Greenwich Council has blocked a proposal from Conservative councillors, on the issue of the withdrawal of the Winter Fuel Allowance from 23,000 local pensioners, from being debated at next week's Council meeting.
The Council meeting is the first since July due to several by-elections being held in the borough, with the Council citing 'Pre Election Period' rules for the West Thamesmea by-election for their decision to block the motion.
In a letter to Conservative Councillor Charlie Davis, the council wrote: "The changes to the Winter Fuel allowances for pensioners is a politically sensitive and controversial matter closely associated with the Labour government as such it is not appropriate that the Motion be discussed at Full Council on 4th December.".
The motion proposed that the Council uses the data it holds to amplify its campaign to encourage uptake of Pension Credit, to ensure all those eligible who are not currently claiming receive both Pension Credit and continued Winter Fuel Payments. The motion was due to proposed by Charlie Davis and seconded by fellow Conservative councillor for Eltham Town & Avery Hill Pat Greenwell.
With the motion blocked from the agenda, Councillor Davis will instead raise the issue during Members Questions.
Councillor Charlie Davis said: "During the by-election campaign in Eltham Town & Avery Hill ward, I promised to lobby Greenwich Council to increase uptake of Pension Credit after Labour's damaging Winter Fuel cuts. It is deeply unsatisfactory that the motion has been blocked as 'politically sensitive', when more than 23,000 local pensioners are being hit by this move. Conservative councillors will continue to call for the Council to do more to protect pensioners from the Government's Winter Fuel cut."
Bromley Conservative councillors are also campaigning against the Government's Winter Fuel cuts.
