter fuel payments and restrict eligibility to only those in receipt of Pension Credits and other benefits.

Council is deeply concerned that many pensioners on lower and middle incomes will now not receive these payments which are critical for their well-being. Across England and Wales, the number of people eligible for winter fuel payments will fall by 10 million (from 11.4 million to only 1.5 million).

Council believes that the Labour Government has set the threshold at which pensioners will not qualify for Winter Fuel Payments is far too low. Only those receiving a pension of less than £218.15 a week (or £332.95 a week for couples) are eligible for pension credits. This is significantly lower than the living wage.

Council is also concerned by the low take up of pension credit with only 63% of those eligible nationwide receiving them – and over 880,000 pensioners not in receipt. Council recognises the role we must play to increase awareness of benefits such as Pension Credit to ensure people are aware of the support to which they are entitled.

Council further notes that the Energy Price Cap is due to rise by 10% in October, which combined with the removal of Winter Fuel Payments will push thousands of West Berkshire pensioners into fuel poverty.

Council welcomes and appreciates the work being undertaken by the Welfare Support and Public Health teams, with Citizens Advice and Age UK, to promote the Pension Credit scheme to those who may be eligible.

Council therefore resolves to:

·       instruct the Leader to write to Olivia Bailey MP asking her to give her formal support to halting the changes to the Winter Fuel Payment eligibility, Lee Dillon MP, having already given his support.

·       invite the leaders of the Opposition and the minority group to sign a joint letter with the Leader to the Chancellor of the Exchequer calling for the new Winter Fuel Payment policy to be suspended and reviewed along with pausing the policy on linking Winter Fuel Payments to Pension Credit receipt introducing a new threshold to determine eligibility for Winter Fuel Payments.
In the event that they are not prepared to sign such a letter then Council instructs the Leader to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer requesting same.

·       Urgently commence an awareness campaign to maximise the uptake of pension credits, including, the use of council noticeboards, social media and promotion in the local press, publication in the Council’s digital and printed materials such as the newsletter and magazine, running a leaflet campaign and all other reasonable measures, including assisting them in making applications for Pension credit that will help in what will be a difficult time for many of them.”

Councillor Shakespeare introduced the Motion, highlighting that the winter fuel allowance helped with the cost of heating for millions of homes and was especially valuable to residents during the recent period of rising energy prices. He went on to outline the Government proposal for limiting the payment to only those claiming pension credit, resulting in 28,000 residents no longer receiving the payment. Although he acknowledged that some of those people may not need the allowance, he emphasised that only 63 per cent of those eligible for pension credit took up the scheme. For these reasons, the Motion called for the Member of Parliament for Reading West and Mid Berkshire, Olivia Bailey MP, to be requested to halt the change in policy. In addition, the Motion called for a campaign to help increase the uptake of the pension credit by those who were eligible.

Councillor Clive Taylor spoke to the Motion and indicated that, had he been a Member of Parliament, he would have voted against the bill. Although he respected Olivia Bailey MP’s decision, he would be meeting with her to discuss the matter. Although he believed that introducing a threshold would be acceptable, Councillor Taylor considered the proposed threshold by Government was set too low and so he would support the Motion as proposed.

Councillor Marsh spoke to the Motion and expressed his belief that through means testing the benefit, some residents who needed the payments would not receive them. For that reason, he supported the payments remaining universal and agreed with the Motion. 

Councillor Culver also expressed her support for the Motion and highlighted that the promotion of pension credits could be done both online and through newsletters as well as through Members going out into the community and meeting face to face with their residents to help them enrol. 

Councillor Mackinnon outlined his opinion that the Council should be debating issues of local importance over national and international ones. However, he did believe the Motion was applicable to the Council just as the Household Support Fund was. As he agreed with the need to support pensioners with fuel costs over the winter, he issued his support for the motion. 

Councillor Dillon emphasised the pertinent part of the Motion to him, being the campaign for an increased uptake of pension credits. He also noted that there was insufficient time and support given to people who would be losing the allowance. Councillor Dillon also expressed a desire to provide help to anyone who needed it rather than it just going to people of a certain age. However, as he did not want to be lobbying a fellow Member of Parliament, he indicated that he would abstain on the vote.

Councillor Brooks responded to the point by Councillor Mackinnon about discussing national and international issues and highlighted that Council should discuss issues of national importance as well as local ones as they both effected West Berkshire residents. In a point of reply, Councillor Mackinnon emphasised that his focus was on local issues and what was in the Council’s area of control.

Councillor Martha Vickers thanked Councillor Shakespeare for bringing the Motion forward and noted that as elderly residents were generally less active and stayed in their homes more, the winter fuel allowance was highly valued. She believed that the Government needed to revisit the threshold as it would be better to include some who did not need it rather than excluding some who did. Councillor Vickers then echoed the points about drawing more attention to pension credits, but she also mentioned that charities had felt an increased demand from residents for help to fill out the necessary forms and that the length of the application may dissuade claimants. For all these reasons, Councillor Vickers indicated her support for the Motion. 

Overall, Council agreed with the Motion and supported its adoption.

The Motion was put to the meeting and duly RESOLVED.