Council Tax

[catgate]

I just came across the receipt for 2001 as I was shuffling through some papers, and I thought I would do a comparison with this years charge , which I have just paid. It has gone up by 33% in five years.

[andsome]

Local authorities are being constantly starved of central funding by the government, added to which there are far more Labour Councils than is good for us.

[Thos]

Local authorities are being constantly starved of central funding by the government, added to which there are far more Labour Councils than is good for us.

Bulls**t

Thos.

[trackrat]

Since 2001 mine has only increased by 25%.

[edbanger]

Local authorities are being constantly starved of central funding by the government, added to which there are far more Labour Councils than is good for us.

Bulls**t

Thos.

Excellent reply to the usual Tory claptrap.

[r4may]

Local authorities are being constantly starved of central funding by the government, added to which there are far more Labour Councils than is good for us.

Bulls**t

Thos.

Excellent reply to the usual Tory claptrap.

Not necessarily a Tory response, Just a NONE Labour viewpoint.

Also councils now do much more than they used to without any real increase in funds excepting the Council tax.

The council tax also contributes towards the (PC!! ) Police and the Fire Service.

[Tankus]

dont think I want to look up mine ... I'll probably burst into tears ...bills are making me feel a bit fragile at the mo ....arf

[catgate]

I think we have a system of governance where the tail is constantly trying (and often succeeding) in wagging the dog.

I can remember when the generally held opinion was that the Government, the Councils and the Corporations were there to serve the public. It has now turned full circle so that the public is there to serve the Government, the Councils and the Corporations.

They all seem to think that budgeting is not to do with working within financial constraints, but rather it is to do with deciding what schemes and controls they wish to implement and then demanding the money to fund them. Any working within financial constraints has to be done by the taxpayer so that the hairbrained notions of the officials can be carried out. What makes it worse in the local arena is that many of the true "nutters" are not elected at all, they are "appointed".

[lester1]

Local authorities are being constantly starved of central funding by the government, added to which there are far more Labour Councils than is good for us.

Bulls**t

Thos.

Yep Bulls**t

[andsome]

I think we have a system of governance where the tail is constantly trying (and often succeeding) in wagging the dog.

I can remember when the generally held opinion was that the Government, the Councils and the Corporations were there to serve the public. It has now turned full circle so that the public is there to serve the Government, the Councils and the Corporations.

They all seem to think that budgeting is not to do with working within financial constraints, but rather it is to do with deciding what schemes and controls they wish to implement and then demanding the money to fund them. Any working within financial constraints has to be done by the taxpayer so that the hairbrained notions of the officials can be carried out. What makes it worse in the local arena is that many of the true "nutters" are not elected at all, they are "appointed".

This is a FAR more sensible response to my points raised above than those resorting to abuse. If I am wrong, how then can the massive increases be explained? It is a sorry fact that Labour control more councils that other parties, and also control central funding, this fact has absolutely NOTHING to do with bulls or their excrement. If Labour control central funding, and most of the local authorities, why on earth are council taxes rocketiing if it is the fault of other parties? Tell me the reasons please.

[AlanHo]

Good points andsome - like everyone else here - my council tax has increased far beyond any sensible inflation level and I just cannot see why. Perhaps it is something to do with the dramatic increase in the number of so called public servants, especially managers/consultants and the privatisation of so many local services.

I know it was a disaster for the conservatives - but I still feel that the fairest local tax was the poll tax. The house next door is the same as mine - but there are 4 working adults and 3 children living there. They pay exactly the same council tax as me despite using a much greater level of local resources. How can this be considered fair - even allowing for the fact that they clearly pay more in income tax and VAT.

[-pops-]

Let it not be forgotten that both councils and central government are elected bodies.

If people cannot be bothered to vote - as is becoming increasingly common - then the loonies, jobsworths and moneywasters will gain power. This can be easily demonstrated in any council around us and most certainly in Westminster.

The colour of the political spectrum in power is immaterial - they are all in it together and kcuf to everyone else - the majority of the populace.

What happened to statesmen? Political leaders who really cared for the people they represented. Not seen any for a long time.

In the forthcoming council elections I shall vote as I did last time - for the Pensioners Party. At least they have a bit of care and compassion and are not there purely for what they can screw out of it and us.

Edit:

The only "improvement" in the service I have had from my council in the last five years is to be provided with wheelie bins for rubbish, which is now collected fortnightly instead of weekly as it used to be. Believe me, it can get really pongy after a time - and not only in the summer. I cannot see how this justifies the huge increases in the tax that have been made.

[andsome]

I am still waiting for those who's only contribution to DEBATE so far has been to call my opinions bovine excrement. If this is so, then what is your explanations for these massive increases? Is it all the fault of the TORIES, as seems to be your opinion for most of the maladies that we have to put up with? Or just for once, could those actually in control be to blame??

Regarding poll tax Alan. This was a manifestly unfair tax in that the ability to pay was not taken into account. The present system is also unfair. It is not right to make people pay for public services based on the size of their house. Some form of local income tax is a solution. Then the amount paid would be based upon ability to pay. Where the poll tax fell down was that everyone was expected to pay the same, whether they were getting an income or not. Local income tax is of course a Lib/Dem policy, but they will always fall down in this country, because people will always involve national interests in with local ones, and by far the vast majority of the country do NOT want the Lib Dem's to hand further control of this country over to mainland Europe. This policy of theirs, unfortunately for them will always affect their performance elsewhere.

[r4may]

andsome

Regarding poll tax Alan. This was a manifestly unfair tax in that the ability to pay was not taken into account.

The Idea of the Poll Tax was the fairest local tax, the problem was in it's implementation. Whilst everyone was expected to contribute there should have been a system based on the 'ability to pay' like income tax. That way stops the value of homes entering the equation which is a very unfair way of calculating any tax. ( including IHT )

[Thos]

Local authorities are being constantly starved of central funding by the government, added to which there are far more Labour Councils than is good for us.

Bulls**t

Thos.

I must apologise for this less than elegant response to the thread. I must confess that I broke my self-imposed rule of not commenting in haste in matters of this sort, so it is fair for you to consider the response not up to the standard of debate you would aspire to. :P

If the first para of your latest is directed to me, andsome, I don't think I have ever suggested that the Tories are at fault for most of the maladies, and all I ask for is a reasonable look at the whole picture.

I think the council tax is an abomination with hardly a redeeming feature but I, for one cannot think of a replacement. I tend to agree with AlanHo regarding the poll tax. Though it was not tied to the ability to pay it should have been possible to take some account of that. Anyway, no purpose is served now in discussing it because it is not publicly or politically acceptable.

Thos.

[andsome]

Local authorities are being constantly starved of central funding by the government, added to which there are far more Labour Councils than is good for us.

Bulls**t

Thos.

I must apologise for this less than elegant response to the thread. I must confess that I broke my self-imposed rule of not commenting in haste in matters of this sort, so it is fair for you to consider the response not up to the standard of debate you would aspire to. :P

If the first para of your latest is directed to me, andsome, I don't think I have ever suggested that the Tories are at fault for most of the maladies, and all I ask for is a reasonable look at the whole picture.

I think the council tax is an abomination with hardly a redeeming feature but I, for one cannot think of a replacement. I tend to agree with AlanHo regarding the poll tax. Though it was not tied to the ability to pay it should have been possible to take some account of that. Anyway, no purpose is served now in discussing it because it is not publicly or politically acceptable.

Thos.

No problem. I don't take offence very easily. I just like a good discussion. Something along the lines of everyone able to contribute, doing so, according to ability is long overdue, whoever chooses to do it.