Pboro pet owners may be forced to give up their pets as #CostOfLivingCrisis continues!

Across the country, dog and cat owners are being forced to give away their beloved pets, as the cost of living crisis grips the nation, and food and vet bills increase.

Thousands of people in Peterborough own some form of pet, and some households have several creatures.

The average price of dog food is 16.75% higher than it was this time last year!

Therefore, as the price of consumables continues to increase, it is no surprise to read that some individuals are now reaching a point where they cannot afford to keep their animals.

Of course, the other problem is, there’s no real government support for such situations, animal charities are already overstretched and right now, no one seems to be coming up with a solution?

What does the Dogs Trust say?

The Dogs Trust charity, recently published some research, discovered 68% of dog owners in the UK feel worried, to some extent, about how they will care for their dog in the next year.

“We know from the experience of the 2008 recession that the economic crisis can and will lead to people needing to give up their beloved dogs. Sadly, many loving dog owners simply won’t be able to afford to keep them.”

Owen Sharp, Dogs Trust CEO

Elsewhere, the RSPCA has pointed out that in 2021, they took 20,188 (55 a day) cats into its care and received 53,388 complaints.

They have also highlighted there’s a shortage of vets and with an increase in pet ownership over the pandemic, many practices are now under a lot of pressure with waiting lists for procedures.

What about the Council?

Sadly, the City Council no longer employs their own dog wardens, and therefore relies on private companies or charities to deal with animal welfare.

The Council have provided some information, which you can read via here!

As always, I’d be keen to hear your thoughts on this matter, so please feel free to post below!

READ MORE ……

• Britain on ‘brink of animal welfare crisis’ as owners unable to afford pet food
• The RSPCA has seen an influx of rabbits as a result of the cost of living issues and fears that coupled with the kitten season, cat numbers could be set to grow to the same worrying levels.

Peterborough Workers need an increase in wages!

Pockets in Pboro are empty!

There are now very few people in our city who are not feeling the impact of the Cost of Living Crisis and things are only set to get worse! 

What we need to see is a reversal of the real-term wage losses that took place during the Tories’ era of austerity.

Prices are continuing to rise at their fastest rate for 40 years with food costs, particularly for bread, cereal and meat, climbing.

“I fully support the TUC’s call for an increase in wages, with public sector increases being funded by the Treasury.”

Things are getting bad for people!

With every passing day, without proper action from the Government, more and more people are falling behind on their rent, their mortgage payments. Their ability to afford fuel or energy bills is dwindling. Whilst, food costs are now increasing by up to 40% on some items.

Sadly, it also means more and more people using payday loan websites and credit cards to sustain their situation.

We need an Emergency Budget!

We are in a state of emergency, and we need proper, firm action from the Government.

We need the Conservatives to sit down with Trade Unions, organisations like Citizens Advice etc and agree a plan that will actually help people over the next two years.

We need an increase in the minimum wage, we need an increase in Universal Credit, we need public sector wages to at least keep pace with inflation,  and recognise the need to restore real wage losses from years of austerity.

Leading politicians have already suggested restoring the £20 uplift to Universal Credit, with some arguing it should be doubled by £40 per week!

What about the wealthy?

“During the Covid pandemic, the richest 10% of households enjoyed an estimated increase in wealth of £50,000 each on average.”

We also need to recognise that expecting 80% of the population to take the strain, while ignoring the 20% who have never been better off, is economic insanity.

Hence, we need to increase tax on the wealthiest, which in turn will tackle rising inequality and support those on lowest incomes.

Why should we care?

The longer the Government sits on its hands, the bigger the impact down the line on society as a whole.

Equally, businesses who rely on customers to buy and spend, will be affected in the next 2 months, as more people tighten their belts.

Many people are now getting used to not going out for drinks, meals, clothes shopping or popping to the DIY store and purchasing items for jobs that “could do” with being done.

The Tories talk about levelling up, well if they are serious, then we must see a redistribution of wealth and a boost to incomes of the poorest and most in need.

What about some action?

• If you use Twitter and live in the Peterborough constituency, why not touch/click this link – https://ctt.ac/_Ub66 – to ask what our MP is doing to help? 
• If you prefer to email you MP, then you can do so, via www.writetothem.com

Up to 2,000 #Pboro people a week now reliant on Foodbanks!

