Council 'listens over tax discount fears' - leader

Council leader Dexter Smith said it had listened after people raised concerns

A council's leader said it has listened and acted over people's concerns that plans to cut council tax discounts would leave people struggling to eat.

Slough Borough Council had planned to cut the discounts by up to 30% for unemployed families in an effort to save money.

But it has softened this to a planned 20% after some said the cuts would push them "deeper into deprivation and poverty".

Dexter Smith said after being told that some would suffer an "increase in hardship", it had reacted.

The council currently operates a sliding scale of discounts for about 6,500 households on low incomes under its council tax support scheme.

Of those, about 1,000 unemployed people are currently exempt from paying.

But the plan includes reducing all discounts, meaning families on the scheme would pay an average of £279 a year.

The council's cabinet voted on Monday to propose cutting the discount for unemployed households to 80% rather than 70%.

Proposed cuts to other discounts would remain the same. But a hardship fund for those struggling with the changes this year would double from £175,000 to £350,000.

Smith said the council cannot drop the cuts.

"We heard some people saying that there would be an increase in hardship.

"It really is important that people understand we did listen – we take this very seriously, we don't want to cause unnecessary hardship."

But he added: "It's important that everyone bears some of the cost because we're in still a very difficult financial position."

All Slough councillors will be asked to approve the council tax changes on Thursday. If approved, they will come into effect in April.