“The Council notes that:
- The ongoing cost-of-living crisis has seen household fuel bills
soar to the highest levels in history forcing people to decide
whether to eat or heat their homes and excluding many from internet
access because they can no longer afford the payments.
- The government’s planned rebate will do little to help to
those living with meters in their rooms in HMOs or anyone who
relies on pre-payment meters who already pay more. The rebate is
being paid via household electricity bills and there is no decision
on whether prepayments will be credited or vouchers issued.
Furthermore, there is no obligation on landlords who include the
cost of gas and electricity in tenants’ bills to pass the
rebate on.
- Those excluded from the rebate are often from the most
economically disadvantaged sectors of our community.
- The impact of the cost-of-living crisis on sick and disabled
people has been grossly underestimated. According to Disability
Rights UK spending on this group of people has been cut by £5
billion over the last decade and they are the hardest hit by
Austerity. Since April 2017 new claimants have £30 per week
less and Universal Credit has excluded the severe disability
premium worth around £65 per week to those formerly entitled
to it. Disabled people have higher household fuel costs because
they often need additional heating and water or to have to run
life saving equipment such as oxygen
ventilators or dialysis machines.
To address
these inequalities and ensure meaningful help is forthcoming the
Council resolves to:
- Write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Nadhim Zahawi,
condemning the decision to exclude vulnerable people from
meaningful support with the cost-of-living crisis and calling for
an emergency budget to address these inequalities by increasing
cost of living help payments available to sick and disabled people
with immediate effect and reinstating the £20 per week
addition paid during the covid crisis for Universal credit
claimants.
- Write to the three Medway MPs asking them to support the
Council’s call for an emergency budget.
- Produce and publicise an information leaflet for private sector
landlords in Medway who charge for household fuel as part of rent
urging them to pass on the rebate to their tenants especially those
in shared houses or HMOs.”
In accordance with Rule 12.4 of
the Council Rules, a recorded vote on the motion was
taken.
For: Councillors Adeoye, Browne, Cooper, Curry,
Edwards, Howcroft-Scott, Hubbard,
Johnson, Khan, Lloyd, Mahil, Maple, Murray, Osborne, Prenter, Price, Andy Stamp, Chrissy Stamp and Van
Dyke. (19)
Against: Councillors Ahmed,
Aldous, Barrett, Brake, Buckwell, Carr, Mrs Diane Chambers, Rodney
Chambers, Chitty, Clarke, Doe, Fearn, Griffin, Hackwell, Mrs Josie
Iles, Jarrett, Kemp, Lammas, Opara,
Purdy, Tejan, Thompson, Thorne,
Tranter, Mrs Elizabeth Turpin, Rupert Turpin and Wildey.
(27)
Abstain:
None
Note:
In addition to the Councillors named in the minutes
of agenda item no. 2, Apologies for Absence, Councillors
Pendergast, Sands and Williams were not present for the recorded
vote.
Decision:
Upon being put to the vote, the
motion was lost.