Conservative councillors reject proposals for winter ‘warm rooms’ in Nottinghamshire’s public buildings and libraries

The scheme has been brought in by several other councils across the country in a bid to help people struggling to heat their homes amid surging energy costs.

Under the proposals, put forward by the Labour Group on Nottinghamshire Council, public buildings like libraries would be open for longer during winter months to offer struggling residents warm places to go.

However, the ruling Conservative Group voted the proposals down at the latest full council meeting.

Coun Ben Bradley MP, council leader, member for Mansfield North and Mansfield MP, said the policy would ‘not be the best use of limited funds’ and different forms of support would be provided instead.

However, Labour and Independent Alliance councillors voted in favour of the proposal and spoke of the hardship some residents across Nottinghamshire are experiencing.

Coun Paul Henshaw, Labour member for Mansfield West, who proposed the motion, said: “When we look at the number of people going to be affected by fuel poverty and the cost-of-living emergency, the figures are stark and frightening.

“Why haven’t we, at least, asked the council officers to look at this and report on whether a similar proposal might work here?

“That’s all we’re asking, let’s look at it and see whether we can do something.

“It’s effective action to support people. We need to accept there is a cost-of-living emergency and we have – and I don’t use this word lightly – a moral responsibility to act.”

Coun Jason Zadrozny,Independent Alliance group leader, member for Ashfields and Ashfield Council leader, said: “Members of the public are pretty scared and I speak to people who are in work and scared about the bills they’ve got to pay.

“They are in the dark about what may come to help them. They want to know, literally, what they can do to pay their bills.”

However, the Conservatives did not support the idea of ‘warm rooms’ and believed funding would be better spent on helping people with ‘direct action’.

They pointed to the Household Support Fund, specifically for those struggling most with their bills – the authority is expecting £5.6 million it can use to support families, including low-income households and those with children on free school meals.

Coun John Cottee, portfolio holder for communities, also believed the ‘warm rooms’ scheme was not required, because it’s ‘already provided’ through the county’s network of 60 libraries.

He said: “We already have these, but don’t happen to call them ‘warm rooms’, because this would imply it’s their only purpose.

“Rather, we have open, free-to-use public buildings such as our libraries and we still have 60 libraries located in communities across Nottinghamshire.

“We realised many years ago the future of our libraries was far more than just lending books.

“They are spaces where people can read, meet and socialise, and enjoy a range of activities while in a warm, well-lit and comfortable environment.

“We don’t need to rename facilities as ‘warm rooms’ for a few months, but if people want to use them as warm rooms, then that’s what they can be.”

Councillors voted the motion down by 32 votes to 23.