The Stealth Tax we all pay

There will be some Council elections in May, especially in London. One of the issues which will be raised is the thorny subject of the Council Tax.

What is clear, from Conservative Central Office calculations, is the following:

1) Council Tax has risen by more than double, in fact by 137%, since 1997. (Even if we are honest and admit, what G. Brown does not always, that part of the increase is merely covering inflationary cost increases, the increase allowing for inflationary elements is still 105%, or just over doubling.

2) The increases the amount by about the equivalent of a 4p increase in income tax per pound, and now raises the equivalent of about 7p in the pound. He made a great song and dance about cutting standard tax rate from 22p to 20p, although forgetting to mention abolishing the 10% band. While he was doing this he was also increasing Council Tax by about 0.5p equivalent as well.

This is the ultimate Stealth Tax, as the local council gets the blame, but make no mistake, - much of the increased spending is on functions dictated by central government.

The above figures are all averages, of course, - a handful of Conservative run authorities have achieved standstill budgets recently or even reductions, but they tend to be urban authorities.

Council Tax in the far South-West has risen by 168% since 1997, before allowing for inflation.
Labour neither understands rural areas nor cares, has few votes there and even fewer MPs