Wakefield Council urges residents to sign TV licence petition

Council leader Peter Box has backed the move and a petition by charity Age UK, which has already gathered more than half a million signatures, to reverse the decision.

Coun Box said: “I fully support the Wakefield Express campaign as we both have a common goal to ensure that TV licences can remain free of charge to our residents who are over 75s.

MORE: CAMPAIGN: Age UK charity calls to end the ‘madness’ of TV licence changes for over 75s“The government has broken its manifesto commitment to continue to fund TV licences by passing the responsibility to the BBC without providing the funding to support it. We are totally against this move by the BBC.

“I urge everyone all across Wakefield district to sign the petition to say that they too support free licences for the over 75s.”

The council opened the Age UK petition for signature at County Hall, the Town Hall and Wakefield One.

The petitions can also be signed online by clicking the link here.

Many speakers at June’s Full Council made impassioned speeches in support of the motion.

MORE: Retired bus conductor says TV licence decision ‘punishes our older residents’

Some said that for some of the elderly, the TV is as essential as human companionship is to these people.

Age UK is aiming to reach 630,000 signatures. It has so far signed up more than 583,000.

The petitions will be available at the council’s buildings until Monday, July 15.