An Oswestry councillor has warned against proposed changes to council tax support.

Councillor Mike Coppock is calling on his fellow town councillors to warn of the “significant additional hardship” which he believes Oswestry’s most vulnerable residents will face if the proposed changes go ahead.

In October, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet agreed to aligned its Council Tax Support Scheme with housing benefit and the introduction of a minimum award of £1.50 per week and apply a 20 per cent minimum payment in council tax support.

It has been subject to a public consultation and is due to go before Full Council for adoption on December 14.

If it does go ahead it would save the unitary authority £1,190,000.

In his motion which goes before the town council’s Finance and General Purposes Committee on Monday, Cllr Coppock states: “That this town council suggests that the proposals for changes to the Council Tax Support Scheme, as outlined, will lead to signification additional hardship for many of our vulnerable residents.

“On this basis Oswestry Town Council registers our strongest objections to the proposed changes.”

The initiative was introduced in 2013 to help people on low incomes cut the cost of the amount they pay in council tax.

Shropshire Council is one of only a few councils across the country which still provides 100 per cent protection through this scheme and last year provided support worth more than £7 million.

However, it is looking at making the changes because of its own financial challenges.

If the changes get the go-ahead on December 14 they will potentially come into effect from April 2018.