Mugged by Council Tax yet again

06/03/2008

Council tax payers in England and Wales are faced with the latest in a long line of inflation-busting increases, according to a survey published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA).
 
Christine Melsom, founder of the Isitfair council tax protest group, said: "From April 2008 increases for council tax payers in the South East (4.4%) and South West (4.5%) are expected to be twice the current rate of inflation. The average increase is expected to be 3.9% for the rest of England and 4.1% for Wales.
 
"But council tax in Scotland has been frozen at last year's level - if it is possible to freeze council tax in Scotland and to eventually replace it by a fairer system of taxation then why can't the same happen in England and Wales?
 
"Council tax payers are being mugged yet again. This tax has more than doubled since 1997 and an ever-increasing tax burden is being put on council tax payers. This issue is no longer only a matter of how much council tax goes up, because at the same time services are now being cut.

 

"Every year we pay significantly more tax and in return we are forced to accept cutbacks in services. This cannot be allowed to continue.
 
"Isitfair will continue to campaign for this unfair tax to be reformed in England and Wales. If our existing politicians continue to refuse to listen to reason on the subject of council tax reform then they should not be surprised when the electorate votes for candidates who will."