'People are wrapping up in blankets, scared to put the heating on'

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Salford council has rejected calls to open more warm spaces in the city's public buildings. The borough’s Conservative opposition group asked to set up new warm hubs for residents who may be struggling to keep warm or find it difficult to travel to existing facilities.

During a council meeting at Salford Civic Centre on January 15, they called to make use of libraries, community centres, and gateways to set up more hubs for people to escape the cold weather.

This would involve using volunteers to ‘help people access these warm spaces either by walking with them or using other methods of transport.’ Coun Robin Garrido said there are people in the city who are 'wrapping up in blankets because they are scared of putting their heating on' as temperatures drop below zero some evenings.

The motion also demanded that the council writes to the Chancellor to share concerns about recent changes to winter fuel payments, which the Conservatives claimed 'is having a significant and detrimental effect' on people's ability to heat their homes.