Row over end of full council tax relief for Hartlepool's poorest households

Opposition councillors on Hartlepool Borough Council claimed the move was an ‘attack on the poorest’ in the town and labelled the decision ‘vicious and disgraceful’ at the full council meeting on Thursday, January 29.

However councillors from the leading coalition said costs were fully covered this year due to one-off Government grant funding, and the decision not to provide further support allows them to freeze council tax and provide a ‘more robust’ budget.

They added the existing Local Council Tax Support (LCTS) scheme remains in place, meaning residents have to pay a minimum of 12% for their council tax bills, which is ‘the best in the region’.

Councillors ultimately approved by 16 votes to 11 to pass the budget, which included the council tax freeze and the 12% LCTS scheme for claimants.

Cllr Stephen Akers-Belcher, Socialist Labour Party representative, had called for the council to fully support those who receive LCTS as part of the 2021/22 budget.

Council officers noted residents claiming LCTS had their full council tax bill, including the fire and police precepts, covered in 2020/21 as part of an overall Government Covid-19 support funding package.

Cllr Akers-Belcher said it was ‘disgraceful’ the proposed budget was not providing this support again.

He said: “I must say in the 16 years I’ve been a councillor the proposal to attack the poorest people in Hartlepool and the most disadvantaged communities is just absolutely vicious and absolutely disgraceful.

“I think anybody who supports this should be ashamed that they are putting the poorest people in our communities at further risk. These reserves are here for a rainy day and if it isn’t a rainy day now, I dread to think what’s ahead of us.”

Following the result of the budget vote, he also added he would be looking to get legal advice on the budget passed, and if correct poverty and equality assessments were taken.

Cllr Christopher Akers-Belcher added there was £1.297million outlined in reports for a scheme to support LCTS claimants, and further funds could be identified to fully cover their council tax bills.

Several Labour Party councillors also spoke out in support of the motion to fully cover the costs.

Cllr Brenda Harrison said: “I think that what is happening here is the most vulnerable financial people in Hartlepool are going to be worse off because of this.

“You’re actually having people who are less fortunate paying more than they did last year.”

Cllr Carl Richardson added: “I’m the longest serving councillor on the council and this is the worst budget I’ve ever come across in my life, where we’re going to victimise people on low income.”

However Cllr Shane Moore, council leader and Independent Union representative, labelled the comments as ‘political point-scoring’.

He also warned if those decisions were taken, it could have a ‘terrifying’ financial impact and could hurt residents ‘for years to come’.

He said: “There has been some abhorrent political points being scored tonight, the budget that has been put forward ensures that the grant funding that is available will benefit everybody in this town.

“I think some of the proposals that have been made tonight are just terrifying when taking into context the financial situation we face.”

He also said if councillors do not have the ‘backbone’ to make difficult decisions, they do ‘not deserve to hold the responsibility’ as councillors.

He added: “If people aren’t prepared to look at the most robust advice moving forward, if they are prepared to spend all of the rainy day fund this year, then not only are they going to hurt residents this year, they’re going to hurt residents for years to come.”

Cllr Mike Young, deputy council leader and Conservatives representative, added calling councillors cruel for freezing council tax is ‘obtuse’.

He said: “There is a grant to cover the additional support this year, what we’re saying is next year we won’t have that if we call for a total council tax freeze.

“To call us cruel for calling for a total council tax freeze seems a little bit obtuse.

“In order to do that we’ve taken a proportion of people who already receive a massive discount on their council tax, and all we’ve said is they can’t have any more discount.”

Cllr Jim Lindridge added these are ‘unprecedented times’ but thinks the budget is ‘more of a people’s budget’.

He said: “A nil increase in core council tax and also a nil increase in the precept, and coupled with the local council tax support of 12% for residents, which is the most generous in the Tees Valley by a long way.

“I actually feel this is more of a people’s budget to lessen the pain than it has been for a long time.”

Chris Little, director of resources and development, noted the final decision taken means the council will have £4.416million in its budget support fund to take forward for future years, instead of £3.047million, had the additional support been added.

He had warned providing further support to LCTS claimants would have made the council’s position ‘more exposed to risk’ due to having a lower budget support fund.

He said this comes as the council is currently expected to face a £5.639million deficit for 2022/23.

Support your Mail and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news, the latest on Pools and new puzzles every day. With a digital subscription, you can see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe.