A row has broken out over a “broken promise” by Greenwich Council’s leadership to scrap council tax for 15,000 struggling residents.

Council leader Dan Thorpe told his opposition to join calls for more funding after he was accused of backtracking on a pledge by his predecessor to lift thousands of vulnerable people out of paying council tax.

Conservative leader Matt Hartley claims the council has ignored a promise made by the previous leader, Cllr Denise Hyland, to have 100 per cent of residents on the Council Tax Support Scheme exempted from this year.

Cllr Hyland made the announcement at last year’s budget meeting, with Cllr Hartley’s Conservatives presenting a similar motion on the same night.

The Tories were voted down, with the then-leader explaining the move was already planned to be introduced this April following a recommendation by the Fairness Commission.

Low-income working-age residents on council tax support currently get 85 per cent off their bills, but the Fairness Commission recommends scrapping tax for 100 per cent.

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The council’s cabinet signed off on this year’s tax base at a brief meeting last night, voting to keep rates the same – with officers saying the rollout of Universal Credit will impact who qualifies for the council tax support scheme.

Officers said in their report that an updated scheme for the most vulnerable will be “drafted and consulted on this year”, recommending the current rates stay the same in the meantime.

Cllr Hartley has accused the leadership of the council of backtracking – and said he is sceptical the move will be made in the future.

“After they voted down our proposal to lift 15,000 of low-income residents out of council tax altogether, we received a clear promise from Labour councillors that they would implement the change anyway this April,” Cllr Hartley said.

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“Why have they failed to keep this promise? Even worse, the report also raises serious questions about whether the council intends to implement this move at all.

“The change we have proposed isn’t cheap, but it is the right thing to do, and we have shown how it could be paid for without affecting front-line services.

“Ultimately this is all about the council’s priorities in how it uses the powers and resources it has. It seems the new Labour leadership is more interested in protecting its pointless fortnightly magazine than helping residents on low incomes.”

It’s estimated the exemptions would cost the authority roughly £800,000.

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The tax base still needs to be signed off by full council, expected to go through at next Wednesday’s meeting.

After last night’s cabinet meeting, Cllr Leader Dan Thorpe said the idea of the opposition leader “lecturing Labour councillors about fairness is a bit of a joke”.

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“The idea that the party who has overseen austerity on many levels lecturing Labour councillors about the impact of poverty is an outrage.

“His new strategy is to leak everything to the press and be seen to be the good guy. Where has he been on fair funding? Absolutely nowhere.

“If he is serious about wanting to help residents, we look forward to his letter to the minister saying don’t give any money to the counties because poverty also exists in London – and we look forward to him joining the campaign of the Local Government Association Labour group fighting the cause.”