East Sussex County Councillors heard this week’s that Labour’s decision to withdraw the Winter Fuel Allowance from some 130,000 residents in the county could lead to a public health emergency.
The Conservative Leader of the authority, Cllr Keith Glazier, was answering a question from fellow Conservative, Cllr Matt Beaver (Maze Hill and West St Leonards) who had raised the issue of Labour’s devastating plans to leave many elderly people unable to pay heating bills.
Cllr Glazier asked opposition councillors, “where was Labour’s Equality Impact Assessment before they took this decision?” A measurement which Labour councillors had themselves referred to several times during earlier debates, he reminded them. Cllr Glazier spoke of the impact that the Labour government’s proposal would have on so many across East Sussex.
Older residents in East Sussex faced an ‘eat or heat’ dilemma due to Labour’s policy which means they simply cannot afford to heat their homes, Cllr Beaver said. “Millions of older people facing the prospect of spending this winter in cold damp homes which in some cases could result in additional winter deaths”, he added.
Councillor Glazier said he recognised that the impact of the Labour decision would be felt by enormous numbers of residents across East Sussex. He mentioned the cross-party incredulity being expressed by council leaders across the nation, in both urban and rural areas, noting that the public health risk is enormous.
He appealed to Labour councillors at the meeting to lobby their government to reverse the decision and said he felt sure that the newly-elected MP in Hastings was on the side of the people in this matter.
After the meeting Cllr Glazier urged all concerned residents to sign the online petition at: www.keepwinterfuel.com
