At a meeting of Warwick District Council last night, Labour Councillors supported a Council Tax freeze and were successful in getting support for a new hardship fund of £200,000 to help hard-pressed residents.  Labour’s proposal for an additional £25,000 grant to support food banks across Warwick district was also passed.

Labour Group Leader, Cllr Jonathan Nicholls, who seconded the budget motion voting for a Council Tax freeze, said:

“Tonight, Labour took a stand alongside our poorest residents in the worst cost-of-living crisis for 30 years by voting for a CT freeze. We also amended the budget motion to provide a new hardship fund of £200k for residents in need and £25k of grants for food banks across the District. Labour will always be on the side of the residents most in need.”

Cllr Mini Mangat said:

“Freezing our element of the council tax bill for our residents is the right thing to do. I’m really pleased that we were able to secure extra funds to direct support to tackle hardship. It’s important that the hardship fund is accessible to all who need it and the application process is easy. A campaign through advisory agencies and communities’ centres is welcomed to ensure people know they can apply. It’s vital that the so-called ‘hard to reach’, seldom-heard people have access too; after all no one is actually hard to reach, we just need to be knocking on the right doors.”

Following the failure of a Liberal Democrat and Green amendment to increase Council Tax by 2.8%, having said that the freeze would only mean a saving to a Band D property of 9.6 pence a week, Cllr Geraldine Cullinan said:

“Although 9.6p does not seem much to some, if you do not have that 9p in your purse you cannot buy that loaf of bread to keep your family fed, and bread has increased in price from 57p to 80p in one year.”

Leader of the Labour Group, Councillor Jonathan Nicholls added: “Whilst we supported the Council tax freeze, we are all very aware that it won’t be enough, and many of our residents are really struggling.  With energy prices rising, a national insurance rise due and inflation, we know more help is urgently needed.  However, the freeze will take some additional pressure off the worst-hit. We also hope the hardship fund and extra funds for the foodbanks will help some residents who just cannot cope any more.”