Councils and their pound of flesh
08/07/2008
On Monday 14th July at 9.30am, Mr Philip McGrevey will be attending the Newton Abbot Magistrates' Court for the fourth or fifth time, trying to obtain justice in his debate with Teignbridge District Council - determining the priority of council tax over the need to try and sustain a reasonable standard of living for pensioners.
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Council tax jail protest - "there is a better way"
We do not feel that refusing to pay council tax is an appropriate strategy to achieve change. Local authorities are obliged to levy the tax under rules laid down by government and they cannot unilaterally change the system. By withholding payment and, if the council is unable to collect the money, the effect will be to penalise all other council taxpayers in the district who collectively have to make up the shortfall.
Bullied by Council Tax Bailiffs
I regret to report that - having made my protest against Council Tax - we have been "done over" by the bullying bailiffs of two Devon Councils.
Council Tax and rubbish: the day the rats came
Is having rats rooting through your rubbish a good reason to withold part of your Council Tax? An MT reader describes her battle with his local council over fortnightly waste collections.
Council tax blues
MT readers respond to the letter by Anne Mason in the August edition of the paper.
Ignored by my MP
I emailed my local MP Malcolm Wicks on no less than four occasions with a query on council tax - and I was ignored!
Fortnightly waste collections
Here in South Lanarkshire we have had fortnightly collections for some time now, one week general waste, the next recyclable items. At no time have I seen vermin (rats), maggots, or any other supposed health problems concerned with this two-weekly service. I will however be extremely concerned should a charge be imposed for this service provided by our local council, funded by our council taxes.
Iain Thomson
"I'm a Council Tax loser"
Your article "Pensioners biggest winners in Council Tax Proposal", is totally misleading. What about those pensioners who have over £50,000 - they get nothing.
Is this new Council Tax idea really fair?
What do readers think in respect of reviewing properties to reassess Council Tax Bands? Those of us who have spent money investing in their property - no doubt being Environmentally Green in taking less holidays too - could end up paying more in Council tax than their neighbour who has the identical property (minus a conservatory).
How fair is this?
Our total monthly income is £903 and we pay the full rate of £1115 pa or £93 per month. Our neighbour lives in an identical property, and their combined salary is £3,900 per month. We pay the same rates. Is this fair?
Local tax? There's no need!
There has been discussion on TV regarding replacement of Council Tax. This is founded upon the false premise that there needs to be a local Tax. There does not!
Council Tax
My council tax has gone up over 100% since this government got in. My state pension has gone up some 16% in that period, so my standard of living is gradually being eroded. I put the blame on increase in Council Tax solely on the government, their constant extra demands on local government and associated increase in bureaucracy without giving the necessary funds leaves Councils no other choice but increase tax.
Having been a Labour supporter all my life, New Labour has been a bitter disappointment all round.
Richard Davis, Worcester
Council Tax rip off
I am appalled that the media, the BBC, and the national press have not revealed to the nation the real facts behind the council tax increases.
Time for a change on Tax
Reader Brian Warwick shares his views on the current tax laws
Readers say – council tax
Local taxation
In your November edition you asked for workable alternatives to Council Tax.
Local authorities may be financed wholly from national taxation and distributed by central government, or wholly or in part by local taxation. There are many objections to the former but that is no reason for excluding it from a general review of the financing of local expenditure.
Local taxation may be based on charging local residents:
a per capita, as for the poll tax ;
b according to property values;
