North Tyneside Council defers winter fuel meeting to ire of local Tories
A Conservative motion on the Government moves to cut winter fuel allowance has been deferred by North Tyneside Council, sparking political outrage.
North Tyneside Council organised an "extraordinary" meeting on Thursday, September 19 at 5:00 pm, ahead of the scheduled full council meeting at 6 pm, to discuss the Conservative opposition's motion. However, the motion was deferred by a Labour majority and will now be held at a later date.
The original Conservative motion asked that the elected Mayor Dame Norma Redfearn write to Chancellor Rachel Reeves to potentially broaden the criteria for winter fuel allowance and establish a local fuel poverty fund. A move had received criticism from the sitting Labour administration, as a £3m support pot had already been established for residents in extreme financial difficulties.
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Since the original motion was advertised, the Government has announced it would extend the Household Support Fund with £421m earmarked for local authorities across England. The fund will be divided up to councils to help vulnerable households manage the costs of essentials, like food, water, and heating. It is not currently known how cash will be divided between councils but North Tyneside received £1.6m in a previous allocation.
In light of the unknown allocation, Deputy Mayor Carl Johnson called for the motion to be discussed at a later date. And as the motion had been amended, Coun Johnson also speculated that deciding on it on Thursday night may not be in line with the constitution of the council.
Coun Johnson said: "North Tyneside Labour in the meantime will get to work supporting our residents, we've already written to all of those pensioners that are eligible for pension credit as well as many more who may be. We've worked with Age UK and Citizens Advice to assist and support a benefit uptake campaign.
"Despite the last Conservative Government cutting £470m from our budget, we've already begun working on how best we can use the poverty intervention fund and household support fund."
The leader of the North Tyneside Conservative Group, Coun Liam Bones said: "It is shameful that the Labour group have chosen to cancel a meeting so they don't have to vote against their own Government."
Coun Bones continued: "We need change at the council, not people who put their own personal ambitions above the needs of our struggling pensioners."
A meeting on the motion will now be rescheduled for either the next full council meeting in November or a new extra-ordinary meeting it one can be arranged before then.