The Labour leader of Telford & Wrekin Council has put out a plea to Chancellor Rishi Sunak to address the cost of living crisis with measures to help struggling households in his upcoming Spring Budget.
Councillor Shaun Davies said people across the country were being put under immense pressure by the combination of soaring energy bills and the rising cost of fuel and food.
Speaking at a meeting of the council’s cabinet on Thursday, he urged the government to lend a helping hand to those feeling the pinch in the budget statement due to be delivered next week.
He said: “I was struck by a report that I saw today that said 57 per cent of the cost of the cost of a litre of fuel is made up by direct taxation, whether that be fuel duty or VAT.
“Given that the government have got a spring statement coming, I do hope that fuel, energy, food and indeed the cost of testing yourself for Covid will all be things that the government will look at ways to support average-earning and hard-working families here in Telford & Wrekin.”
Councillor Davies also gave assurance that the council would be taking steps to lessen the impact of the rising cost of living on its residents wherever possible.
He said: “We are on the side of our residents here in Telford & Wrekin. We have frozen our council tax, despite the opposition by the Conservatives for doing such a move.
“We will be doing all that we can in other ways to support residents, whether that be extending our free school meals for eligible children over the Easter holidays, whether that be providing free activities for families, or whether that be advice and support.”
Councillor Davies added that the council would also be announcing “further direct support” to households which do not qualify for the government’s planned £150 council tax rebate “in the coming days”.
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