LABOUR Cllrs. in Warrington voted against a motion to stop changes to the Winter Fuel Allowance and protect the town’s pensioners from fuel poverty.
At full council at the Parr Hall last night, Conservative Cllr Rob Tynan tabled the motion, backed by Lib Dem Cllr Graham Gowland.
It prompted a furious response from Labour’s Cllr Hitesh Patel.
He suggested there was a potential conflict of interest if any member or their partner was to benefit by voting for it as a result of pecuniary interest rules.
Cllr Patel cited a 2009 Court of Appeal ruling R v Redcar. After some discussion with council officers, a number of councillors left the chamber ahead of the vote.
He said he found it “quite funny hearing a motion from Cllr Tynan talking about poverty” when on every other motion about poverty “you’ve either voted against or abstained.”
He said: “I have some concerns about the way it’s been written on the face of it it’s laudable in reality not adding much to what the council is already doing.”
Warrington North MP Charlotte Nichols has made written submissions to ensure pensioners get help, he added.
And Warrington South MP, Sarah Hall, has employed a member of staff in her office to help on the issue and they are registered to issue fuel vouchers.
He said the council already raises awareness of Pension Credit.
Cllr Tynan responded that “all we are asking for is that help available is advertised.”
He described the decision to take away Winter Fuel Allowance from pensioners as “an assault” on people who “feel betrayed in their later years” and the move affected more than 34,000 pensioners in Warrington.
“These people have already borne the brunt of rising fuel costs.” He expressed fears it could lead to “preventable deaths” of those pensioners forced “into deep hardship.”
He said many pensioners who were eligible for Pension Credit were reluctant to claim it.
The motion was voted against.
