Subject to the required notice being given, Members of the Council can ask questions of the Chairman of the Council, the Leader of the Council, Portfolio Holders or Chairmen of Committees.

The time allocated for receiving and disposing of questions shall be a maximum of 30 minutes. Any question not disposed of at the end of this time shall be the subject of a written response, copied to all Members the following working day unless withdrawn by the questioner.

On this occasion one question has been received, on notice, from a Member.

Subject to the required notice being given, Members of the Council could ask questions of the Chairman of the Council, the Leader of the Council, Portfolio Holders or Chairmen of Committees.

One question on notice had been submitted by a Member on this occasion as set out below:-

Question

Councillor P B Honeywood asked Councillor M E Stephenson, the Leader of the Council:- 

“At the Council meeting held on 17^th September 2024 this Council debated a motion in response to the Labour Government’s plans to cut winter fuel payments from all pensioners except those receiving pension credits (Minute 51).

That motion, as amended by Councillor M E Stephenson, and passed by this Council stated, inter alia, the following:-

3. Following the Government’s decision to remove the Winter Fuel Payment from pensioners not in receipt of pension credit, the Leader of the Council and his Cabinet urgently review how Tendring District Council with the inclusion of its partners and other local organisations, can offer support and advice to pensioners living in this District who may suffer or be in the position of fuel poverty or difficulty as a result of this Government decision.

4. The availability of Pension Credit be promoted by the Council and with partners to assist all those entitled.”

Can the Leader of the Council please update this Council on the action he and his Cabinet have taken following the urgent review as to how Tendring District Council, with the inclusion of its partners and other local organisations, has offered support and advice to pensioners living in this District who may suffer or be in the position of fuel poverty or difficulty as a result of this Government’s decision to cut winter fuel payments and how the availability of Pension Credit has been promoted by the Council and with partners to assist all those entitled?

Could the Leader of the Council also update this Council as to when these actions were taken and how successful they have been?”

The Leader of the Council replied as follows:-

“Thank you Councillor Honeywood for your question.

This Council is committed to providing support and advice to local pensioners to take up money that they are entitled to, in particular Pension Credit, and to work with partners to do so.

The Council has a Fuel Poverty Officer who developed and provided a leaflet that informs people how to access pension credit and wider support, which has been circulated, in particular at the energy hub in Jaywick.

I requested officers to contact the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to obtain posters and leaflets promoting the take up of Pension Credit. The request was made of DWP on September 24th.

The Council sent out social media posts to promote Pension Credit take up on 28 September. Facebook reached 1,700 people with 15 interactions.  We followed up on 13^th November with a further post on Facebook with a reach of 841 and Next Door received 634 impressions. We also posted on Instagram. 

I also sent out a link to information from Age UK on Pension Credit.

On the 17^th October Lee Heley, the Deputy Chief Executive, wrote to all Council members asking them to share leaflets with their networks including the DWP Pension Credit leaflet, and the TDC Winter Support leaflet, as well as a leaflet from CVST on their winter warmer events.

Pension Credit drop in’s took place at CVST in Clacton on 5 November and Harwich on 19 November, delivered by Peabody. The Council has helped signpost residents to these events.

Citizens Advice Tendring has promoted the take up of pension credit and winter fuel payment through their community advisors, welfare benefits advice, their website, promotion on BBC Essex, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

On the 14^th November an officer attended the Older People’s Forum at Frinton Community Hall to promote the importance of increasing the uptake of pension credit.  A briefing was provided by the Council representative identifying the actions taken by the Council to raise awareness and provide support. The event was organised by CVST, and attended by partners including Age Well East, Community Agents Essex and Essex Carers Support. This was the first Older People’s Forum after the last Full Council Meeting.

I wrote to the two local MPs to ask for their support in promoting pension credit, and to the Chancellor Rachel Reeves requesting that the Government promote pension credit.

You will see that our website has a page on Pension Credit, with a link to the government information.

Leaflets and posters have been distributed across the District. In Clacton Tendring Community Transport will put a poster up in each of their 10 buses; posters have been distributed to several banks; Clacton library; Clacton train station; Specsavers; The Post Office; and several pharmacies.

Leaflets have been delivered in Brightlingsea and are well supported with Peabody/CAB going into the Parish Council. Leaflets have also been provided to the shops and library and also the Autumn Centre for their lunch club members.

Leaflets have been put out in Jaywick including the Sunspot Café, the Resource Centre and shops. Some were also put in the SOS bus which was on on site.

Leaflets and posters have been provided in Harwich and Dovercourt including to supermarkets, the library, Essex Pedal Power, Park Pavilion, CVST and are also present in Harwich Town Council.

Leaflets have been provided to shops in Frinton and Walton.

The Digital Access Team that supports digital access in Colchester and Tendring has put information and a link to the Government’s Pension Credit website on digital access points – in effect tablet computers - in 14 GP surgeries across Tendring.

In short, there has been a sustained campaign of support for pensioners to take up pension credit in Tendring, sharing information across partners and across the District.”

Councillor P B Honeywood then asked a question of clarification to which Councillor M E Stephenson responded.