Decisions over council tax benefits ‘not pleasant’

Rochdale Council Leader, Councillor Colin Lambert, has described decisions over the new distribution mechanisms for Council Tax benefits as ‘not pleasant.’

Council tax benefit is to be replaced by a new localised system of support, decided by councils, but in Rochdale there are fears that the changes will affect vulnerable people in the borough.

Responding to a question about the council’s plans, Councillor Lambert, said: “The government’s consultation has concluded and they are broadly going in line with what they proposed.

“There are many problems, it is going to put this authority between a rock and a hard place.

“We have until April to formulate a full policy for next year. We would hope that comes through all members of the council and that there is a collaborative approach to putting that policy together.

“It’s not a good policy in terms of we will be the ones who decide whether we protect one section and punish another, and that is not pleasant.

"So yes, we have looked at it, it is a difficult one and I am more than happy to include all members of the council in trying to reach a conclusion on that.”

Councillor Andrew Kelly who asked the question said: “We must join together to protect those vulnerable in society.”