'I had no money and took vegetables dropped on market floor', says Lancaster councillor

Coun Sally Maddocks described her experience of hardship, prior to becoming a councillor, during a debate about whether to maintain local council tax support intended for households in difficulty.

Currently 9,942 residents claim the support in the Lancaster district. Pensioners make up more than 3,700 of the claimants and they are given some extra protection by government rules.

But there are also just over 6,000 people of working age on low incomes who get the city council tax support. They would get less help or none at all if city councillors changed the council tax support system.

Keeping the existing scheme will have no impact on the council’s financial forecast, a report to councillors stated but the full council has to approve the support each year.

Coun Maddocks stood up to recall her own personal experiences of hardship during the debate, as other city councillors listened.

She said: “I have had some difficult times in the past. There is nothing worse than wondering where your next meal might come from? Some people, including me, have picked up vegetables from the market floor. We need to help people.

“Cutting council tax support would be a false economy. There would be a whole range of spiralling costs.

“Also, I don’t think anyone who relies on council tax relief or benefits is on a ‘free ride’. It is not a free ride.”

Her story came as the council debated whether to continue, change or end the council tax support scheme for households in special need.

Coun Anne Whitehead said: “The cost of living crisis hits lower income families because things such as rent and food costs take up a greater proportion of their money. This council tax support helps reduce the burden.”

She said scrapping the support and taking council tax recovery action against people with little money would, in turn, create extra work and costs for the council through consultation, paperwork and legal matters.

‘Everyone should pay their bit’

However, Conservative opposition group leader Coun Andrew Gardiner disagreed.

He said: “You are right to say that people are suffering. But why not ask the people who are paying? The system is designed to help everyone. Everyone is using council services and I believe everyone should pay their bit in society. ”

But Coun Whitehead replied: “Council tax is not fairly spread regarding income. People in large homes pay more council tax but not proportionally for their income. It’s not a fair system at all. This support is trying to mitigate it.”

Coun Joan Jackson said: “The city council has a contingency fund for people in dire straits. Could that be used to help with council tax?”

But Coun Whitehead said the council tax support scheme was simpler.

Labour Coun Fabiha Askari said: “This debate is about the difference between equality and equity. I support this council tax help and hope other councillors do too.”

But Coun Gardiner replied: “I cannot support this. Everyone is equal. We all come into this life equal. I believe we should pay the same towards services. I cannot support giving someone a free ride. This tax is for the police. For the fire service.

“How would we feel if we couldn’t tackle a terrible fire or a crash because we didn’t have enough money going into the pot for staff? These things have to be looked at.”

He said some councillors needed a ‘reality check’. On the one hand, they were talking about the council being cash strapped. On the other hand, they were recommending council tax support.

He added: “We all want to help people in need but we cannot do everything. I want to provide the best frontline services for the people we represent. For that, everybody should pay into it. I don’t want to see frontline staff losing their jobs because there isn’t enough money.”

Coun Erica Lewis said: “If you are concerned that the fire service does not have enough resources then I suggest you talk to your government about properly funding and stop asking residents to pay for what should be fully funded by central government.”

And Coun David Whitaker said: “This is about supporting the most vulnerable people at risk of losing their homes or not getting food. We debate this scheme every year but this help is now needed more than ever.”

‘People are not earning enough’

Coun Gina Dowding supported keeping the help and said: “I remember Coun Gardiner and the Conservatives did not support this last year. You do not like public services and you would privatise everything.

“We have a tradition in Lancaster and were one of the first councils to offer 100 per cent relief for some homes. It is supported by the majority of councillors and was introduced by Coun Tim Hamilton-Cox.

“This is about social justice. People are not earning enough even when they are working. This is not about being unwilling to pay. This is about grinding poverty – which you have no idea about.”

Coun Tim Hamilton-Cox added: “Yet again, Coun Gardiner is advocating the principle of the old tax that was discarded years ago. In the scheme of things, the costs of this support is relatively modest compared to the savings the council is trying to achieve overall. From a practical point of view, it’s not worth changing the current scheme. From a social justice point of view, it’s definitely not worth it.”

But Coun Joan Jackson rejected the idea that the government took tax from the public with no social benefit in return.

She said: “Who pays for housing or the police or benefits? Tax does come back to the people. It is not taken by the government.”

In a vote, the majority of councillors supported keeping the current local council tax support, subject to minor amendments to match changes in Housing Benefit rules.