Council Tax doubles.
Council Tax doubles.
Gordon Henderson has expressed outrage following reports that the Government is planning a council tax rise next year three times the rate of inflation. Such an increase would push Swale’s council tax up by another £77, taking a typical Band D bill to £1220 per year, or just over £23 per week.
The figures were revealed in the small print of the Treasury’s Spending Review which shows that the Chancellor requires local councils to raise 7 percent more in taxes to meet the Government’s spending requirements, which is the equivalent to a council tax hike of three times the rate of inflation.
Gordon said:
‘This is just another one of the Chancellor’s stealth taxes and I am quite outraged that our community is once again faced with a huge council tax rise next year just so that Gordon Brown can pretend that he is not putting up taxes.
‘If we are faced with an increase of this magnitude then it would mean that our council tax will have doubled since Labour came to power in 1997. Using council tax to raise more money is cynical and dishonest, because although the decisions are taken by national politicians it is local councillors who take the blame when the bills hit the doormat.
‘We are not a wealthy community and £23 a week is a big commitment for some people. Pensioners in particular will once again be hit hardest by this increase, because you can bet that the Chancellor won’t be putting their pensions up by three times the rate of inflation.’
…ends…
Notes to editors:
The small print of the Treasury’s Spending Review shows that the “locally financed” element (council tax) of local government spending will rise from £18.57 billion in 2004-05 to £19.82 billion in 2005-06. This is an increase of 6.7%, or three times the rate of inflation.
In 1997-98 Swale’s council tax (Band D) was £616. Today it is £1143 and a 6.7% increase next year would take it to £1220.
PRESS RELEASE
Release dated: 19th July 2004
Embargoed until: No embargo
Subject: Council Tax doubles.
Gordon Henderson has expressed outrage following reports that the Government is planning a council tax rise next year three times the rate of inflation. Such an increase would push Swale’s council tax up by another £77, taking a typical Band D bill to £1220 per year, or just over £23 per week.
The figures were revealed in the small print of the Treasury’s Spending Review which shows that the Chancellor requires local councils to raise 7 percent more in taxes to meet the Government’s spending requirements, which is the equivalent to a council tax hike of three times the rate of inflation.
Gordon said:
‘This is just another one of the Chancellor’s stealth taxes and I am quite outraged that our community is once again faced with a huge council tax rise next year just so that Gordon Brown can pretend that he is not putting up taxes.
‘If we are faced with an increase of this magnitude then it would mean that our council tax will have doubled since Labour came to power in 1997. Using council tax to raise more money is cynical and dishonest, because although the decisions are taken by national politicians it is local councillors who take the blame when the bills hit the doormat.
‘We are not a wealthy community and £23 a week is a big commitment for some people. Pensioners in particular will once again be hit hardest by this increase, because you can bet that the Chancellor won’t be putting their pensions up by three times the rate of inflation.’
…ends…
Notes to editors:
The small print of the Treasury’s Spending Review shows that the “locally financed” element (council tax) of local government spending will rise from £18.57 billion in 2004-05 to £19.82 billion in 2005-06. This is an increase of 6.7%, or three times the rate of inflation.
In 1997-98 Swale’s council tax (Band D) was £616. Today it is £1143 and a 6.7% increase next year would take it to £1220.