Everyday shopping prices are soaring at supermarkets in West Dunbartonshire.
By Lucy Ashton
Jackie Baillie has reacted with fury that West Dunbartonshire Council aren’t passing on a £150 cost of living payment to people who need it now.
The Scottish Government last month announced that households in council tax brackets A to D would get a one-off £150 payment.
But the SNP-led West Dunbartonshire Council last week told how this would be deducted from council tax bills rather than being given to people as a one-off lump sum. The saving would therefore be realised over a period of 10 months.
Jackie Baillie, pictured right, Dumbarton constituency MSP said: “I am furious about this and have been inundated with complaints from residents who are quite rightly aggrieved by this move from the SNP council.
“This payment is needed by households who are struggling now. Household costs are rising at astronomical rates and people are trying to pay their winter heating bills right now.
“They cannot wait to get this discount on their bill each month and it seems at odds with how the SNP government described this payment when they announced it as part of their budget.
“The Labour Party proposed a windfall tax on oil and gas industries which would put up to £600 into the pockets of households in Scotland but both the SNP and Tories voted against this.
“This is a shameful move. I have written to both the Scottish Government and West Dunbartonshire Council regarding this on behalf of hard-pressed residents who feel as though they have been promised this cash but then being told to wait for it.
“Just last week, I told how council tax arrears in West Dunbartonshire had hit £8million. With this £150 being paid into people’s council tax accounts, it won’t even be getting to those who need it but will be used towards arrears.
“There is more to be done to help people struggling with a cost of living crisis right now. A good start would be for the council to give people the help now rather than spreading it thinly over 10 months.”
It is disgraceful, the Natters are looking for votes in the upcoming local elections, and they’ll throw high street shopping vouchers & one-off payments at folk to try and get their vote.
Others who are also struggling will get nothing from them, poverty politics of the worst order.
Better Together – that was the message from Labour and the Tories.
Not quite turned out that way!
And ditto Brexit that 64% of Scots were against. And now we are all sucking it up big time. Turkeys and Christmas is very much the message.
Fuel poverty and cold houses in a country more than self sufficient in oil and gas, and now self sufficient in wind and hydro power. You couldn’t make it up could you.
I hear tonight that the cash won’t arrive until May, right on the eve of the council elections. Now that’s either brilliant timing by the SNP or else it’s bribery. In a democracy, we are allowed, or at least we’re supposed to be, to decide for ourselves. Or that was that before the days of Putin, Sturgeon and McColl.
Do people realise that many households I Strathlevrn drive are in Band c and D. These households DO Not need the £150
Why not target the right people.
Old people on low fixed incomes and families with low incomes too.