Opposition Conservative councillors in Greenwich are seeking to stop the Labour-run Council from cutting the borough's 100% Council Tax Support scheme for 12,300 households - 5 years after the Conservative Group secured the implementation of the policy.
One of a host of controversial Budget proposals published by the Greenwich Council Cabinet this month, the change will mean 12,300 of the lowest-income households will receive a maximum level of support of 80%, instead of 100% in the current scheme - bringing low income households back into the Council Tax system.
The current 100% Council Tax Support scheme was introduced in 2020, after years of lobbying from Conservative councillors on the Opposition benches. The Conservative Group put its introduction to the vote twice - in 2018 and 2019 - only for Labour to vote it down on both occasions. It was adopted as Council policy a year later - lifting the majority of then 15,000 households on the lowest incomes out of Council Tax altogether.
The new proposal will see a raft of changes, with the most impactful being the removal of this 100% maximum level fo support for 12,300 households.
Greenwich Conservative councillors have submitted an amendment for January's Full Council meeting, to fully protect this element of the Scheme. The amended proposal would still deliver £1.1 million of savings overall, which is the same level as the Council's administration originally earmarked for this change a year ago - but it would do so while still protecting 100% Support for those who need it most.
Councillor Matt Hartley, Leader of the Conservative Opposition, said: "I have lost count the number of times I have got to my feet at the Town Hall to make the case for Council Tax Support. Over the last 5 years our 100% Council Tax Support scheme - introduced after years of campaigning from Conservative councillors - delivered a tax cut for 15,000 people on the lowest incomes, protected vulnerable people from bailiff visits, and meant we could deliver more support during the pandemic due to more government funding becoming available. It has more than pulled its weight as a policy.
"Now this Labour Council administration is trying to cut the scheme to a maximum level of support of 80% - even lower than it was originally. They will claim they have no choice - but there are more non-frontline transformation efficiencies that can be made. After years and years of being told this Scheme was not possible - and after last year's admission there was £26 million of waste and inefficiency in the Council's budget - Labour simply have no credibility by sticking to that line.
"This Labour Council should not be balancing the books on the backs of the poorest in our borough. So the amendment we are putting to the vote tonight ensures that 12,300 low income households continue to receive 100% support - and I would urge all councillors to vote for it on Wednesday night."
You can read the Conservative Group's amendment here.
