Council to write to chancellor over fuel payment

The government introduced a cut to the winter fuel payment earlier this month

A council said it would "stand up for residents" by writing to the chancellor opposing the government's winter fuel payment cuts.

The motion against the policy was put forward by the leader of Tory-led West Northamptonshire Council, Adam Brown,

At a full council meeting, the Liberal Democrats tabled an amendment to write to Rachel Reeves, which passed with 47 members voting in favour and 17 abstaining.

Labour councillors said the move was "political grand-standing".

Leader of West Northamptonshire Council said as many as 64,000 pensioners could be affected by the cuts in the area.

Earlier this month, the government won its vote to implement the winter fuel cuts, which meant that more than 10 million pensioners in England and Wales would lose out on around £200-£300.

The payments were normally made in November and December and would still be paid to pensioners claiming pension credit to top up a low income.

Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves told the BBC it was one of the "difficult decisions" needed to fix the economy.

At the meeting on Thursday, Conservative Mr Brown said it would "force elderly people to make dire financial choices this winter", the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

'The wrong target'

"It is our duty as a council to stand up for our residents and ensure that they have the support they need to stay warm and healthy this winter," he said.

Fellow Conservative councillor Pinder Chauhan called the cuts "callous" and "short-sighted".

As well writing to the chancellor the Liberal Democrat amendment also said the authority should "urgently start an awareness campaign for pension credit and help people complete applications".

Lib Dem Jonathan Harris said the cut was "the wrong target and the wrong policy choice".

Liberal Democrat councillor Jonathan Harris said the government should not be "penalising pensioners"

But Labour Councillor Emma Roberts said the ruling Conservative group's motion would not "achieve anything".

She said the council had "done nothing previously or historically to shout any louder about pensioners than anyone else".

A Labour amendment to the motion to "note the difficult financial situation facing the government" was rejected.