County Council Leader praises Coalfield Communities Campaign

Rex Toft, the Leader of Cumbria County Council, has today paid tribute to the Coalfield Community's Campaign's success in securing over £750,000 for Cumbrian retired miners on low pensions. Councillor Toft explains: 

"I was very pleased to hear that in the last twelve months the Coalfield Communities Campaign has secured the payment of over £750,000 to retired miners in Cumbria who are living on low pensions. 

There has for some time been a surplus in the Miners Pension Fund and the Coalfield Communities Campaign has been very active in convincing Government to make additional payments to those miners on low pensions. 

It is hoped that these payments are just the beginning. There are very large sums in the coal industry pension scheme, as much as £3.5 billion, earmarked for the Treasury but the Campaign aims to steer more of this money to the pensioners themselves. 

Despite their success the Campaign firmly believes that they are many more retired miners who could benefit and they will be pressing the case with the Treasury in coming weeks."