Issue - meetings

Deputation 1 – Rev Paul Nicholson – speaking in objection to the recommendations contained in the 2018/19 Council Tax Reduction Scheme – item 9

Rev Nicolson was invited by the Chair to put forward his deputation to the Cabinet.

He spoke about the severe detrimental impact of local authorities and Government, charging of Council Tax on social security incomes and how he felt that this affected the most deprived communities in the borough. Rev Nicholson spoke about the consequential mental and physical health impacts this had on generations of families. He asserted that low income and social security households did not have the means to pay Council Tax, at a time when existing social security benefits were already being reduced. He contended that once families fell behind with Council tax payments, they were facing further court costs and collection fees causing more insolvency and anxiety.

Rev Nicholson spoke about the Council’s, Council Tax, collection figures with £5m listed as unlikely to be collected. Mr Nicolson felt that, despite knowing the cause of non- payment, the Council, in his opinion, were unfairly enforcing this payment and sending residents to court and causing increased costs for low income residents.

Rev Nicholson talked about the number of households sent court notices for late and non-payment of Council Tax and the number which had been referred to bailiffs. In his view, this charge affected the poorest and vulnerable in the borough, who he felt were being unfairly targeted for Council Tax collection by the use of debt collection agencies.

Rev Nicolson continued to emphasize that debt and low income creates mental and physical health issues for people on low incomes. He spoke about the effect of deprivation and low income on the development of babies with mothers often needing to reduce food costs to ensure they were able to pay for housing and utilities. He considered that this poor health in pregnancy and early years resulted in intergenerational health issues.

Rev Nicholson appealed to the Cabinet to consider the faith led principles of support and consideration for fellow neighbours, and stop the tax being collected from social security incomes in Haringey.

Questions from the Cabinet to the Deputation

The Leader reminded the deputation of the circumstances around the implementation of the Council Tax Benefit scheme in 2013 as the tone of the deputation incorrectly indicated that the Council had chosen to take this scheme forward. The Council Tax benefit scheme had previously been Government run and had meant that one in three households in Haringey did not pay Council Tax as they did not have the means to pay. However, in 2012 as part of the government budget cuts, Council Tax benefit was abolished and all local authorities had received responsibility for the Council Tax policy scheme but with a significant top slice reduction and also having to exclude pensioners. The Council were put in an invidious position of having to exempt pensioners from the scheme and having a choice of whether to absorb  ...  view the full minutes text for item 102