Tempers flared, councillors played party political one-up-man-ship and Cornwall’s four Labour MPs were even accused of being 'complicit' in the deaths of 4,000 pensioners during a passionate hour-long debate about the Government’s withdrawal of winter fuel payments for the elderly, writes local Democracy Reporter Lee Trewhela.

A meeting of the full Cornwall Council discussed a motion by Liberal Democrat councillor Leigh Frost, who said the move will affect almost 120,000 Cornish pensioners, around 88% of those that were previously eligible. He asked the council to do everything in its power to raise awareness and give advice to those who can claim Pension Credit; as only 63 per cent of eligible pensioners currently claim it.

Labour’s new eligibility criteria for receiving winter fuel payments means residents must have been born on or before September 22, 1958 and receive Pension Credit, Universal Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, or income-related Employment and Support Allowance.

At the meeting at County Hall / Lys Kernow yesterday (Tuesday, September 24), Cllr Frost said if the council didn’t act it was essentially condemning pensioners in Cornwall to fuel poverty. The Bodmin councillor aired his frustration that council leader Linda Taylor wrote to the Chancellor last week, following a Cabinet meeting, and hadn’t waited for his motion to be discussed by all councillors.

However, he called upon his fellow members to endorse her letter to Government, calling for an immediate pause of the decision. “It’s not a matter of policy, it’s a matter of human decency.”

Fellow Lib Dem councillor Pat Rogerson pointed out that the situation affecting pensioners is exacerbated in Cornwall – which has pockets of high deprivation – by poor social and private housing, where walls are covered in mould, there are damp carpets, inadequate glazing and inefficient heating and insulation. “For some of our elderly residents, this is the reality. What this motion demands will give them some much-needed reassurance and support in trying to cope.”

Tory councillor Philip Desmonde spoke about the “massive distress caused to our elderly residents in Cornwall” and attacked the Labour government, adding: “They say those with the broadest shoulders should pay more, so why select the most vulnerable in our society?

“A Labour report in 2017 claimed restricting allowances for pensioners would cost thousands of lives. Their own research said 4,000 pensioners would die if Labour scrapped winter fuel payments.”

With his voice rising in anger, Cllr Desmonde added: “The message from Chancellor Rachel Reeves and her Labour comrades in Cornwall is this: if you are no longer able to work, or pay taxes or contribute to society, you are a burden! I find that wicked. Labour MPs such as Peregrine Moon voted to target over 19,000 pensioners in his constituency.” He accused the Government of knowingly allowing pensioners to freeze to death.

“Shame on you, Peregrine Moon and your Labour comrades in Cornwall for your support of this vile, cruel and wicked act of harm.”

Independent councillor Mike Thomas added he was “incredulous” as the Conservative government “had 14 years to sort this out”.

Lib Dem councillor Colin Martin said the real reason the Government has made the controversial move is “posturing; they want to look like they’re making tough decisions and then asking our new Labour MPs to take a loyalty test to choose between doing what’s right for our residents and doing what’s loyal to their party. Unfortunately, our Labour MPs have failed that test”.

Tory portfolio holder for the economy Louis Gardner said that a disproportionate number of those affected were the 39,000 Cornish residents on a veterans pension, who were disqualified from additional benefits including Pension Credit. “The four Labour MPs in Cornwall made a choice when they voted in Parliament. They could have abstained, but they chose knowing 4,000 people in this country will freeze to death in their own homes this year, next year and the year after that. They made a choice to say that is acceptable.”

He asked the Labour councillors in the chamber to make “a choice to support 4,000 people dying in their own homes from being too cold or do the right thing and vote to actually condemn the actions of the MPs and Government”.

Independent councillor Julian German angrily raised his voice while asking what the council itself was doing about the issue “rather than talking and writing a letter to Government”. He asked for the council’s unused hardship fund to be used for fuel poverty and to support pensioners. Cllr Taylor, leader of the council, responded that there was not one penny left in the hardship fund as it had already been used to tackle such problems.

Cllr German also asked for an addendum to the motion, which was agreed, that “a report be presented to Cabinet considering revenue generated from the additional second homes council tax being ringfenced to finance a £100 million whole house retrofit roll-out catalyst fund across Cornwall” to help people out of fuel poverty.

Tory councillor Connor Donnithorne tabled yet another amendment, “that the council regrets the decision of Cornwall’s four Labour MPs to vote with the Labour government to remove winter fuel payments from over 100,000 Cornish pensioners and the new government should protect and maintain all current pension benefits, including free bus passes, winter fuel payments, free prescriptions and TV licences”.

Cllr Frost said he was willing to accept the amendment to his motion but said it was a “real shame” that the discussion had been reduced to party politics.

Labour councillor Laurie Magowan said he struggled to be lectured by representatives of the Tory administration who “time and time again sat silent over 14 years of austerity. Over the last three years, this administration has voted to cut funding for our most essential services”.

Following the meeting, Labour group leader Kate Ewert said: “The need to review the universal WFP policy is due to the £22bn financial black hole left by the Conservative government. The Labour group will support Cornwall Council in every way possible to mitigate the impact of these or any other changes to the winter fuel payment, including supporting the action outlined in the motion, promoting any UK Government and Cornwall Council awareness campaigns and uptake of Pension Credits.

“What the Labour group cannot do is support a recommendation that publicly criticises a Labour government policy or our local MPs. Unfortunately, the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives have chosen to play political games over the importance of getting unanimous, cross-party support to address the genuine concerns raised.”

The motion was widely supported by councillors, with 53 votes for and just three votes against.