A PARISH council has sided with the district's poorest residents in a difficult vote over who should pay more tax.

Time is running out for people in East Hampshire to have their say into how East Hampshire District Council plugs an £870,000 shortfall in council tax.

The first option in the Revenue and Benefits Review consultation is to charge full council tax for owners of second and unoccupied homes.

But the second is controversial and asks for the unemployed and people on low incomes to pay up to 20 per cent of their tax benefits.

People in Petersfield, Liss and the surrounding villages have just over a fortnight to vote as the consultation finishes on November 4.

For full story, see this week's Petersfield Herald.