Herald letter - capping

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 7th May 2004

Dear Editor,

So, the decision has been made and the Government have decided to further penalise the people of Torbay by capping a Council that has been working hard to repair the financial mismanagement of the previous Conservative administration.

This decision highlights the total disregard the Government has for reforming the way in which we pay for local services. Rather than stick to its election promises to end capping the Government has continued a practice that yet again penalises pensioners and the low paid. It is about time that the Labour Government realised that Council Tax is a grossly unfair way of taxing people. It should be replaced by local income tax which is based on the ability to pay and which, above all, is fair.

The irony is that this cap will mean a very small reduction in individual bills - around £12 per year for a band D tax payer - but will lead to more unpopular cuts in services which will affect everyone and £50,000 wasted on sending out new bills. Those who are affected most by high Council Tax bills will find little comfort in the small reduction they will receive from capping.

Anthony Steen's calls for the Council to be capped seem to be completely at odds with the views of his own party. Phillip Hammond, the Conservative Shadow Local government Minister has said 'that capping will not properly address the issue' and that ' the underlying driver of soaring council taxes are fiddled local funding from Whitehall and a never-ending torrent of burdens, targets and red tape.' Is this another case of the Conservative right hand not knowing what its left hand is doing?

I am also at a loss to understand Mr. Steen's comments that '90% of people do not use council services anyway' ( Herald Express April 28th. 2004). I was under the impression that everyone has their rubbish collected, the majority of children in the Bay are educated in the Bay's schools, many, many people are helped by the social service provision and large numbers of people benefit from the myriad of other services provided for by the Council.

Your sincerely,

Mike Treleaven

Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, Totnes Constituency.