Peterborough charity Food for Nought, recently told the BBC, the need of people had been “doubling weekly”.

Cocoa Fowler, founder of Peterborough charity Food

“Every community fridge or centre is saying that, within an hour or two of our delivery, they are running out of food,”

Mr Fowler, who formed the Food for Nought

Louise Roe, of the Paston Farm Community Foundation also reported seeing numbers of people in need doubling, compared to before the pandemic.

Peterborough’s Paul Bristow MP (right), who got a £2k pay rise the other month, and has been claiming his £1500 a month rent on expenses!

Just saying ….

For me, one aspect that angers me so much, is just who some of the people are, who now rely on Foodbanks!

People who have worked constantly, for decades, duly paying their taxes, now reliant on these charitable food handouts.

People, who only a year ago were working as Key Workers, people who have served in the forces and plenty of people, who are still working!

Yet the “system“, the same one that can afford a a new £200 million royal yacht (named for Prince Philip), cannot afford to provide sufficient support for the aforementioned citizens!

And not forgetting, City Councillors in Peterborough get paid more than ever before in history, as do our Members of Parliament, both of whom enjoyed pay rises this year!

The situation in our city is now unacceptable and yet, little or nothing is being done by the City Council or our MPs!

Additional reading

• Four in five Black people have less than £1,500 in savings to cope with Tory cost of living crisis
• A million more disabled people trapped in poverty under the Conservatives as cost of living crisis bites

“It’s just the constant worry,” #CostOfLivingCrisis in #Pboro

A report by the BBC, says the government understands “the pressures” faced by families on tighter budgets and is taking action.

“Well whatever they are doing, I personally do not know what it is, and I guarantee it’s not enough!”

I mean, the rising cost of living is a pain in the rear for most of us, but imagine the impact on families of children with disabilities, who’s fuel and energy bills were already higher than for most others?

A Peterborough parent

A fully qualified Registered Mental Health Nurse, who cares for her autistic daughter, Nazreen Bibi told the BBC, “It’s just the constant worry. It’s not just one thing – it’s the cost of fuel, the cost of bills, the cost of food and the rising council tax.”

• Nazreen has been supported by the charity Family Voice Peterborough.

Commenting on the Governments claims of action, Ms Bibi, said, “It’s just putting a plaster on it, it doesn’t solve the problem.”

My thoughts

I find the approach of the Tory Government to be disgusting, and its been that way for a decade!

People with disabilities have been hit the hardest, with previous reports showing 46% of all those who moved from old system DLA to Personal Independence Payments (PIP) lost out financially!

In 2019, the Daily Mirror reported some 351,000 former DLA claimants had payments stopped altogether after PIP was launched in 2013 and another 306,000 people had payments decreased!

And yet, here in Peterborough, we have a Tory MP, who’s been claiming £1500 a month on expenses to pay for his rent, has claimed hundreds of pounds for his petrol and enjoyed a £2000 pay rise, just a few weeks ago!

Something seriously needs to change …..

To read the full BBC article, simply visit here!

Foodbank use surges in our city!

Figures from the Trussell Trust, show that the city’s 4 foodbanks gave out 10,499 food parcels between April 1st 2021 to March 31st this year.

Foodbank Facts

• In the final year of the Labour government in 2009/10, Britain’s foodbank network had 57 outlets open.
• In February 2021, there were 2200 food banks in the UK! (Source)
• This means there are now more foodbanks than McDonald’s restaurants (1300) in Britain!

Local charity Foohttps://foodfornought.org/d for Nought, is working hard to help local people!

A recent BBC article has reported how Peterborough charity Food for Nought stated, “The need grows daily. We are feeding about 1,500 to 2,000 people a week and that is growing.“

• REMEMBER – On 1st April 2022, MPs got a £2,200 pay rise!

Peterborough’s MP

Strangely, Paul Bristow MP has said little or nothing about the Cost Of Living Crisis on his various social media platforms (similar to his position RE: PartyGate)?

