East Riding Council’s economy portfolio holder has called for action to help struggling locals meet the rising cost of living.
East Riding Council’s Economy portfolio holder Cllr Jane Evison said the fallout from Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic risked increasing prices to a point where goods become unaffordable for some.
She added the authority, town and parish councils and local communities must do more to help and urged any struggling locals to contact the East Riding for aid.
The portfolio holder’s comments come as she is set to raise the mounting cost of living at East Riding Council’s next full meeting on Wednesday, November 17.
Cllr Evison’s motion calls for support and advice to be offered to locals under pressure from what she said was a dramatic rise in the prices of essentials.
Her motion comes after petrol and diesel prices broke previous record highs on Tuesday, reaching 144.9p and 148.9p respectively on Tuesday.
A total of 17 energy companies have gone bust since September, including four in one day earlier this month, following a surge in demand in gas and electricity after lockdown.
Yearly food price inflation hit 2.1 per cent last month, the highest rate since August 2020 according to retail analysts Kantar.
Prices are continuing to rise and shortages remain as the effects of the pandemic continue to disrupt global supply chains and cause labour shortages exacerbated by Brexit.
Cllr Evison said price rises meant many East Riding households were now just about managing.
She added it could leave some having to chose between buying food and heating their homes as winter approaches.
The portfolio holder said:
“We’re all aware of the situation with the cost of living, we feel it every time we go to fill up our car or to the shops.
“While we all feel it, but for some people it will be a huge thing and will leave them making difficult choices.
“And we’re aware things will get more difficult as we get into winter and to Christmas, it’s an expensive time of year and things will be unaffordable for some.
“We’ve had the double hit of Brexit and coronavirus.
“Brexit on it’s own would have been enough to make things unstable but coronavirus has made it worse.
“Things will settle down as they always do, but in the meantime I’d like to see communities responding as they did at the start of the pandemic, people need to look after each other.
“I represent a rural area and there are people there who are struggling who might not even recognise they are or that they can get help.
“I want people to know there is help to be had, at the council there are officers working on issues like fuel poverty.
“We also have grants we can use to help households struggling with things like paying council tax.
“Sometimes people struggling with their budgets are reluctant to ask for help, but even if you just don’t have a laptop please contact us and we will try to support you.”
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