News story

8th March 2004

Big Backing from Local People for Local Income Tax Proposal

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Proposals to scrap the council tax and replace it with a local income tax have received big backing from residents of Steve Webb's Northavon constituency. Over the last two months the MP has received hundreds of e-mails and letters responding to the question whether it would be fairer to replace the council tax with a local income tax.

Just over three quarters of the respondents said they would prefer local income tax. The biggest reason given was that it was fairer to tax people according to what they could afford to pay rather than according to the value of their house. Local people also felt that it would save money to "piggy-back" a local tax on the existing national income tax. This would save money not only by scrapping the council tax but also the separate system of council tax benefit.

Just under a quarter of respondents said they did not support a local income tax. Some felt this would put too much burden on people who were working and that it was unfair that with a local income tax some people would pay nothing at all towards local services.

Steve Webb has welcomed the results of the survey. Commenting, he said:

"My constituents have sent me a very clear message that they want to see the council tax 'axed'. The vast majority believe that a local income tax would both be fairer and cheaper to run.

"In my view council tax has become an unacceptable burden, especially for many pensioners and others on modest or fixed incomes. I will now be stepping up my campaign along with my Liberal Democrat colleagues to get the council tax scrapped and a fairer system put in its place".

Note to editors: Any constituent of Steve Webb's who is willing to be consulted by e-mail from time to time can join in by simply filling in the "join my e-mail group" box on the left hand side of this page.