Articles and Speeches

Council Tax - 25% Hike
23-Feb-07, Windsor Express Article.

In my post bag and when talking to people on the doorsteps, the local level of council tax is a key issue that comes up time and time again.

Council tax rises are a worry for a huge number of people in our local area. With LibDems councillors our bills have been hiked by about 25% over the last four years and this year, once again, they are set to rise by about 4%.

The trouble with council tax is that we have no choice. The elderly on fixed incomes and the least well-off families in our society will have to struggle to find the extra money because moving home is not a realistic option.

One would expect the LibDem councillors to be sympathetic to the needs of the most vulnerable in and around Windsor and Maidenhead area, but instead they have not only driven the council further into debt – an extra £20m over 4 years - but they have also squeezed another 25% out of locals for little improvement in services.

You might expect me to point out the rapid rise in local taxes under the LibDems and the damage it does locally. But don’t just take it from me. It is somewhat depressing that the LibDem council’s financial strategy states that “council tax should be used to generate as much income as possible”! It seems that the Borough’s strategy is to calculate future council tax increases to be only marginally below the anticipated capping limit.

It therefore comes as no surprise when people say to me on the doorstep that they will find it hard to trust the LibDems in local government again.