Protesters interrupted a Manchester town hall meeting four times today (May 31), forcing the council leader to repeatedly pause proceedings. Members of community union Acorn were calling on the council to end their use of bailiffs.
The two members who disrupted the meeting told councillors of a woman who is 'living in poverty' because her wages are being deducted to pay the council tax she owes. They claimed the woman, who is a cancer survivor, is unable to work due to the stress she has been put through 'at the hands of the council'.
They asked councillors to meet the woman who was waiting at the town hall reception. It comes after Acorn launched a campaign last year calling on Manchester council to stop using bailiffs, describing the practice as 'cruel'.
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The local authority says support is available for those who need it and using bailiffs is a last resort. But there has been increase in the number of cases referred to enforcement agents recently due to a backlog caused by Covid.
Within minutes of the council's executive meeting starting today (May 31), one man who was sat in the public gallery stood up and shouted: "Councillors! We are from Acorn and our member is living in poverty because Manchester council is deducting so much of her wages for council tax arrears.
"How can you be fulfilling opportunities for our residents when a Manchester resident is unable to work due to the stress she's been put through at the hands of the council? How can you say you're tackling physical and mental inequalities when our member, a cancer survivor, can't afford to live and is having to use a foodbank and is worrying about how she is going to survive in a cost of living crisis?
"How can we be a progressive and equitable city if members of our community are being treated this way? Councillor Akbar, we ask you to come and meet our member down in the reception with us."
Council leader Bev Craig told the protester that there was no opportunity for public questions and answers at the meeting and suggested that he contacts whoever he wishes to speak to afterwards by writing to them. However, the protester interrupted the meeting again moments later reiterating his point.
Coun Craig warned that the meeting would have to be suspended if he interrupts again. But a few minutes later, the protester spoke once more.
The leader suspended the meeting, asking for the livestream to be paused. The protester repeated his request for a councillor to meet with the woman - who is a member of Acorn herself - before he left the council antechamber.
However, around 10 minutes later, another member of Acorn who was sat in the public gallery stood up and interrupted the meeting for a fourth time. She reiterated the points made earlier in the meeting before leaving the room too.
Previously, Manchester council has said that before bailiffs visit a property to collect council tax debt, a resident should have had, as a minimum; a bill, a reminder, a summons, a notice of liability order which includes a warning of a possible visit from bailiffs, a final warning before the case is passed on, three letters from bailiffs and four phone calls. At any of these stages before bailiffs visit, residents can discuss a repayment arrangement, seek support and advice and resolve the issue without incurring a visit from enforcement agents and any additional fees, according to the council.
Cases of vulnerable residents must be returned to the council, according to guidance, but where a household chooses not to pay, enforcement continues.
Read more of today's top stories here.
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