Allan Smith

Last week's budget was a good one for North Lincolnshire's pensioners. The announcement that fuel benefits will rise from £200 to £250 for those aged 60 and over and from £300 to £400 for those over 80 must be welcomed.

Introduced by the Labour government I am delighted they have not only honoured their commitment but also recognised fuel bills have increased and made appropriate allowances to ensure our elderly residents are not disadvantaged.

I was delighted to read the minimum wage is to go up again in October when it will be £5.73 per hour. When the minimum wage was first introduced by the Labour government in 1998 the adult rate stood at £3.60 and it has risen at a rate above inflation every year.

That is a 60 per cent increase since the scheme started and is vindication for those who backed it in the early days. Critics said it would lead to the loss of millions of jobs but the opposite has happened.  It has been a real success story and made a massive difference to low-paid workers.

I was on the council in 1998 when many of the Tories who are still with us today voted against the idea of a minimum wage. I would hope they could now put politics aside and recognise how vital it is for so many people.

After attending the special fire meeting held at Pittwood House last month I wanted to write about the sheer hypocrisy shown by members of the Conservative group.  As members of the Fire Brigade Union (FBU) cheered some of the comments made by the Tories, I would like to inform union members just how anti-trade union they are. This is the same group who, just over a year ago, failed to back members of North Lincolnshire Council staff by walking across a picket line.  Where was their support then?  Are they simply backing the FBU now to try and score cheap political points?

I would ask the Conservative group to tell us how many of their councillors are members of trade unions?  They are very anti-trade union and it is hypocritical of them to say they support the FBU when they are against the whole idea of unions.