On 16 August, Helen Morgan wrote to Greg Clark, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities calling for action to protect those who will not be able to afford to heat their homes this winter. She has also written to Shropshire Council leader Lezley Picton:

Places like libraries and leisure centres could easily be adapted to provide a safe space for people to sit and keep warm during the day, at no extra cost to the tax payer.

Community Heating Hubs are simple, easily implemented and could be a literal lifeline for some households this winter.

In her letter to Greg Clark, Morgan said the country faces a cost of living emergency. She urges him to tackle the emergency this winter by requiring all local authorities to provide Community Heating Hubs, making public buildings available to those who can’t afford to keep their heating on at home.

I’m hoping you will wake this zombie government and take action to help the millions of people being pushed towards poverty by the cost of living emergency. Please ask all local authorities to take this simple step.

The letter to Greg Clark

The Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Dear Secretary of State,

Community Heating Hubs to tackle the cost of living emergency. This winter the country faces a cost of living emergency.

Our local communities will need to work together to ensure that people are kept and warm and safe.

I’m writing to urge you to tackle the emergency this winter, by requiring all local authorities to provide Community Heating Hubs, making their public spaces available to those who can’t afford to keep their heating on at home.

Many local authorities run libraries and leisure centres which could easily be adapted to provide a safe space for people to sit and keep warm during the day, at no extra cost to the tax payer.

Community Heating Hubs could be a literal lifeline for some households this winter.

I’m aware that some Town Councils have already committed to similar plans, and that some libraries have offered ‘cool spaces’ during the heatwave. They’ve helped people struggling with the weather, and raised interest in the services on offer.

Community Heating Hubs are simple and cost effective. Local authorities can implement them quickly.

I’ve been shocked by the lack of ideas from the Government as crisis looms. In fact, I’ve heard nothing on this emergency from any Minister, while the Prime Minister takes his second foreign holiday of the summer, and the party leadership contestants bicker over the culture war.

We’ve heard nothing on cancelling the energy price cap hike, nothing on helping the small business that face ruin because of spiralling energy costs, and nothing on helping communities to get through the winter.

So I’m hoping you will wake this zombie government and take action to help the millions of people being pushed towards poverty by the cost of living emergency. Please ask all local authorities to take this simple step.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

Helen Morgan MP

Member of Parliament for North Shropshire. Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Levelling Up, Housing, Communities and Local Government

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