OSWESTRY Town Council is to be asked give £5,000 to the town’s foodbank to cover any losses elderly people might feel from Labour’s decision to end winter fuel payments.

A motion from Councillor Duncan Kerr for Wednesday’s meeting is calling for the town council to officially oppose Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s plan to cut the allowance to some pensioners.

Cllr Kerr’s motion to the council also calls on any money not spent by the Beatrice Street-based store to be returned by spring next year.

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His motion stated: “I ask the clerk to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer stating that the council is completely opposed to the withdrawal of this allowance on which so many lives depend.

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“Grant £5,000 to the Oswestry and Borders Foodbank to be used specifically to set up a scheme for providing help with fuel costs for the most vulnerable elderly people this winter and returns to the council and money unspent by the spring of 2025.

“Requests that the clerk reviews the potential for savings, or for the return of grants no longer needed, to make a contribution to this expense with the remainder coming from the council reserves.

“Thanks the staff and volunteers of the Oswestry Foodbank who have once again shown their dedication, compassion and commitment to helping the most vulnerable in our community when it is most needed.”

Cllr Kerr said that, in his view, thousands of households in Oswestry are struggling to keep warm with little prospect of the situation improving soon.

He added: “This was all before the Labour Government cut the winter fuel allowance on which so many elderly people depend.

“In the light of this I have been liaising with the Oswestry and Borders Foodbank to see what action we can take locally to safeguard the most vulnerable during the coming winter.”

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Meanwhile, councillors will be asked to consider a request from Oswestry Community Games for free of charge access to Cae Glas Park for the 2025 event.

Also, if granted, then the Games will also make a further request for a grant of £1,000 to be awarded to the group their event which brings together community groups across Oswestry.

The meeting is at the Guildhall and will start at 7pm.