Council tax bills to rise even more under Government’s new tax plans
Voices across the political spectrum are warning of inflation-busting hikes in council tax, following the publication of the Government’s new tax and spending plans for the next three years – the so-called “Comprehensive Spending Review”.
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The cross-party Local Government Association has forecast that “the Chancellor’s announcement will mean above inflation rises in bills for council taxpayers”.
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Insufficient resources have been given to local authorities to tackle the soaring costs of care for the elderly, waste collection and disposal, and other burdens imposed by Whitehall.
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Independent commentators have said that the Government’s claim that council tax bills will be kept down “do not look plausible”.
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The small print of the Government’s report reveals that council tax revenues are forecast to rise by 5 per cent this year. Assuming council tax rises of 5 per cent every year over the three years of the Spending Review, this would push the average council tax bill in Yeovil to over £1,500.00 on Band D. Under the Labour Government, bills have already soared across the country, and have increased bills by 97% across Yeovil.
Kevin Davis remarked,
“Thanks to Labour’s fiddled funding, and a local Lib Dem MP who is powerless to defend us, council tax has gone through the roof in the Yeovil constituency. Since 1997, council taxes in Yeovil Constituency have already rocketed by 97%. Now I fear that Gordon Brown is engineering three more years of inflation-busting hikes. And our Lib Dem MP can do nothing but complain. Yet again it shows that when you Vote Yellow, you Get Brown.
“This is yet another tax con from a tired Government that has run out of ideas. Using council tax to raise more money is the most dishonest tax hike of them all – engineered by Whitehall but with local councillors taking the blame when bills hit the doormat.”
