Northumberland Conservatives demand action over rising fuel costs
Northumberland Conservatives are calling on the government to take urgent action as fuel costs soar.
This comes as the RAC reported that the average price of diesel has reached a record 199.18p per litre, leaving motorists facing almost £110 to fill a 55-litre family car.
Northumberland Conservatives are calling for a three part package of support for rural communities.
They are asking the government to keep the existing 5p-a-litre fuel duty cut and look at going further to bring down prices at the pumps.
They are also asking that it extends the Rural Fuel Duty Relief Scheme to more rural postcodes across the county, and cuts VAT on domestic heating oil to provide direct help to households which cannot rely on mains gas.
Cllr Guy Renner-Thompson, Chairman of Northumberland Conservatives, said: “People across Northumberland are being hammered by the cost of fuel.
"In a rural county like ours, driving isn’t a luxury, for many people it is the only realistic way to get to work, take their children to school, attend hospital appointments or do their weekly shopping.
“But rural energy costs don't stop at the petrol pump. Many Northumberland homes are off the gas grid and depend on heating oil.
"When oil prices rise, those families have very little choice but to pay more, so we want to see VAT on domestic heating oil removed to give them direct help with their bills.
“Higher fuel costs also hit our farmers, hauliers and local businesses and ultimately feed through into the prices everyone pays.”
The Rural Fuel Duty Relief Scheme was introduced by the Conservative-led Government in 2011 to recognise the higher cost of fuel in remote communities.
It was subsequently extended in 2015 to 17 additional rural areas, including the NE48 postcode district in Northumberland.
On August 28, Conservative Party Chairman and Yorkshire MP Kevin Hollinrake formally asked the Chancellor to assess the case for reducing VAT on heating oil and LPG for households not connected to the gas grid.
The Treasury responded on September 7 but did not announce a VAT reduction, instead pointing to existing support for low-income households using heating oil.