Brighton and Hove City Council is backing calls for new powers to let them take some of the money spent in big supermarkets back into the local community.
The BBC reports that a group of English councils is formally asking the government for a new tax for big retailers, which could raise up to £400m a year.
The call is being spearheaded by Derby City Council under the Sustainable Communities Act, which allows communities and councils to put forward ideas to government to solve local problems. It is backed by 19 other local authorities, including Brighton and Hove.
But while the Government has six months to respond, it has already said additional taxes on supermarkets would be passed on to customers.
It’s a good idea, to have some of Tesco’s income come back into the community. Better though would be the Brighton Pound. This alternative currency would stay in the community. The council needs to back this by accepting it for rates, venue entrance fees, fines. Tesco would not accept this currency, nor would any chain, but all the local shops would.
It’s a good idea, to have some of Tesco’s income come back into the community. Better though would be the Brighton Pound. This alternative currency would stay in the community. The council needs to back this by accepting it for rates, venue entrance fees, fines. Tesco would not accept this currency, nor would any chain, but all the local shops would.
It’s a bad idea. It will be just another tax. It will be passed onto the customers. The money will not be passed onto ‘local community’ in any meaningful was to reinvigorate the high streets. It will be used by councils for their pet projects to gerrymander their influence.
It’s a bad idea. It will be just another tax. It will be passed onto the customers. The money will not be passed onto ‘local community’ in any meaningful was to reinvigorate the high streets. It will be used by councils for their pet projects to gerrymander their influence.
Great idea, supermarkets use their muscle to distort markets, have little or no regard for local communities, create few if any net jobs and pay little in the way of tax.
Great idea, supermarkets use their muscle to distort markets, have little or no regard for local communities, create few if any net jobs and pay little in the way of tax.