Need for Shrewsbury warm rooms scheme 'scary and deplorable'

Fears over the cost of living crisis have seen many people pledge to not turn their heating on this winter. The situation has prompted Shrewsbury Town Council to unanimously back a motion to pledge £5,000 to support warm spaces for the public to go.

Radbrook councillor Chris Lemon put forward the motion for the project, which was pioneered in Suffolk. It involves churches, community centres and various other public places opening their doors to give people who cannot afford to have their heating on a place to keep warm. Councillor Lemon's fellow councillors supported the idea, and took the opportunity to speak on the cost of living and energy bills situation.

Council leader Alan Mosley said it was "deplorable" that in one of the richest countries in the world, we're going to have to send people to "sit around in churches and community centres to get warm".

Copthorne councillor Rob Wilson said: "It's scary, really, really scary. People are already turning their heating off and the temperatures are dropping."

Belle Vue councillor Kate Halliday said that a survey had shown one in four people have decided not to put their heating on this winter.

"That's going to be devastating for vulnerable people," she added.

She said she had put a question to Shropshire Council's cabinet to ask if the unitary authority will run warm rooms.

Meole's Bernie Bentick said he "strongly supports" the motion and suggested upping the £5,000 pledge. It was decided, however, to keep it at £5,000, with money mainly used to help publicise the project, and wait for the Government's announcement of support measures regarding energy bills.

Councillor Lemon's motion read: "We know that many of our residents are facing a financial crisis this winter with the huge increase in fuel bills coupled with general inflation which hits those on low incomes hardest. Often these same residents will also struggle with social isolation. It is clear that the help being provided by the government is not enough to enable families on low incomes to keep their homes warm.

"In recognition of this a number of councils are setting up ‘warm rooms’; a project pioneered in Bungay, Suffolk, which offers free, warm spaces in the town for people to spend time in. The project allows them to save money on their heating bills and also guard against loneliness. Other places are making the offer of warm rooms with activities including mother and toddler groups or games mornings. Pressure has also be mounting on government to provide funding for such initiatives.

"Shrewsbury Town Council does not have any suitable sites of its own for such a project, but we would welcome a such an initiative in our town. We ask town council officers to take the initiative to set up discussions with local hospitality businesses, community and voluntary sector organisations and officers representing key Shropshire Council sites in the town (including the library, the museum and Shirehall) with a view to establishing a similar project and with the aim to offer a range of sites, activities and times across the week during the coming Winter. We agree to commit £5,000 to help publicise and resource such a project.

"We further call on Shropshire Council to lead on and support initiatives to provide warm and welcome spaces for those struggling to keep their homes warm due to the price of energy during the coming winter across the county."