State pension campaigners slate council
The Tory and Labour- led council approved the highest possible increase at a tense meeting in County Buildings - as they laid their budget on the table.
But there is still £ 5million of reserves in the pot.
The opposition SNP group ‘ Shame on You.’
That was the wounded battle cry of fuming ladies who stormed out of South Ayrshire Council headquarters after councillors failed to hear their call for help.
About 20 females from the Women Against State Pension Inequality ( WASPI) had packed into the public seating at the full council meeting on Thursday.
Their simple request was for chief executive Eileen Howat to write to the UK Government about females working until the age of 65. An indifferent snub from the majority of councillors left them reeling. In retaliation they shouted: ‘ shame on you all, shame, shame,’ as they angrily retreated from the chambers.
Another lady hollered: “What does your crest say? Never forget the people. That is us.”
Other comments included: “An election is coming” and “you Tory lot of idiots.”
They want a fairer transition of the state pension changes.
A statement from WASPI said all they wanted was a “show of support.”
It added: “The WASPI ladies are aggrieved, outraged and deeply hurt that this council would not support them in their campaign to right this injustice, in the way in which so many other councils have shown support for the women in their areas.
“The decision of the Tory and Labour Administration not to allow the WASPI Motion to be heard again illustrates that their political alliance is more important than recognising the serious injustice and the financial and emotional difficulties caused to these women by the changes in their pension arrangements.”
SNP local leader Allan Dorans tried to put forward a motion asking the council to support the women at the meeting. It was knocked back by 17 to 11.
But the Labour group have sent out a release, saying they also support the women.
Leader John McDowall said: “The Labour Group of South Ayrshire Council strongly supports the campaign by the Women Against State Pension Inequality who are currently lobbying the UK Government and the DWP to introduce fair transitional state pension arrangements and has previously written to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in support of this campaign.”