Agenda item

National Energy Crisis

This council recognises the unprecedented energy crisis facing many households across Cardiff, Wales 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.

Inflation remains very high which is putting huge pressure on household budgets as earnings have not kept pace with prices, leaving family budgets squeezed and people worse off.

The additional costs of day to day living are already impacting negatively on every household across Cardiff but even more so on families who are living close to the bread line – many of them working families who nevertheless still need to visit food banks and will now be faced with the terrible choice of heating their home or putting food on the table. This is Tory Britain.

As a Council, we will continue to do everything within our power to help mitigate energy costs. This includes 

·       the targeted support available to improve the energy efficiency of homes and help those in fuel poverty,  

·       the work of our Money Advice Service in maximising the claiming of eligible benefits, and signposting residents to the available financial support options

·       and our significant investment in existing Council homes, to make them cheaper to heat and live in.

·       Our Council Homes building programme, providing ever increasing numbers of low/zero carbon, energy efficient homes for social rent.

However, the help families need to deal with the cost of living crisis can only be fixed by decisive action by the UK Government

Proposed by Councillor Norma Mackie

Seconded by Councillor Ashley Lister