East Suffolk Council to set up fund to ease cost of living

The fund would help with food, energy costs, fuel and other essentials - but some councillors have said they are already helping their communities

A Liberal Democrat has questioned whether a fund set up to help families struggling with the cost of living crisis was a "political gimmick".

Conservative-run East Suffolk Council said all 55 councillors have been asked to divert £1,000 from their enabling communities budget to the project.

Council leader Steve Gallant said it was intended to help people "manage debt and access the support they need".

Lib Dem David Beavan said councillors were being "railroaded into this".

Mr Gallant said: "We know that the cumulative impact of rising food and energy costs, a lifting of energy caps, rising housing costs and increasing diesel, petrol and heating oil prices is starting to have a real impact on people's lives.

"The programme we are building focuses on four key themes - money, food and essential items, energy and fuel, and housing.

"Each theme includes a mixture of crisis support and longer term projects to help people to maximise their income, manage debt and access the support that they need."

Each councillor is given a £7,500 enabling communities budget that is usually spent on projects such as children's play equipment, village hall refurbishments and one-off community events.

Councillor David Beavan suggested the project was a "political gimmick"

Mr Gallant said he recognised some councillors may have already allocated funds to projects, but said he hoped that all parties could come together to address the crisis.

The move has been welcomed by Peter Byatt, leader of the Labour group, who said its councillors would contribute.

However, Mr Beavan said monthly advisory clinics to help people were already running in his Southwold ward.

"If this is more than a political gimmick, I invite Councillor Gallant to send us the details and we will certainly consider it," he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"We will not be railroaded into this with threats of publishing lists of councillors who don't contribute."

Caroline Topping, of the Greens, said she and fellow Beccles councillors had already committed cash to St Michael's Church, where meals were being supplied to children through the summer holidays, and a project where money was placed behind the counter at two cafes to feed struggling families.

The Conservative administration said it also planned to bid for nearly £100,000 from its Community Partnership Board, to top-up the fund.