Bristol council tax reduction scheme cuts face legal challenge

Scrapping the council tax reduction scheme has proved controversial

A legal challenge has been launched against cuts to help Bristol's poorest families pay council tax.

Community union Acorn instructed solicitors to query the "lawfulness" of the city council's consultation on plans to slash £3m from the scheme.

Campaigners have disrupted Bristol City Council meetings recently and demanded to meet mayor Marvin Rees.

The council tax reduction scheme is where people on low income pay less on their council tax.

An opposition councillor was angered after a meeting had to be postponed on these proposals.

Conservative councillor Geoff Gollop told the mayor at cabinet: "It's unusual for something you or your administration do that makes me really angry.

"I am very disappointed that the meeting regarding these proposals next week was pulled.

"I hope you can gather from the tone of my voice how angry that makes me."

Tough choices

Bristol City Council receive around £43m less for running the scheme and budget pressures mean it is looking to claw back an extra £3m.

The consultation closed into the proposed cuts last month.

Deputy mayor, councillor Craig Cheney, said: "We have received a challenge on the consultation process itself so we're having to check through a number of things before we can finalise the paperwork.

"This has meant an unexpected and late delay to any meeting."