NORTHUMBERLAND County Council has cut the level of council tax support for working age claimants by eight per cent.

The current scheme provides up to 100 per cent council tax relief, meaning that some households pay nothing. But the move to reduce it to 92 per cent – aimed at saving the council around £1m per year – sparked fierce debate amongst councillors at last Wednesday’s full council.

Conservative leader Peter Jackson blamed the £65m “black hole” left in the council’s finances by the previous Labour administration, while Coun. Nick Oliver said that the level of support was on a par with other local authorities.

But Labour councillors criticised the decision, claiming the council was hitting poor families hardest.

The cut was agreed by 31 votes to 26, with six abstentions by the Lib Dems and the Bedlington Independents.

Claire Heaviside, project officer at community project No. 28, based in Hexham, said the changes would impact the ability of families to save.

She said: “It’s going to push people more towards borrowing which isn’t good. They must be trying to keep the budget healthy but they’re hitting the poorest again. Every pound makes a difference. To some people who lose £11 a week, that means they can no longer go on days out, it’s so restrictive.”