Laws slams government plans to raise council tax

David Laws, MP for Yeovil Constituency, has slammed the Government for announcing plans in the Comprehensive Spending Review yesterday which will mean rises in Council Tax by as much as 5% each year for the next three years.

The money allocated to Local Authorities will not increase at the same rate that it has previously, creating a funding gap which leaves Local Authorities with no option but to fill the gap by raising Council Tax.

David Laws said,

“The Government’s announcement yesterday on the new spending allocation for Local Authorities is the meanest for 10 years and leaves Councils with little option but to increase Council Tax by as much as 5% every year for the next three. This will mean that Council Tax will have more than doubled since Labour came to power.
 
“This unfair tax must be abolished and replaced with a tax based on an individual’s ability to pay.
 
“The Government has ducked the tough choices which needed to be made on public spending, and the backdoor rise in Council Tax will hit many people very hard.”

ENDS

Category: Constituency News