Chaotic debate at Thanet council over Winter Fuel Allowance is cut short

A motion about raising awareness of pension credit and asking the government to review the decision to means-test the winter fuel payment for pensioners became chaotic at a council meeting last night (October 10).

The motion was brought forward by Conservative councillor Phil Fellows who represents Birchington.

But issues over when a Labour amendment should have been added, what that amendment contained, whether officers were correct to add it before the meeting and squabbling over the political background to the new government’s policy ended when a closure motion was put forward and the amended version was voted through.

Confusion began when officers added a Labour amendment to Cllr Fellow’s motion before the meeting, leading to questions over why he would read out something that had been changed by an opposing political group.

Conservative leader Reece Pugh said it was ‘nonsense’ and council leader Rick Everitt said Democratic Services had ‘made a mistake,’ and Cllr Fellows “must have the right to introduce his motion” with the amendment taking place as part of the following debate.

Cllr Fellows finally read out his motion, first saying: “The Labour Government’s recently decided to restrict the Winter Fuel Payment to only pensioners in receipt of means-tested benefits like Pension Credit.

“In Thanet alone 26,648 pensioners will lose the winter fuel allowance. In my village 60% of our residents are retired so this is something that I’m concerned about.”

The motion was:

• Requests to bring forward a council-led local awareness campaign using TDCs communication channels and social media platforms to alert those eligible of Pension Credit which in some respects will help access to the Winter Fuel Payment for those most in need.
• Requests that the Council Leader write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, urging a review of the decision to means-test the Winter Fuel Payment and asking the government to ensure that vulnerable pensioners, particularly those who do not claim Pension Credit, are protected from fuel poverty.
• Commit this Council to signing the ‘Save the Winter Fuel Payment for Struggling Pensioners’ petition being run by Age UK and write to all council members offering them the opportunity to sign the petition themselves.
• Encourage local efforts to promote Pension Credit uptake through this council’s partnerships with local charities and community organisations to ensure that all eligible pensioners in Thanet are supported in claiming their entitlement.

At the meeting, council leader Rick Everitt responded, saying: “This is a matter of genuine public concern and we in the Labour group share that concern.

“Our elderly residents should be able to put their heating on throughout the winter regardless of their financial circumstances and the council will do what we can to ensure that’s possible.

“We are already working, and continue to work, to raise awareness of pension credit so as many people as possible can receive it and the winter fuel payment.”

Cllr Everitt said there was also work to make homes energy efficient and the council would lobby government to make sure there was protection for pensioners who needed it.

But, he added: “I cannot say means testing the winter fuel payment is wrong because we all know there are some pensioners who do not need it and have never needed it.”

He went on to say: “We have a record number of parents relying on food banks to feed their young families. There are 4.3m children living in poverty in the UK and Thanet has the third highest proportion of children living in absolute low income families in the south east. There is an urgent need to rebalance priorities in our society.”

He added that the decision by the Labour government had been made because the previous government ‘made no effort’ to balance the books, leaving behind ‘a financial black hole.’

He said a report on the situation for Thanet would be brought to Cabinet members in November.

Cllr Helen Whitehead put forward a Labour amendment which retained the request to write to the Chancellor about reviewing the means testing policy and encouraging local efforts to promote pension credit eligibility. Instead of committing to sign Age UK’s petition the amendment said council would acknowledge it and council members would have the opportunity to sign it.

Another change was to say the council will ‘continue’ to use communication platforms and social media to raise awareness of pension credit rather than ‘bring forward’ a campaign.

However, three changes to the amendment have led to accusations of political hijacking and point scoring.

These were to add that the outgoing Conservative government had left billions of pounds worth of spending commitments unfunded meaning Labour has to balance the books; that Conservative policy since 2010 has discriminated against people below pension age forcing millions to use food banks and driving children into poverty; and that winter fuel payments to the wealthiest pensioners are not justified when children are going hungry.

