A WYE Valley woman’s bid to persuade the government to make changes to pensions “fairer” for women born in the 1950s has won the backing of councillors. 

Mariana Robinson, who lives in Llandogo and runs a gallery in St Briavels, has co-authored a proposal by campaign group 63 is the new 60  which would ease in changes to the pension age for women. 

They claim moves to equalise the retirement age of men and women at 66 has hit women, particularly those born between 1953 and 1955, unfairly. 

More than 4,000 women born in the 50s and living in Monmouthshire are thought to be affected. 

Ms Robinson’s local councillor Debbie Blakeborough (Ind, Trellech United) and Labour group leader Dimitri Batrouni (St Christopher’s) led a debate on the issue at last Thursday’s meeting of Monmouthshire County Council. 

Cllr Blakeborough said: “Mariana and the 63 is the new 60 group are authors of a detailed proposal and this is an attempt to get some sort of compromise.   

“It is well thought through and clearly highlights the inequality. 

“They agree that  men and women should retire at the same age, that’s right and fair but that’s not the issue – the issue is the speed of the transition. Fifties women are disproportionately disadvantaged by the sudden pensionable age increase. 

“They are suggesting they retire at 63 and then there are incremental increases until everything is in alignment with the 2011 (Pensions) Act. 

“The timescale means many haven’t had time to put plans into actions and many are losing up to £48,000. 

“Someone seven months older than Mariana is claiming their pension now while she has to wait until 2019 and someone seven months younger than Mariana has to add another 18 months.” 

The council’s Cabinet member for social justice, Cllr Sara Jones, (Con, Llanover) agreed that many women had not be given enough time to plan for the change. 

She said the council would ask the government to look at the campaign group’s proposal and all options around transitional arrangements.