YORK'S controversial Council Tax Support system is to be reviewed amid claims it is one of the harshest schemes in the country for the poorest people in society.

City of York Council's executive meeting on Thursday was attended by dozens of members of the public and representatives from local organisations who were interested in the authority's decision to limit Council Tax Support, which means all working age residents, regardless of income or ability to pay, must pay at least 30 per cent of the tax. Advice York, a coalition of support organisations in York, says the average across England is only 13 per cent.

Advice York's research found a third of residents had resorted to taking out a loan to pay their council tax, and two thirds of people had suffered increased stress and worry as a result of the changes.

York Press:

Sue Wood and Rebecca Jeffrey, pictured last October when they published a report criticising York's council tax support system

A spokeswoman said: "Council Tax Support is something the council have direct control over and gives the opportunity to support some of the lowest income residents across our city.

"Almost a third of councils have changed their schemes over the past three years, with many more set to review for the fourth year of Council Tax Support. We are asking that as a Council and a city, York are also brave enough to review our scheme and will commit to this."

Carol Runciman, the council's executive member for adult social care, said: "We have been listening very carefully to what Advice York has been saying. Following this, we would like to see a review of council tax support. It is timely thing that with changes in welfare benefits we have a review undertaken by officers.

"There are all sorts of complexities with council tax and we need to understand why the take-up of support offered by the council has been relatively low. This review will help us to determine the best way to use our limited resources to support residents dealing with these council tax issues and wider financial challenges."

All councils introduced a council tax support system after the Government abolished the old council tax benefit system in April 2013. Councils had their funding cut by ten per cent and were told pensioners should be exempt from any cuts.

York Citizens' Advice Bureau reported a 65 per cent rise in a year in the number of people seeking help due to council tax arrears, but less than 40 per cent of the annual £100,000 set aside by the council to help had been claimed.

Thursday's meeting also discussed the ongoing row over York's local plan. Members of the York Action Group Alliance told the meeting they want the council to scale back housing figures to "achievable proportions" and protect the greenbelt by looking to develop brownfield sites first to "meet the realistic housing needs of York residents".

Allan Charlesworth, spokesman for the Alliance, said: "The council owes it to residents of York to produce a realistic and sustainable plan to meet York's housing needs as soon as possible. To leave York in limbo without a clear planning framework linked to the vision of York is simply unacceptable for the leading heritage city of our region."

The meeting heard the local plan was progressing, and more details would be released when available.