The poorest people in the borough will be bashed with a bigger council tax bill after amending its coucncil tax reduction scheme as it attempts to plug a £30million gap in central government funding.

Under the current system households with a low income - but not considered vulnerable - can receive a reduction of 95 per cent of their council tax.

At the full council meeting on Tuesday, January 17, 34 Conservative councillors voted in favour of reducing this to 85 per cent, meaning the lowest income residents will now pay a maximum of 15 per cent of council tax themselves.

The fifteen Liberal Democrats and one Labour councillor voted against the proposals.

The council’s deputy leader and member for finance, Councillor Geoffrey Samuel, said his plan would mean those receiving council tax reductions would shoulder just 12 per cent of the overall burden.

Cllr Samuel said: “I would ask councillors to look at this proposal not in isolation, but in the context of saving £30million, which will only be met by contributions across a wide range of the council’s work and abilities.

“It was the view of this administration that if you’re going to be fair, being fair means being fair to those who pay for these benefits, as well as those who receive them.”

The proposal is estimated to save the borough about £337,000.

A survey of 3,000 residents during the consultation for this proposal returned just 103 results, 91 per cent of which were from recipients of council tax reductions.

Of the respondents, 35 per cent agreed with the change to the scheme, while 58 per cent did not, with seven per cent saying they were unsure.

Cllr Samuel pointed to the fact that of those asked, less than two per cent said they disagree with the scheme outright.

The deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, Councillor Alexander Ehmann, criticised the Cllr Samuel’s proposal, arguing the council spent about £1million on the boathouse for the Gloriana in 2014, and £30million on a policy to establish sixth forms in each of its secondary schools.

He also argued residents who are in the poorest fifth of UK households, and live in a council tax Band D property would have much of their disposable income “swallowed up”.

Cllr Ehmann said: “The council’s own paper shows the majority of respondents – 58 per cent – said they were against the increased payment.

“If you happen to live in a Band D property in Richmond (and are in the poorest fifth of UK households), Cllr Samuel’s initial hike from being fully exempt to five per cent, meant residents were asked to pay £79, or about three per cent of their entire discretionary income.

“That now rises to £239, so that same group of residents now see almost eight per cent of their discretionary income swallowed by this hike.”

Respondents to the consultation raised fears those affected, who are already struggling, will not be able to cope with Cllr Samuel’s proposal.

One resident said: “Money is very tight. These proposed changes could cause havoc to me.

“Rent is already far and above what is provided by housing benefit. How are low income households expected to cope with further increased costs?”

What do you think? Is this a necessary measure in tough times or a saving too far? Comment below or tweet @RichmondTimes