Cost-of-living crisis: Scarborough Council to assess whether it can 'heat all the rooms' amid surging energy bills

At a full meeting of the authority, councillors discussed the various implications of rising energy costs, including the impact on council services on Monday September 5.

Cllr Janet Jefferson, cabinet member for corporate resources, said that in addition to providing support to residents, the council would also be forced to examine its expenditure on energy bills.

Cllr Bill Chatt asked: “With the potential energy increases coming online now, what is the risk to this council?

“What impact, what potential costs, and do you have enough in your budget to pay for it because that is going to be the big issue now, isn’t it? We are going to find a lot of families do not have the budget for it. Does this council have the money to keep the lights on?”

Cllr Jefferson said the council has set up an internal working group to “assess the cost of energy prices, available financial contingencies, and other options to mitigate price increases”.

She added: “Consideration will also be given to any announcements from the Government this week and information will be reported to members through the financial out-turn and quarterly budget monitoring reports.

“We have to look at it seriously and [see] whether we can heat all the rooms and how we are going to do it through winter.”

So far, the council has made more than 43,000 payments of £150 to help with residents’ rising energy bills.

At the meeting, councillors urged members of the public to make sure they have applied for funding from the rebate scheme which closes at the end of September. Applications can be made via the council’s website.

Council members also called for further promotion of the scheme online and through targeted mail to ensure as many people as possible have applied for the support.

Councillors on the two scrutiny and oversight committees have also set up a working group that is seeking to promote and publicise the benefits and entitlements that are available to people.

Cllr David Jeffels, the group’s leader, said: “We need to be acting pretty quickly, rather than wait for all the bureaucracy of the system at the town hall.”