More disturbance was created when Cllr Kristian Bright spoke to say there should be context in the amendment about why the means-testing was introduced due to a “massive £22bn gap” in public spending due to the previous government ‘ignoring problems.’

He added: “Let’s all acknowledge the utter neglect of this nation’s young people over the last 14 years since 2010.

“In 2010 when the Labor government left officer there were 35 food banks in this country. As of February this year there are 2,800 foo banks in this country, used by 3.1m people. That’s a signal of how successful your party (Conservative) was in destroying the fabric of our country.

“The Conservatives failed our children to such an extent that as European peers were growing ours are literally shrinking due to poor diets and NHS cuts.

“When our amendment talks about the social justice of giving cash via the winter fuel payment to people who do not need it like the Rolex wearing chap in the latest Conservative attack ad, I think we can all agree that our new government of service needs to be more targeted with the limited funds they have inherited.”

Following this Labour councillor Will Scobie noted Cllr Fellows had brought the motion for good reasons but it was a very political issue and the financial straits were highlighted by issues such as £6.4bn for asylum needed but not funded and £9bn needed for public sector raises which had also not been budgeted for by the previous government.

He then proposed a closure motion of the debate so that councillors could move on to the following motion on Millmead Children’s Centre.

The amended motion was agreed despite some anger, with Cllr Becky Wing interrupting to say: “Some of us had hands up before that point of order. Again our party has sat here quietly and tried not to get involved in what is basically a white man’s bear pit down there and now a motion is presented that stifles the debate of other people in this room and it’s utterly unfair.”

Cllr Wing was asked to watch her “phraseology” by the chair but was shut down when she tried to reference an earlier insult which was not disciplined.

Chairperson Cllr Debra Owen-Hughes then told the chamber “we are voting on a closure motion, the question will be put.” A vote agreeing the amendment followed after a summing up by Cllr Fellows where he asked members not to bring their political comments into his motion.

‘Hijacked’

Following the meeting Cllr Fellows said he was upset that the motion had been ‘hijacked.’

He said: “I bought the motion to council as I have a high percentage of retired residents in my village. I am concerned that the withdrawal of the winter fuel allowance will leave many vulnerable residents struggling as the weather turns colder.

“I just wanted TDC to bring a campaign of awareness of Pension Credit and the help that is out there for those that are seriously affected by the loss of the Winter Fuel Allowance. But the Labour administration hijacked my motion and used it for some political point scoring by attacking the Conservatives which was totally unnecessary when all I want to do is help our older vulnerable residents.”

Labour leader Cllr Everitt said: “The Labour group was largely supportive of the original motion and is respectful of the seriousness of this issue for some older residents, but the wording didn’t reflect what the council is already doing or reference why the decision was taken by government. I don’t think that is being political, I think it’s only fair.”

East Thanet MP Polly Billington says she will be organising a drop-in focusing on pension credit support for pensioners.

She said: “I continue to engage with constituents about the support that is available for pensioners this winter and am currently in the process of organising a drop-in surgery in support of the government’s campaign to get all eligible pensioners signed up for pension credit.

“I would urge anyone who believes they may be eligible to check online at https://www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/eligibility or to call the Pension Credit Claim Line at 0800 99 1234, Monday – Friday 8am-6pm.”

Winter Fuel Allowance

In September, Parliament  voted to cut the winter fuel payments for those who are not claiming pension credit or other means-tested benefits.

The controversial policy was supported by 348 MPs with an opposition motion to block the cut receiving 228 votes. Fifty-two MPs did not vote, although reasons why are not given.

Prior to the vote the payment to help with fuel bills was available to anyone over the age of 66 regardless of income levels, meaning wealthy households were also entitled to the sum.  The payment is £200, rising to £300 for those over 80.

The cut will save the government about £1.5bn a year as it attempts to fill a claimed “black hole” in finances of £22bn.

The number of winter payment recipients will drop from 10.8 million to 1.5 million.

Thanet, with approximately 33,686 over 65s, has one of the highest proportions of elderly people in Kent.