Rhodri welcomes council tax u-turn (From South Wales Guardian)

Rhodri welcomes council tax u-turn

12:00pm Friday 25th January 2013 in News

LOCAL AM Rhodri Glyn Thomas has welcomed last week’s Welsh Government’s U-turn about passing £24 million of cuts onto council tax benefit recipients.

The UK Government had earlier unveiled plans to devolve responsibility for council tax benefit to the Welsh government with a ten per cent cut in funding.

MrThomas has campaigned for the Welsh government to fund the £24million gap since April.

The Welsh Government had looked set to press ahead with plans to pass regulations for a new council tax scheme forcing over 330,000 Welsh households into paying a contribution towards their council tax bills.

While welcoming a U turn affecting over 19,000 Carmarthenshire households, the Plaid AM expressed disappointment that it had taken so long for the decision to be reached.

“In 2011 over 65 per cent of council tax benefit claimants were either pensioners or disabled,” he said.

“I was not prepared to allow the Welsh Government to simply pass on Tory cuts to these vulnerable people.

“I remain disappointed that over 19,000 households in Carmarthenshire have had to endure a Christmas and new year worried about an ever-decreasing household income.”

The news was also welcomed by Carmarthenshire County council leader Kevin Madge. “I’m very pleased that, yet again, a Labour Government has protected us from the worst cuts imposed by the Toryled UK government,” he said.

“People in Carmarthenshire can now be sure that if they receive council tax benefit, they won’t be faced with a bill from Cameron and Clegg this spring.”