Bedroom Tax top of the agenda at public meeting in Cumbernauld

THE CONTROVERSIAL issue of the Bedroom Tax will be the subject of a public meeting which takes place on Monday, March 25 at the Link Centre.

The venue, opposite the Tryst Centre will play host to speakers from Cumbernauld & Kilsyth Trades Council - who organised the event to discuss opposition to the new measure.

From Monday, April 1, people of working age whose rent is paid by housing benefit will have to pay a substantial part of the rent themselves, if their homes exceed the size that’s been newly ordained by the Government.

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It has been described as a penalty for under-occupancy - and its critics say it will hit the poorest in society.

Monday’s meeting is part of the build-up to a giant demonstration which will take place in Glasgow on Saturday, March 30 - which locals are being urged to attend.

The key speaker on the night is Labour MSP Mark Griffin who called the tax ‘‘ a vile piece of legislation’’ - and is now urging Holyrood not to support it.

He said: “The tax will hit the poorest people in our communities hardest. It’s coming from an ill-caring government and it will impact tens of thousands of people across Scotland.

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“The ConDem Government at Westminster are resolved to introduce the tax, despite making some changes to the criteria recently. Therefore it is important that the Scottish Government do not just sit back and allow people in Scotland to suffer.

”It is important that Scottish Ministers offer much more support than they have to date, in particular financial support, to Scotland’s councils that are being forced to implement the policy, to ensure that councils have the flexibility to do all in their power to protect the most vulnerable people,’’ he added.

The event starts at 7.30pm.