Mayor of Ledbury calls on government to support people in need

Cllr Phillip Howells was speaking after Herefordshire Council announced it would be introducing "warm spaces" to help people who cannot afford their heating bills.

Herefordshire’s libraries, including those in Ledbury and Colwall, are already signed up to the warm spaces scheme and offer additional services such as free wifi, computer access and plenty of interesting books to read.

The Burgage Hall, Ledbury LEAF Baptist Church and Ledbury Methodist Places of Welcome are also listed in the directory - and more places are being added all the time.

Cllr Howells said that while the move was welcome, more should be done to keep costs down and directly help people struggling with fuel poverty.

WARM: Home of Ledbury Library (Image: NQ)

He said: "It hardly needs saying that surely in 21st century Britain we shouldn’t be needing them and at the least everyone should have a warm, safe home.

"It is a national problem though with estimates of up to 8.2 million UK  households being in fuel poverty this winter. 

"It’s a frightening thought that as it has become ‘normal’ for food banks to be seen as necessary, we now seen warm banks in the same light as people desperately try to cope with the cost of living crisis this coming winter.

"It is very heart-warming that so many local organisations are responding to the need throughout the county with at least four places being offered in Ledbury alone.

"The problem is that this is a much needed, but only short-term fix and of course the challenge is for those places like libraries and churches offering a warm refuge being able themselves to afford astronomical fuel bills to stay open."

SUPPORT: Cllr Phillip Howells, Mayor of Ledbury (Image: NQ)

Cllr Howells called on the government to intervene and support councils and households with measures including cutting VAT on bills, lower business rates, community grants for warm spaces and unfreezing housing benefits so they are in line with inflation, rent and real-world costs.

His words were echoed by fellow councillor Liz Harvey, who said it was "desperately sad and hugely worrying" to have councils and charities being forced to take these measures.

She called for planning reform to ensure new houses have more cost-effective and reliable heating systems installed.

Talk Community at Herefordshire Council has launched an online directory of warm spaces ready for the winter.

The places listed in the directory are open to anyone struggling with the increase in the cost of living and will be free of charge to residents looking for somewhere to keep warm and well during the cold weather.

To find out more about warm spaces in Herefordshire, including the venue opening times, visit the Talk Community website: www.talkcommunitydirectory.org/warmspace