Heated debate at council meeting as groups accuse each other of ‘scaremongering’ and ‘hypocrisy’

At a full council meeting, members were able to discuss a motion proposed by the Sheffield Liberal Democrats to try and pressure the government to keep the single-person council tax discount.

Although it was reported that the discount won’t be scrapped – this is what Downing Street suggested -, councillors of all sides of the chamber had something to say to each other.

In his speech, Cllr Kurtis Crossland, who proposed the motion, asked members of the council how they would feel if they woke up tomorrow and one of their bills were 25 per cent higher.

He said “being in power is about choices” and criticised Labour for taking away winter fuel payments and letting rumours fly about an increase of 25 per cent in council tax for single people.

Cllr Crossland added: “They’ve increased tuition fees to their highest ever level, and their recent rhetoric has frightened long-term sick and disabled people. I’ve heard nothing about taxing bankers. I’ve heard nothing about taxing billionaires.

“I don’t know why the Tories are running their leadership election because I think we’ve found the new Tory Prime Minister.

“What does Labour say to the people of Sheffield? Nothing.”

Cllr Crossland told members that “this city will not be taken for fools, we were promised change”.

He said the council should tell the people it’s on their side and called the single-person discount essential.

He said: “Thousands of people across the country are in a similar position and the fact removing the discount was even considered by Labour shows that they’ve got their priorities wrong.

“There are other ways to raise much-needed money for the country’s economy – I’d like the Government to make the big banks pay their fair share of tax before coming after small households.”

Cllr Rebecca Atkinson, who seconded the motion, added that she was a single parent and she knew what the discount meant and removing it would move some families close to the brink and some over the edge.

From the Labour Party, Cllr Laura Moynahan said she was a bit confused when she saw the motion as she didn’t know if it was a motion or a “fairy story”.

She told the chamber that this – the motion claiming the single-person discount is at risk – would worry people thinking this is what Labour is going to do.

She said: “That is unforgivable, worrying people.”

Cllr Moynahan said the chancellor was clear and Labour is not going back to austerity.

She called on councillors to be responsible and tell people the truth.

From the Green Party, Cllr Christine Gilligan Kubo told members that they did not welcome “scaremongering” in the motion as the loss of the benefit was only a rumour.

However, Cllr Gilligan Kubo said council tax was, indeed, an “outdated tax” and it hasn’t been re-valued since 1991.

She added: “I do think that if we are going to find a way to fill the £22billion blackhole, we need to think about how we tax property.”

The Greens suggest a land-value tax.

Cllr Julie Grocutt from the Sheffield Community Councillors Group, however, added that this a rumour that has been around quite a long time now and she understands the “perpetuating anxiety” around it.

She said she was concerned about the Labour Party’s not listening to the people.

The debate got a little heated when Cllr Mick Rooney from the Labour Party said Cllr Crossland “let the cats out of the bag”.

He said it was a “typical Liberal Democrat tactic of creating an issue where there isn’t one to try and make political capital out of it”.

Cllr Rooney said: “Councillor, what you’re doing is basically trying to scare people – as someone who quite bravely, and I admire you for that, this afternoon stood up and talked about mental health.

“Right now you’re trying to find a hole to crawl into because this is going to cause people mental health issues, anxiety.”

He called Cllr Crossland on to apologise for bringing in “this rubbish”.

In response, Cllr Martin Smith from the Liberal Democrats accused the Labour Party and Cllr Rooney of hypocrisy (and selective memory) as the government “financially disadvantaged millions of pensioners” when taking away the winter fuel allowances without saying anything.