Tory-run Suffolk County Council calls for winter fuel cuts U-turn

Suffolk County Council is demanding the government reverses its decision to cut winter fuel payments for thousands of pensioners. 

Following a vote on a motion brought by leader Matthew Hicks, the Conservative-run council will call on the government to restore the "vital support" to the county's elderly residents. 

This comes after Keir Starmer's government agreed to make winter fuel payments available only to those on pension credits or other means-tested benefits.  

Cllr Matthew Hicks (Image: SCC) On Thursday, Suffolk County Council backed the motion to condemn the plans. 

It included that the council would write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer asking her to "immediately reverse this decision and rule out any increase to fuel duty in the upcoming autumn budget" and "continue to oppose the cuts to winter fuel payments at every opportunity". 

The motion also included that the council would "support rural motorists" and "continue to oppose a ‘heat pump first’ approach to decarbonising housing stock".

It was passed with 43 votes in support, 10 against and seven abstentions.

Cllr Matthew Hicks, leader of Suffolk County Council, said: "The new Labour government keeps delivering hammer blow after hammer blow to the residents of Suffolk.

"Labour approved the Sunnica solar farm against the wishes of local people, next they axed Suffolk’s £500 million county deal and now over 170,000 local pensioners face uncertainty over the future of their winter fuel payments."

He added: "We find it deeply concerning that Green Party councillors chose not to support Suffolk’s pensioners. Today was an opportunity to stand with our local residents, instead they chose to obfuscate and make excuses before sitting on their hands." 

Cllr Joe Mason, who seconded the motion, said: "Suffolk is a rural county, with many people relying on oil to heat their homes and private cars to get to and from vital services and stay in touch with friends and loved ones.

Cllr Joe Mason (Image: SCC) "I’m pleased that the county council voted to send a clear message to the Labour chancellor that we oppose this punishing cut to Winter Fuel Payments and that she must not increase fuel duty.

"That Labour and Green councillors felt unable to back Suffolk’s pensioners is an utter disgrace." 

Meanwhile, cllr Andrew Stringer, Green, Lib Dem & Independent group leader, said: "The criticism from the Conservatives is all too predictable, and this criticism is a fig leaf to cover up the fact that Suffolk County Council is giving back £5m to government that was given to Suffolk to insulate the most vulnerable against increasing fuel bills.

"The Green Party MP has already criticised the government for cutting the winter fuel allowance and if the Conservative motion had just included this move it would have been given the wholehearted support of all Green Party councillors but, entirely predictably, the motion contained other policy asks that the Conservatives knew full well that many opposition councillors could not support."

Cllr Andrew Stringer (Image: SCC) He said he had spoken to the proposers "seeking to find common ground so Green councillors could support the motion" but his requests were refused.

"The motion missed a huge opportunity to, rather than just talk, take action, such as the Green-run council in Mid Suffolk that has a £2m “cosy homes” fund to deliver the help to residents of Mid Suffolk to combat fuel bills," he added.

Cllr Sarah Adams, leader of the Labour Group, said the motion was a "blatant piece of party-political propaganda" which "did not deserve the dignity of a reply". 

"Since 2005, the Conservative administration in Suffolk has been making cuts to frontline services which have most affected the most vulnerable in our society," she said

"Since 2010, the Conservative government has been starving local authorities – including Suffolk – of the funds needed to deliver the services our least well-off elderly people need. 

Cllr Sarah Adams (Image: SCC) She added: "The Labour government has now inherited a huge debt and has been forced to make some tough decisions in order to find the funds to invest in our vital public services." 

Nationally, the new government policy is expected to reduce the number of pensioners in receipt of the payment by about 10m - from 11.4m to 1.5m -saving some £1.4billion this financial year.

The government will continue to provide £200 to households receiving pension credit and £300 to those receiving pension credit where someone is over 80.