A BORDERS councillor has made a plea for more pressure to be applied on energy companies to simplify their billing procedures.

Fuel bills continue to rise with no sign of an immediate reduction in the near future and with families and individuals struggling to cope.

The situation is to be addressed when members of Scottish Borders Council meet on Thursday, January 26.

East Berwickshire councillor James Anderson submitted a motion calling for council leader Euan Jardine to write to the Minister of State for Energy and Climate and cabinet secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport calling on them to to put pressure on energy companies to change their ways.

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Mr Anderson said the rising bills were “causing huge issues not only on the public’s available funds to be able to pay them but also the mental distress of worry about providing for their own and their families’ welfare".

The motion calls for “more pressure to be applied to the energy companies to give clear, uncomplicated bills to the public – including making clear the standing charge for meters – along with simplified billing advice so that they not only are able to understand their bills but also know where to seek help in either spreading the cost of these bills or finding other means of heating their homes".

Mr Anderson added: “Energy companies should be required to place their customers automatically on the lowest price they offer for gas, electricity or oil as a matter of good practice.”