Yet he has been happily vocal about beer …

I joined over 100 Conservative MPs asking the Chancellor to freeze beer duty in the last budget 🍺 we did it! 👍

Received an invite from the Parliamentary Group on Beer to come and pick up this glass to mark the victory 😊

Going to put it behind the bar in a #Peterborough pub. pic.twitter.com/4sEoPIbcMc

— Paul Bristow MP (@paulbristow79) March 9, 2022

What do I think?

I think the people behind foodbanks are hugely undervalued, but conversely, I wish that they had no reason to do it!

Sadly, over the last decade, our society has become divided and deprived by the Government and senior politicians.

As a result, more and more people are now finding themselves reliant upon foodbanks in our city.

I can only hope that sooner, rather than later, the people stand up for themselves on such matters, as you cannot simply rely upon elected individuals to resolve such issues, and you must take responsibility and proudly say, “enough is enough!“

Do you need help?

If you need help with food, please visit the Peterborough Foodbank website and remember if you are on universal credit, you can also ask your advisor for a voucher, but these are restricted to 4 every six months!

Peterborough Foodbank fed over 9,355 people during 2021!

Council’s financial “hypocrisy” during #CostOfLivingCrisis!

• Standards of Living are set to fall at the fastest rate since records began in the mid-1950s.
• Food and energy prices have increased but wages and benefits fail to keep pace with the rising bills.
• Office for Budget Responsibility has predicted real household incomes will fall by 2.2% this year.

Important to remember!

If you’re struggling financially, then in 99% of cases, its NOT your fault!

What about the politicians?

The Conservative City Council have already voted to make stringent cuts to services and support for local people!

• This year, during a time of hardship, the the Council put forward a pay rise for City Councillors.
• Two political parties failed to vote against this ridiculous idea; the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives!

The Councils finances

If you feel like you have somehow failed financially, chances are its not your fault in the slightest!

This is not the case when it comes to the financial chaos at Peterborough City Council!

Don’t forget that the Council employs lots of people with lots of qualifications, including in finance, and there’s lots of well paid staff with fancy titles and alleged “expertise”!

Yet, one of the ONLY reasons the Council is still in existence, is because it got a multi-million pound handout from the Government. A Tory Government, handing out cash to a Tory Council, yet they don’t like “handing” money to people in need?

Councillors, on top of their allowances, continue to hand themselves hundreds of thousands of £’s in what they call Special Responsibility Allowances!

In total the Government offered £20m to cover the Town Hall gap in finances.

Leader of the City Council, Cllr Wayne Fitzgerald has already said another bailout might be required!

The financial situation got so bad last year at PCC, that they received a firm letter from the Minister for levelling up communities, Kemi Badenoch.

On top of that, the Government have sent in a team of local government experts into the Tory controlled Council, including Chief Executive of Southwark Council, Eleanor Kelly who is expected to chair the group. Members of this team are being paid £800-900 per person, per day!

Oh! And while the Council bemoan cuts to their annual government grant, they also fail to point out that the amounts of business rates they can collect have been significantly increased in recent years, but because they are rubbish at collecting them, its not really helped!

So remember

If an organisation like the City Council, with its experts and councillors with experience in “business”, cannot balance the books, how can people like you and me be expected to do so smoothly?

Tory leader of the Council, Wayne Fitzgerald, has previously suggested people consider how many children they have, to save money!

“Of most concern is the inclusion of amounts for an increase in Council Tax above the statutory level for which there is no agreement. The Council also has limited reserves to support them through the MTFS period and at the end of 2019/20 had the lowest ratio of reserves to service expenditure of any of the Council’s Near Neighbours. In summary there is a significant risk that the Council will not be able to balance its budget over the period of the MTFS.”

– Peterborough City Council: external assurance review

Further reading

• City council finance chief resigns and committee chairman leaves Conservatives
• Consultants will be brought in to help Peterborough City Council solve financial crisis

Poorer families should have fewer children!?

Following the illogical decision to end the £20 uplift of Universal Credit, Cllr Wayne Fitzgerald, the leader of the Tory controlled City Council, nobly decided to offer his narrow outlook on life, to the local media.

During the interview he suggested, if households were finding it tough, they should look at “how many children they have“.

Don’t worry about the facts

Anyone with the slightest understanding of those who rely on welfare support, realise that this is an insult to those people who are working or are justifiably unable to do so!

