Rother Alliance reject motion to support Local Pensioners
The Labour-LibDem-Green dominated alliance defeated a Conservative motion 18 to 13, that would require the council to oppose the Government’s decision to withdraw the Winter Fuel Payments to pensioners.
The Conservative group voted in support of the motion, along with 2 independents and 2 Liberal Democrats.
All Labour and Green Councillors voted against the motion, along with the Rother Association of Independent Councillors, including Council Leader Doug Oliver. The remaining Liberal Democrats also voted against.
Only one RAOIC councillor voted to abstain.
Cllr Carl Maynard, Conservative Group Leader, stated “The motion’s defeat was unexpected and disappointing to say the least. Age UK has highlighted the difficulty many pensioners now find themselves in. 2.5 million pensioners have now lost out due to the government's decision, with a significant number of those within Rother district. The Conservative Group in Rother stand wholeheartedly behind pensioners across our district and beyond, and are shocked the Alliance cannot find themselves to do the same.”