North West Leicestershire District Council voted in favour of asking the Labour government to suspend its planned policy on scrapping the vast majority of winter fuel payments.

Liberal Democrat councillor, Michael Wyatt, proposed the motion, which was supported by 20 committee members.

There were 18 abstentions and no Labour councillors made any comment on this motion at the meeting.

A number of Conservative councillors spoke up to back the motion.

Independent councillor, Ray Sutton, voted for the motion, but added: "It doesn't look as though we're going to get many very many serious speeches, because we've haven't moved from ping pong politics in this country or in this Chamber. I think we need problem solving politics and that's why I stand here as an independent.

"I shall be voting with the motion. But some very serious things have not been done in relation to this decision. One is to produce a proper impact assessment.

"The sheer fact of not doing an impact assessment, not looking at how many pensioners already in poverty will be taken into poverty as a result of this measure, there's all sorts of things that have not been done.

"I shall be supporting the motion but with owing nothing to any of the parties who have proposed this from the alliance, I'm afraid, unless we hear some principled arguments."

The motion was to:

• Instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer calling for the policy on linking Winter Fuel Payments to Pension Credit receipt to be immediately paused and introduce a new threshold to determine eligibility for Winter Fuel Payments. Council further requests the Chief Executive write to all MPs covering North West Leicestershire asking them to give their formal support to halting the changes to the Winter Fuel Payment eligibility.
• Request all group leaders within North West Leicestershire District Council sign a joint letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer calling for the new Winter Fuel Payment policy to be suspended and reviewed.
• Urgently commence a significant awareness campaign to encourage uptake of pension credits.

Cllr Wyatt said: "Mr Chairman it's a sad day when we have to put forward a motion against a new government elected only a few months ago on their vicious and nasty plans to target our elderly by removing the winter fuel allowance from thousands of pensioners in northwest Leicestershire. 

"The prime minister and his chancellor say it's to fill the black hole. Still, we all know it's to pay for inflation-busting pay rises for their union friends, and governments' foreign aid pet projects, whilst our elderly here in the UK live with an uncertain future over their income. 

"Many elderly residents just over the financial threshold have told me that they fear they will not be able to keep their heating on. 

"This government has set fear in the very hearts of those who deserve more support, not less.

"And, to add insult to injury, the energy Watchdog has announced fuel prices are set to rise this winter, even though Labour promised to reduce bills. 

"People used to say the Tories were the nasty party, but I think we can conclude from the new Labour government's actions they are now the true nastier party who have shown by their actions they don't care about our elderly. 

"Even their own published statistics have shown that up to 4,000 deaths could occur if the winter fuel allowance is removed, but still, Labour think it's justified and the correct thing to do."

Cllr Wyatt was also critical of the new North West Leicestershire MP, Amanda Hack.

He added: "Mr Chairman, if one pensioner perishes due to the Labour government's spiteful policy to withdraw the winter fuel allowance every Labour councillor, and the MP who's now known as Amanda two jobs because she's failed to stand down as a county councillor in Braunstone, will have blood on their hands, because collectively they are one, and they must bare responsibility for their government's actions. 

"This spiteful policy of withdrawing thousands of pensioners' winter fuel allowance will go down as the start of the end of this already awful uncaring government. 

"The elderly deserve to be treated with dignity, respect and care which this cruel and nasty government has failed to deliver. Making our pensioners poorer and colder is not what we should ever expect from any government let alone a Labour government."