Changes that mean dozens of people in Wokingham will soon pay less or no council tax have been described as “not good enough”.

From April 1, Wokingham Borough Council will not charge care leavers council tax until they turn 25.

The council has also decided to stop taking Carers’ Allowance (up to £67.25 a week) into account when figuring out whether someone is under the threshold (£4,000 of savings) for a council tax discount.

But Cllr Rachel Burgess – the Labour councillor who has spent two years campaigning for young care leavers to be made exempt from paying council tax – condemned the “long delay”.

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She also claimed the Conservative-run council is now offering “a meagre increase” in support after “years of cutbacks” that have penalised vulnerable people, at a council meeting on January 21.

“Two years ago, the Conservatives reduced the savings level (working age) recipients are allowed to have from £16,000 to £4,000 – by anyone’s measure a massive drop – thus ensuring it would help even fewer people,” she said.

“And the fact remains that the funding for this scheme has been reduced year on year since 2013 because of ongoing austerity.

“Between 2013/14 and 2019/20 almost £900,000 less has been spent on the scheme.

“Crucially that means over 1,300 fewer people are helped by the scheme now than back in 2012/13, the last year of the Council Tax Benefit.

“There are a number of levers that could be pulled, if there really was a will there, to increase the number of people eligible for the scheme and the amount they are helped.”

She added: “This is not good enough.”

Cllr John Kaiser, deputy leader of the council, said he was “absolutely stunned” by criticism of a move that aims to help vulnerable people.

The Tory councillor said he wanted to make care leavers exempt from paying council tax in 2019, but the council was focused on dealing with a £2 million overspend on children’s services.

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He said: “At some point, you have to look at how much money you’ve got and how you spend that money wisely.

“A broke council is no good to anybody.”

He added: “I believe now is the time to introduce this.

“Vulnerable people do need support and I will do everything I possibly can to support these people, but I won’t put the financial aspect of the council at risk.”