Subject: Petition for Debate

Date of meeting: 19 December 2024

Report of: Corporate Director for Corporate Services

Contact Officer: Name: Anthony Soyinka

Tel: 01273 291006

Email: anthony.soyinka@brighton-hove.gov.uk

Ward(s) affected: All

FOR GENERAL RELEASE

1. SUMMARY AND POLICY CONTEXT:

1.1 Under the Council’s Petition Scheme if a petition contains more than 1,250 signatures and is not petition requesting officer evidence, it will be debated by the Full Council.

2. RECOMMENDATIONS:

2.1 That the petition is noted.

3. RELEVANT BACKGROUND INFORMATION / CHRONOLOGY OF KEY EVENTS:

3.1 To receive the following petition signed by 1266 people at time of publication:

Save the Winter Fuel Payment

With winter already upon us the situation is getting desparate for older people across the country with the government having severely restricted the Winter Fuel payment. This attack on the poor and vulnerable while the rich continue to prosper is unacceptable.

Brighton and Hove Council has an obligation to support the welfare of older and disabled residents and the restriction of the winter fuel payment will leave many pensioners in fuel poverty which will unnecessarily put additional pressure on Adult social care services within the City.

Please could you therefore sign this petition but please note only those living, working or studying in the area can sign.

We the undersigned petition Brighton & Hove Council to write to the PM demanding that he reverses the decision to remove the Winter Fuel Payment (WFP) from pensioners who do not qualify for pension credit and undertakes a full impact assessment of this savage austerity measure. By restricting eligibility for the WFP in this way this government has potentially plunged large numbers of older people into fuel poverty rendering them vulnerable to hypothermia and premature death. This is particularly unjust because, by the government’s own calculations around 1 in 3 pensioners who should be getting pension credit are not receiving it. These are among the most vulnerable people in society. Last winter in Brighton & Hove 41,806 people received WFP. A cut means around 35,000 losing out, plunging many into the direst poverty.

4. PROCEDURE:

4.1 The petition will be debated at the Council meeting in accordance with the agreed protocol:

(i) The Lead petitioner will be invited by the Mayor to present the petition and will have up to 3 minutes in which to outline the petition and confirm the number of signatures;

(ii) The Mayor will then open the matter up for debate by councillors for period of 15 minutes and will first call on the relevant Cabinet Member to respond to the petition and move a proposed response. The Mayor will then call on those councillors who have indicated a desire to speak in the matter, before calling on the relevant Cabinet Member to respond to the debate;

(iii) An amendment to the recommendation in paragraph 2.1 of the report or to add additional recommendations should be submitted by 10.00am on the day before the meeting; otherwise it will be subject to the Mayor’s discretion as to being appropriate. Any such amendment will need to be formally moved and seconded at the meeting;

(iv) After the 15 minutes set aside for the debate, the Mayor will then formally put:

(v) (a) Any amendments in the order in which they are moved, and

(b) The substantive recommendation(s) as amended (if amended).