Lib Dems punish pensioners again

Posted By: Ibrar Khan
Date Posted: 14/04/2009

While I was pleased to see pensioners in Rochdale benefit from the Government’s five per cent increase in their state pension recently, I am disgusted that Rochdale’s Lib Dems have decided to increase heating costs by a staggering 35 per cent for council tenants in sheltered housing flats.

The Council claims they are simply passing on increased costs from energy companies. Is this really the case? The last time I checked, British Gas had just reduced prices by 10 per cent from February this year.

Also, the flats that are being hit by this rise only have single glazing. Why has the Council – given its alleged commitment to tackling fuel poverty – not double glazed this block of flats to help pensioners stay warm?

Several years ago, the Council published an Affordable Warmth Action Plan, which promised to create the post of a fuel poverty officer. This has not happened. It’s yet another example of how the Lib Dems see pressing issues like affordable heating for pensioners in Rochdale as a low priority. Surely if this person were in post this unreasonable rise could have been avoided?

As these flats are in my ward, I have looked into this fiasco and it would appear that residents are victims of an inequitable pricing scheme that divides the total cost of heating the building into the number of flats to calculate bills. This means that some pensioners who don’t use their heating often are effectively subsidising others who use theirs more frequently.

Considering the Council’s strategy for older people claims it is committed to helping older people maintain their dignity and independence, this approach goes completely against what the Lib Dems say they’re doing. It treats people like faceless numbers instead of individuals.

Meanwhile, what is our MP, Paul Rowen, doing? Only recently he said: "The battle to protect those in fuel poverty in Rochdale must go on." If that’s the case, Mr Rowen, then why don’t you pick up the phone and get your colleagues on the Council to reverse this unjust decision immediately?