HULL: A move to start sending council tax bills to thousands of low-income households in the city for the first time has been reluctantly approved by councillors.
They say the city council has been left with no choice but to start charging people who currently have their council tax paid through benefit subsidies because of Government funding cuts.
It means about 24,800 households will start paying council tax for the first time from April. Most will be paying £1.50 a week.
Councillor Phil Webster, cabinet member for finance, said: "This sickens me. I did not get involved in politics to do this."
Fellow Labour councillor Julia Conner was in tears as she spoke during a full council debate on the issue. She said: "I can't really explain how sad this makes me feel. What is going to happen to the most vulnerable people does not bear thinking about."
But opposition Lib Dem leader Councillor Abi Bell claimed the ruling Labour group could have avoided introducing the charges by using funding from the council's reserves and spending less on consultants.