A city councillor is calling on officials to prepare community centres to accommodate people unable to heat their own homes.
The plea to get ready to help residents vulnerable to spiralling energy bills was made at Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council this week.
Soaring heating bills look set to get worse as we head into cooler weather which prompted Paul Porter to make the call on Tuesday night.
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The DUP Lisburn South Alderman said: “If the reports that we are seeing in the news are correct, then we are about to enter into a very difficult and challenging time for many people.
“This is a real cost of living crisis. I would ask that council officers, who are probably working in the background already on this, to review the need for the council to prepare its community facilities for what lies ahead. We need to be ahead of the game on this.
“It may come to the point when we need to open facilities such as community and leisure centres as well as churches for those people who will not be able to stay in their own homes, as they will simply not be able to afford to heat them.
“It is time for us all to come together, much in the way we did during the Covid pandemic as we face the great challenges ahead.”
The Alderman’s sentiments were echoed in the chamber with vice chair of the leisure and community development, Cllr Andrew Gowan (DUP) requesting a broader social report.
The Downshire East representative said: “It was great to see services coming together during the pandemic times, but also rural communities really stepped up to the plate.
“I would also ask officers to look at rural areas for similar needs.”
A cost of living crisis report is due before the council next month. In England similar moves are already underway with councils readying ‘warm banks’ in some areas ahead of winter.
In Bristol, the city council is preparing ‘welcoming places’ for people to go to if their homes get too cold and in Dundee similar ‘cosy spaces’ are planned.
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