Dundee City Council is first local authority in Scotland to declare cost of living emergency

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Dundee councillors have declared the city to be in a cost of living crisis caused by spiralling food and energy prices. Members of all parties agreed Monday evening to back a motion put forward by newly elected Scottish Liberal Democrat councillor, Daniel Coleman.

The motion, tabled at the council’s Policy and Resources Committee, catalogued the current financial pressures already squeezing city residents and outlined further economic problems on the horizon.

The city council will now call on the UK government to cut the standard VAT rate from 20% to 17.5%.Councillors claimed such a move would save the average Dundee household £600 this year.Additionally, the council will ask for a reintroduction of triple-lock protection on pensions, and backdating payments to match.As the motion was agreed, council leader John Alexander, of the SNP, said: “We are all very concerned across the chamber.“It is an accumulative effect [from] the various elements [such as] food, energy, pensions, a Universal Credit cut, [and] Brexit.“[The declaration is] a sticking plaster on an acute crisis; we all have to play our part.”Scottish Labour councillor Kevin Keenan expressed his sense of frustration in tackling the long and significant list of financial woes.He said: “There are limited resources for what a council can do.

With electricity prices going up by a cricket score, what levers can we move around?”Among chief concerns are the average annual cost of pre-pay energy bills, which are set to rise by £708, and a further rise in the energy price cap in October from £1,971 to almost £2,800.DundeeLive brings you the latest headlines from Dundee and beyond.But did you know you all the ways you can stay informed with us?You can get our top