Letter WMN - Council tax 2004

12.00.00am GMT Mon 8th Mar 2004

Dear Sir,

If and when Anthony Steen is languishing in gaol having failed to pay all his Council Tax, as he threatens, he would do well to reflect on how the Conservative party has dealt with local taxation in the past and its lack of plans for the future.

It was Michael Howard, his current leader, who introduced the Council Tax and it is Oliver Letwin, the current Shadow Chancellor who has plans to reduce the central Government grant to local authorities by £1.9billion pounds. This would mean a 10% rise in Council Tax to make up the difference.

He also accuses Devon County Council of being overstaffed with a workforce of 18,000. This is being little economical with the truth. Currently the County Council employs the equivalent of 15369 full time staff - 5000 less than it did in 1998. Of these, 8500 are teachers and support staff in our schools. A further 5500 work out in the community as social workers, care assistants and in other front line services. Is he really suggesting we cut back on teachers in our schools and caring for the elderly?

I do share with him his hatred of speed bumps and question many of the road 'improvement' schemes implemented, but this is tinkering at the edges of the problem. Council Tax rises are due to the huge increase in regulations and initiatives imposed by central government and the lack of money to implement them. This is the unfairest of taxes which penalises pensioners and those on low incomes. It must be replaced. Liberal Democrat plan to do this with a local income tax based on the ability to pay. This is a much fairer system endorsed by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance as a realistic and workable alternative.

Yours sincerely

Mike Treleaven

( Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate - Totnes Constituency)