Agenda item - Notice of Motion by Councillor Meryl Roberts

In accordance with the Notice of Motion received under Section 4.19 of the Constitution, Councillor Meryl Roberts will propose as follows:-

Cyngor Gwynedd is fully opposed to the brazen and cruel cuts of the Westminster Government to abolish Gwynedd pensioners' fuel payments this winter. These cuts will mean that at least 85%, namely over 20,000 Gwynedd pensioners, will miss out on fuel payments. To this end, we send steadfast correspondence to Keir Starmer, as prime minister of the United Kingdom, criticising his cruel policy and asking if he can overturn it.

Submitted - the following notice of motion by Councillor Meryl Roberts under Section 4.19 of the Constitution, and it was seconded: -

Cyngor Gwynedd is fully opposed to the brazen and cruel cuts of the Westminster Government to abolish Gwynedd pensioners' fuel payments this winter. These cuts will mean that at least 85%, namely over 20,000 Gwynedd pensioners, will miss out on fuel payments. To this end, we send steadfast correspondence to Keir Starmer, as prime minister of the United Kingdom, criticising his cruel policy and asking if he can overturn it.

Members expressed their keen support to the motion. During the discussion, the following matters were raised:-

The Council's Age Friendly Champion, Councillor Dilwyn Morgan referred to the work that was underway within the Council to support people, such as: -

· Encouraging people eligible for Pension Credit to claim it, and by doing so to receive a heating payment automatically.

· Assisting people on the borderline of eligibility for Pension Credit by promoting the additional benefit that are available to them.

· It was intended to establish a cross-departmental Winter Payments Taskforce for Pensioners very soon with the aim of developing a campaign to ensure that the county's residents are aware of, and receive what they were entitled to.

· Holding a series of Living Well, Living Healthily events. The first of these events would take place at Canolfan Glaslyn, Porthmadog on 7 October, where over 20 different agencies would be present to hand out information and to assist people to complete application forms etc. An event had been organised in Caernarfon on 1 November, with further events to follow in the south of the County and in the Bangor area.

· Working with the Government's services and the Department of Work and Pensions to determine what was the best way to communicate with individuals.

· A meeting had taken place with Rhian Bowen-Davies, the Older People Commissioner, who also reiterated her concern regarding the proposal to stop the winter fuel payments.

· A session took place in Porthmadog for Council members to given them advice on where to refer people who approach them for information. It was noted that the number who attended the session was disappointing, but it was intended to organise another session soon.

According to the recent figures, 1,977 of Gwynedd residents did not receive their due Pension Credit, a loss to Gwynedd of £456,000. However, since the Government had made the announcement, 20% of those people eligible to receive Pension Credit now received it because organisations such as Cyngor Gwynedd and others had been encouraging people to claim. This meant that the savings made as a result of revoking the winter fuel payments would be less than the Westminster Government had expected.

RESOLVED to adopt the motion, namely: -

Cyngor Gwynedd is fully opposed to the brazen and cruel cuts of the Westminster Government to abolish Gwynedd pensioners' fuel payments this winter. These cuts will mean that at least 85%, namely over 20,000 Gwynedd pensioners, will miss out on fuel payments. To this end, we send steadfast correspondence to Keir Starmer, as prime minister of the United Kingdom, criticising his cruel policy and asking if he can overturn it.