Watford Borough Council will put pressure on central Government to ensure vulnerable residents receive cold weather payments in line with other Hertfordshire towns.

As reported in the Watford Observer two weeks ago, the £25 payments are triggered each time the average temperature falls below zero degrees Celsius over seven consecutive days.

However, while residents in St Albans and Hemel Hempstead have both received three payments this winter, those in Watford have only received one.

This is due to the locations of the weather stations responsible for measuring the temperatures for each postcode. Watford takes readings from Heathrow, while those for St Albans and Hemel Hempstead are taken in Andrewsfield and High Wycombe respectively.

At last night's full council meeting, a motion proposed by Councillor Kareen Hastrick (Liberal Democrat) to write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and Watford MP Claire Ward for an immediate review of the cold weather payments system won unanimous support.

She said: “Watford's vulnerable community should not be unfairly treated in this way. We must put pressure on central Government to change its system sooner rather than later.”

The system was also criticised by councillors for being too rigid regarding temperature and the seven-day period.

Councillor Zoe McQuire (Conservative) said: “If Watford is part of the eastern region, it seems reasonable the meteorological office should be within the eastern regional assembly. We know town centres and Heathrow can be one, two or three degrees warmer than we are.”

Councillor Steve Rackett (Green) added: “We would like to see a sliding scale so there's some benefit to older people when there is a two or three day cold snap or when the temperature is just above freezing. Not only is the situation with weather stations quite ridiculous, they also have to look at more flexibility.”

Labour councillor Nigel Bell stressed the Government had provided winter fuel payments and other benefits for vulnerable people in the past 13 years.

He added: “I have sympathy with Councillor Hastrick's motion and many people in the town. Claire Ward had certainly taken this up long before the Liberal Democrats raised this.

“She has asked the minister to review it. It does seem illogical. It's wrong to imply the Government is not delivering real support to vulnerable people during the cold weather.”

Meanwhile, Labour councillor Jagtar Dhindsa said “lessons should be learned” after many roads in Watford were left ungritted during the recent freezing weather.

He also called for more salt bins to be places on street corners, to allow residents to help grit pathways and pavements.

He said: “We should learn lessons and be better geared for next time. The conditions were like a skating rink.”

Mayor Dorothy Thornhill said: “There were clearly issues. The bottom line is we ran out of salt [nationally]. Imagine our surprise when they (Hertfordshire County Council) told us to conserve grit and we cannot grit the town centre. What it's highlighted is we expect this type of weather will be normal and we need to get our act together a bit more.

“Salt bins are not filled up because the county council feels they are abused. We feel our hands are tied. Certainly there's roads in Watford where I think salt bins are the answer and we should fight cynicism that people will nick it for their drives. I think responsible communities will act responsibly.”