Dan Byles and Caroline Spelman visit Coleshill pensioners

Local pensioners this week met with Shadow Secretary of State Caroline Spelman to discuss the impact of the recession on retired people.

Mrs Spelman chatted with retired residents on Digby Road and Wingfield Road in Coleshill, before calling in to visit the volunteers who run the Coleshill Stroke Club at the Hudson Avenue Community Centre.

She was joined by Conservative County Councillor Peter Fowler, who is well known locally for starting the Coleshill Village in Bloom project.

Speaking to the Coleshill Gazette, Mrs Spelman said: “Pensioners are the forgotten victims of the recession. Many are on fixed incomes, and often rely on interest on savings built up over a lifetime of hard work. The fall in interest rates has hit them hard, and they are disproportionately affected by the rising cost of food, gas and electricity.

“That’s why the Conservatives have pledged to cut taxes for pensioners by freezing Council Tax for two years, raising pensioners personal tax allowance by £2000 and abolishing income tax on savings for basic rate taxpayers.

“These two practical measures would go a long way to ease the financial burden on local pensioners, with almost 2 million people seeing a real benefit across the West Midlands alone.”

Cllr Peter Fowler said: “Gordon Brown has spent ten years mortgaging the country to the hilt, and now he thinks he can borrow his way out of recession. He hasn’t done a thing to help retired people with the soaring cost of living, and it is our pensioners who are paying the price for Gordon Brown’s mistakes.

“That’s why I’m determined to do all I can to help pensioners in Coleshill and across North Warwickshire.”