The governments own figures show that 40% of claimants are already working!

In the early part of this year, it was reported that the number of people claiming Universal Credit in the city, was around 26,309, a rise of 98% since March 2020!

Lest we forget, a couple of years ago, Cllr Fitzgerald voted himself a pay rise of 25%

In my opinion ….

The whole comment is utterly ridiculous and makes as much sense as suggesting any parent, who’s child ends up as a drug addict, should then pay more tax, to cover the cost of the drug therapy their son or daughter has received!?

#CostOfLivingCrisis affecting 1000’s in Pboro!

Whether it’s paying for fuel, food or bills, thousands more people in Peterborough are feeling the affects of the cost of living crisis!

There have already been several protests in the city!

This week, the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, finally admitted, Britain’s cost-of-living crisis is “going to get worse”.

What are the Council doing?

When it comes to the response of the City Council, it appears they are wholly dependent on the Government and lacking in any real initiatives themselves?

This despite the fact that Councillors voted themselves a pay rise a few weeks ago and now get paid more than ever before!

Even the Council’s ‘Household Support Fund‘ ran out in a matter days and we’re still waiting for it to reopen!

Oh! And let’s not forget, for no reason whatsoever our Chief Executive of the Council gets paid more than the Prime Minister!

Facebook user?

If you are a user of Facebook, I would add that there is a dedicated Facebook group regarding the cost of living crisis in our city, and you can join it via THIS LINK!

Campaigners in Cathedral Square, Peterborough.

What about the Government?

Instead of addressing this crisis Sunak has simply set out an agenda for tax cuts directed at big business and the rich.

Workers will have lower real wages, including public sector wages the government directly controls. So will anyone on a state pension, or all those struggling on benefits.

In stark contrast, Peterborough’s MP, enjoyed a pay rise of over £2,000 the other week and now “struggles” by on £7,000 a month.

• Oh! And if you didn’t already know, he’s been claiming £1500 a month on expenses for his rent, along with hundreds of £’s for petrol …….!

Worth Noting:

Inflation is set to peak near 9% later this year and energy bills, which have already shot up by £693 a year on April 1, are set to rise again in October.

A locally based charity, Food for Nought, that distributes excess food from supermarkets to food banks across Peterborough has warned of an increasing demand – because of the cost of living crisis. They are already delivering over 1,000 meals a week across the city, which is four times more than pre-pandemic.

Is Peterborough still Britain’s number one debt hotspot?

Earlier this year, it was reported, household debt had reached a new peak, with UK homes now owing an average of £15,385 to credit card firms, banks and other lenders.

The TUC, said household debt rose sharply in 2018 as years of austerity and wage stagnation forced households to increase their borrowing.

Did YOU know?

In 2014, Peterborough was named, as one of the cities with HIGHEST levels of personal debt of anyone in the country.

What does Darren think?

These recent findings show the true cost of a lost decade of earnings under the Tories.

Workers should not have to pay for the Tories’ failed economic ideology by taking on unsustainable debt, and deserve a wage that covers the essentials.

Labour Party Manifesto 2019 pledged to tackle the problem of spiralling debt and end the crisis of low pay, raising the minimum wage to at least £10 an hour and making sure it applies to all workers over 16. It’s a shame they did not get the chance to enact it.

Food bank use in Peterborough ‘up 50% in a year’

Rise in food bank use due to “significant problems” with Tories Universal Credit.

Woman in the 5th 🇬🇧 richest country on the planet … talks about using 🍞🥫☕️ #FoodBanks.

➡️ Food banks in the #Peterborough constituency have seen a 50% rise 📈 in demand ☹️ in the past year❗️ pic.twitter.com/UMdgFkRv8C

— Darren Fower #VoteLabour 🌹🦁 (@Darren_Fower) November 5, 2019

What will Labour do?

🌹 Labour will ensure that everyone in the UK has a Right to Food by enshrining it in UK law, in a new Fair Food Act.
🌹 Labour will set a target of ending the need for food banks altogether.
🌹 A £6m Access to Food Fund will be established to kick start the development of local community food plans in the 50 most food deprived areas of the country.

👍🏽 Join the local LABOUR party for as little as £2.17 a month: https://join.labour.org.uk