Proposals to cut housing benefit sparked a lively debate as councillors clashed over the controversial cuts.

The Government last month announced plans to introduce a cap on the amount of housing benefit paid to people living in privately rented accommodation, from £250 a week for a one-bedroom property to £400 for a four bedroom property.

And during last night's (Wednesday's) full Watford Borough Council meeting, Councillor Steve Rackett proposed a motion to “condemn the coalition Government for introducing these policies and urge their reversal”.

Councillor Rackett (Green Party) produced Parliamentary figures that revealed in Watford, the cuts will affect 1,290 households, of which only 37 per cent are in employment.

He told the council chamber: “It's very poorly thought out. It's an attack on the less well-off in places like Meriden and other places in Watford.

“Yes, housing benefit needs reform but this is a knee-jerk reaction. It does need a full review and what this does is rush very quickly into dealing with a situation without actually looking at the full impact.”

Councillor Nigel Bell (Labour), who seconded the motion, agreed that the cuts would affect the vulnerable and less well-off in Watford.

Their motion, however, was rejected.

Councillor George Derbyshire (Liberal Democrat) said it was “ridiculous” to suggest the proposals were an attack on people living in the Meriden.

He said: “Housing benefit is out of control and there are gross elements of unfairness about it. If you're a low earning family in work, renting in the private sector and paying market rent, it cannot be right that they're disadvantaged compared to someone getting housing benefit.

“The local housing allowance only applies to one third of claimants of housing benefit in Watford. Two thirds of claimants for housing benefit in Watford live in social rented housing, which is not affected by these proposals. They're completely unaffected. It's scaremongering and irresponsible to suggest they are.

“Spare a thought for the people who have to pay for the housing benefit and for the need to contain the unsustainable explosion in housing benefit across the country.”

Mayor Dorothy Thornhill (Liberal Democrat) said the impact of the housing benefit cuts had been “greatly exaggerated”.

“There isn't anyone here who isn't concerned about vulnerable people,” she said.

“The aim is to cut down on the benefits bill. In Watford, most will not be affected and those that will be, it will be to the tune of £7-13 a week. But the reality is we don't know what the effects will be.”

Councillor Chris Leslie (Liberal Democrat) added: “We cannot live in a society anymore where hard-working taxpayers have to pay out for everybody else.”

Meanwhile, Councillor Andrew Mortimer (Conservative) said the scheme, which will come into effect in 2011/12, still had to be “shaken out” in terms of details.

“Few people enter politics to attack the poor or less well-off,” he said. “There are going to have to be cuts and they are going to hurt. If we don't take these cuts, we will be faced with a situation faced by the Greeks, Irish, Spanish and Portuguese.

“Whatever the circumstances, if there are anomalies, I'm fairly certain the coalition will deal with them as humanely as possible but at the end of the day, there's still going to be pain.”