The leader of Newport City Council will write to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, calling on him to address the national cost of living crisis.
The cost of living includes food, housing, utilities, clothing and healthcare expenses. Some Newport councillors are blaming the UK Government for the increasing trend of residents struggling to afford these basic needs.
Councillors are now calling on the UK Government to suspend the proposed National Insurance increase, reduce VAT for energy bills and introduce a new lower price cap on energy bills.
The decision for Councillor Jane Mudd to write to the UK Government was confirmed at a full council meeting on Tuesday, March 1 – following a motion proposed by Cllr Jason Hughes and backed by the leader.
Labour Councillor Hughes, who represents Caerleon, said: “This council recognises the unprecedented cost of living crisis facing many households across Newport, and the UK.
“In the coming months more and more households will see increases of a magnitude never seen before as the energy price cap is removed or energy deals come to an end. This comes on top of a cost of living crisis created by the impacts of Brexit and the Covid pandemic which have already seen an unprecedented squeeze on peoples incomes.”
The aim of the council’s proposals is to help low-income families and protect households from excessive price rises.
Cllr Debbie Harvey: “There are times I wake up in the morning and I think; are we in 2022 or 1922? Because I can’t remember a time where we had to have as many foodbanks as we have got, or that people working have had to use foodbanks.”
Alway councillor Ray Truman said he had seen evidence of the cost of living crisis in his own ward.
But, Conservative councillors voted against the motion, branding it as an “election gimmick”.
Leader of the Conservative opposition group, Cllr Matthew Evans, said: “This fails to recognise that we have had a Welsh Labour Government in charge since the last century.”
The Baroness Willcox of Newport, who is a Labour councillor for Gaer, said: “I would like to remind the leader of the opposition that the blame lies firmly at the door of Westminster and the keys to the treasury, where the public purse is kept.
“Despite what the Welsh Government can do, the money is in Whitehall.”
Cllr Mudd said the national cost of living crisis had the potential to have an impact on the economy.
