13 May 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[start of press release]

Isitfair COUNCIL TAX PROTEST GROUP TELLS GOVERNMENT TO START LISTENING

After securing his third general election victory, Tony Blair said "We have got to listen to the people and respond wisely and sensibly." 

Christine Melsom, founder of the Isitfair council tax protest group, had this response to Tony Blair.

"We trust that your approach of listening to the people and responding wisely and sensibly will apply to the issue of council tax. The Government must now start listening to the millions of people who have been demanding a fairer deal on council tax."

The Government has already stated that the existing system of council tax will not be scrapped but it will be reformed.

Christine continued "So far you have turned a deaf ear to any suggestion that council tax should be scrapped and replaced by a system that takes account of people's ability to pay. We hope you will now listen to the demands for a fairer system for everyone. You must ensure that people with fixed or modest incomes cease to have to pay a disproportionate percentage of their income in council tax."

The Government set up the Lyons Inquiry into the reform of local government finance, which is due to make its recommendations later this year.

Commenting on this Christine said "This is the second review in two years. The main outcome of the first review was to recommend the setting up of the second review. We expect something more constructive from the Lyons Inquiry.

"We call upon the Lyons Inquiry to deliver a fairer system without recourse to selective discounts and yet more means tested benefits. There is already a massive bureaucracy to handle the administration of council tax and CT benefits in each of 350 different billing authorities across England. Any changes to the system should ensure that this administrative overhead is reduced."

On the subject of the revaluation of properties in England, Christine said "The revaluation of properties in England has commenced, and these revised values will be the basis of council tax bills from 2007. All households have already endured massive increases in the tax since 1997 and the Government must accept that for many people the level of council tax now exceeds the limits of reasonableness. They must take steps to ensure that the increases of the past eight years are not compounded by any changes that take place as a consequence of property revaluation and rebanding."

In conclusion Christine told the Government to start listening:

"Start listening to people of all age groups who are demanding a fairer system of taxation to fund local services! Make the system fairer for everyone. Council tax isn't only a problem for pensioners - it is a disproportionate tax on anyone with a fixed or modest income. 

"Start listening to people who now pay far more in council tax than they pay in income tax! Stop using council tax as a stealth tax.

"Start listening to people who are now paying 20% or more of their fixed or modest incomes in council tax! People have already suffered relentless hikes in the tax since 1997 totalling, on average, over 75%. 

"Start listening to people who have been telling you for the past eight years that the increase in the value of their property has not generated any additional income with which to pay their council tax bill!

"Council tax is paid out of people's net income. Their income does not go up just because the value of their property has increased. Are they supposed to remortgage their properties just so that they can pay their council tax?

"Council tax is a regressive tax - the less income you have, the higher the percentage of your income you have to pay in council tax. You must ensure that your reforms result in a fairer system for everyone. Do not deliver a "reformed" system with selective discounts and yet more means testing. Stop driving more and more people into the council tax benefits system. You promised eight years ago that you would reduce means testing. We're still waiting!"

[end of press release]


For further press information, please contact: Christine Melsom on 01428-712680 or E-mail c@Isitfair.co.uk

Issued by Isitfair Campaign, Headley, Hampshire GU35 8PJ


NOTES TO EDITOR

Isitfair is a UK-wide, non party-political campaign for the abolition of the existing property-value based system of Council Tax, and for its replacement by a fairer system based on individual ability to pay. 

The campaign represents people of all age groups (not only pensioners) who are unfairly affected by Council Tax. 

Isitfair is endorsed by The Royal British Legion.

You can find more information about the Isitfair campaign at www.Isitfair.co.uk