More funding for Burgess Hill warm hubs

The concept of warm hubs as a free space you can visit to avoid getting cold in your own home is even more important in the current weather, with estimates that over three million households are not able to afford to keep their home warm. I was pleased to Chair the Town Council’s Grants Awards Panel last night which agreed to fund the Mustard Seed Café, Mid Sussex Voluntary Action and Community Transport Sussex to enable them to provide additional warm hubs and free transport. We also agreed to provide additional support for the work of The King’s Church and the previous meeting provided funding for Burgess Hill Pantry, St Andrew’s Church and Age UK West Sussex.

This contrasts with the last Mid Sussex District Council meeting when the Conservative controlled council was requested to step up to the plate and provide additional funding, not least because many voluntary organisations are suffering from additional costs to fund their existing operations let alone fund new initiatives. Now more than ever is the time to supporting those least well off in our communities.

Of course ideally their would be no need for warm hubs but with energy prices soaring, and the lack of action nationally in focusing support for energy costs on those who need it most, as well as failing to tackle an energy market that gives us one of the highest costs in Europe, this is unfortunately likely to be a continuing need.

Snow day

Drove round the ward this morning and major routes including Maple Drive and Mill Road which have been gritted (but be extremely careful of the Leylands Road junction with Mill Road – at least one accident already), as usual it’s the slopes on the side roads such as Noel Rise, Petworth Drive and Packham Way that are worse, although still accessible it is easier driving down than trying to get traction driving up the worse slopes so take alternative routes where possible. Gritted routes are here.

Support for Burgess Hill warm hubs

Burgess Hill Town Council have recognised the need for support to residents during the coming winter months.  £25,000 has been allocated as a grant fund for local community groups to apply for funding for either food or warm hubs.  Many people are struggling due to increased prices, and even with the energy cap, gas and electricity costs have nearly doubled in the last year. The Liberal Democrat controlled Town Council is doing its bit to help the residents of Burgess Hill; and with the increased demand for services like the food bank (where demand for the first six months of this year has already exceeded that of last year), anything that can be done in terms of energy costs and supporting organisations providing residents with ‘warm hubs’, should be done.

A Warm Hub can be any community building and will provide a warm and friendly environment for people to socialise over refreshments and take part in activities. A hub could also provide information and support to help people stay warm at home, learn how to heat their homes more efficiently and reduce their energy bills, as well as find out about other local support and local services.  Applications are now open for organisations seeking support to provide these services.

Town Council support for Cost-of-Living Emergency

Councillors at last night’s Town Council meeting supported a Liberal Democrat proposal to establish a Cost-of-Living Emergency Fund to provide local support for those in need, such as the Foodbank, The Pantry and to promote warm hubs where people can come to keep warm or buy some hot food. I also proposed that this included setting up a “Fuelbank” in Burgess Hill to provide emergency support for those on prepayment meters who are disconnected.

Councillors also backed my condemnation of a Conservative government that is pushing through tax cuts for millionaires whilst ordinary people are suffering the biggest squeeze on their incomes for many decades, with government policies actively increasing inflation and interest rates to levels that will be unaffordable to many.

Our local Conservative MP Mims Davies is happy to support these proposals with the cost borne by future taxpayers, and the likelihood is that essential services such as the NHS and care for the elderly will be cut to help pay for them. Liberal Democrats would have funded the energy rebate by a windfall tax on the energy companies and provided support for ordinary people not the rich.