Agenda

Minutes 25^th July 2024

Declarations of Interest Form

Civic Service Awards will be presented to former Councillors Dave Harling and Abdul Patel in recognition of their outstanding service over many years serving on the Council.

To consider any questions from members of the public under Procedure Rule 10.

To consider any Motions received under Procedure Rule 12.

(a)  Winter Heating Payment

This Council considers that the Chancellor’s recent decision to end the Winter Fuel payment with no compensatory measures to protect needy pensioners; to restrict it to only those in receipt of Pension Credits and other benefits to be ill conceived and contrary to the universality of the payment as introduced by Gordon Brown in 1997.

It is widely believed by organisations such as Age Concern, Trade Unions and Councils that as many as 1.6 million pensioners could be adversely affected by this decision.

Particularly at risk will be those:

·       With high energy needs because of disability or illness and, or live in energy inefficient homes, which are expensive to heat (around 200,000 in this instance).

·       Who just miss out on Pension Credit because their very modest incomes are slightly too high for them to be eligible, usually because they have a tiny occupational pension.  Only those receiving a pension of less than £218.15 a week or £332.95 per week for a couple will be eligible for Pension Credit.  This is significantly lower than the Living Wage Rate of £11.44.

·       Who currently do not claim Pension Credit but are eligible, around 1 million.  The Government’s approach fails to consider that this is an entrenched aversion and that administrative barriers are also a factor for non-claiming.

The timing of this cut is appalling; announced shortly before the winter months and after OFGEM raised the Energy Price Cap by 10% meaning a typical household bill will rise, from 1^st October, by £149 per annum.  It is expected that the number of people eligible for the Winter Payment will fall by 10 million (from 11.1 million to only 1.2 million); it also means that if pensioners choose to eat rather than heat they will not avoid receiving a bill for the iniquitous standing charge.

Government is about choice – this choice is without merit and makes no political or financial sense.

This Council resolves to:

Request the Chief Executive and the Leader of the Council to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on behalf of the 21,000 pensioners who reside in Blackburn with Darwen, calling for the policy on linking Winter Fuel Payments to Pension Credit receipt to be immediately reversed and seek alternative options, where economies can be made without incurring unnecessary financial hardship on those least able to afford them.

Mover: Councillor Kevin Connor

Seconder: Councillor John Slater

8.1 Annual Report of the Audit and Governance Committee for 2023/24.

8.2 Annual Report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees for 2023/24.

8.3 Progress of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees.

To consider any questions received from Members under Procedure Rule 11.