Labour set to turn up the heat on hundreds of council tenants

1.42.51pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 18th Jan 2007

Labour set to turn up the heat on hundreds of council tenants

Many of Sheffield's poorest households are set to suffer if Sheffield City Council's Labour Cabinet approve a huge 30% hike in charges for heating and hot water. The hundreds of Council homes served by the council's District Heating system are set to see annual heating bills increase by 30%. If Labour agree the plan as expected households will face hikes of up to £244 in just one year.

The increase would see the annual charge for an average two bedroom house with heating and hot water go from £755.04 in 2006/07 to £981.55 in 2007/08. Similar huge increases are set to be approved for all other types of housing served by the District Heating system.

Liberal Democrats have condemned the potential hikes as 'a disgraceful tax on some of the poorest in our city'. Lib Dems believe that the price hikes will see many households struggling to make ends meet with vulnerable groups such as the elderly hardest hit.

The hikes are included in an appendix of the "Housing Revenue Account, Revenue Budget and Rent Increases 2007/08" report without any mention of the problems the hikes will create. The report is set to be approved by Labour on the 24th January at the 2pm Cabinet meeting.

Cllr Bob McCann, Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet member for Neighbourhoods, said: -

"These hikes represent a disgraceful tax on some of the poorest in our city. Households already struggling to make ends meet will face huge increases if Labour approve this report next week. Its hard to see how vulnerable groups like the elderly and single parent families will cope"

"The district heating serves some of the poorest areas in Sheffield. Its unreasonable of this Labour Council to expect, for example, an elderly person on a state pension living in a Council Bedsit to find an extra £175 next year just to stay warm"

"There is no assessment of the impact that these hikes will make. No mention of how the Council will provide help to those affected. They are doing nothing to ease the blow of these hikes. Labour are letting down some of the poorest in our society"