I very much welcome the recent announcement from our national leadership that Labour would have frozen council tax for residents if in government.
Freezing the current rate could be paid for with funds from an increased windfall tax on energy firms.
This would be instead of asking our residents to pay the additional 4.99 per cent that the council are having to ask for to make up for the loss of government grant, inflation and other cost pressures.
This year alone, it would have meant that the residents of Brighton and Hove would have saved over £100 for a “band D” property. This would help just a little with the “cost of living crisis”.
Council tax is regressive, meaning people with lower incomes pay disproportionately more.
Tenants are liable for this tax, which is based on property values, not landlords – and there hasn’t been a revaluation of tax bands in England since April 1991 unless the size of the property has changed.
When we, as leaders of the opposition, had a briefing on this subject with Lisa Nandy, the Shadow Secretary for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, she also promised that there would be a review of local taxation.
In short, Labour are looking to replace council tax in the medium term. I can’t wait and am happy to help with a review!
Lisa went on to promise an end to the eternal bidding wars of council against council for government funding.
Labour is also promising longer-term financial settlements for councils which would mean more stability and certainty when planning services for residents.
Back in the day, when Labour was still in government, we had the “revenue support grant” as of right for the bulk of council funding.
This meant that councils were not having to apply for chunks of grants from a limited pot, wasting officer time on grant applications and bureaucracy when it could be better focused on delivering frontline services for residents.
Of course, this can only happen in the context of a Labour government but we have, once again, shown the Conservatives how things might be done – any takers, Michael Gove?
Recent Labour announcements are the right steps to put communities front and centre of politics which is exactly where they belong.
Councillor Carmen Appich is the joint leader of the Labour opposition on Brighton and Hove City Council.
Councillor Carmen Appich is the joint Labour opposition leader on Brighton and Hove City Council.
So under Labour/Greens we have some of the highest council tax in the country, double than the average property in London! £1,075 in London compared to £2,119 in Brighton & Hove!
Why aren’t you standing? You are leader of local Liebour. You don’t believe it yourself. I know what you will say: ‘I have to look after a poorly relative ect’. Good another Corbyn!te out.
The massive increase in council tax is due to a reduction from central government.
Tony
Shortfalls in Government funding has been happening since 2010, so it’s up to the local council to allocate funding to where it is needed and spend less on those many vanity projects it has running.
While you might argue that some of these projects are ironically government grants and can’t be used for other things the important thing to remember council taxes have to be added to bridge the gaps.
Hove for example has a government grant of £9m, the project is £13m, therefore £4m has to be added. Where do you think it comes from, some from contributions from third parties, loans (that have to be repaid) and from other council resources.
Just looking at the projects currently running Marina, Western Road, Hove, VG3 about to start and now West Street next year, we’ve already had VG1 and 2, just take a look at how much we have had to put in.
We are already short by £2.2M every year due to the i360. £13m has been put in for various Cycle options, money that should have been spent on essential services.
The list of wastage includes the millions spent on a lame effort to save money on school transport but BHCC failed, they should have left it alone.
Yes there are shortfalls in funding, but it’s up to BHCC to allocate priorities and we already pay the highest council taxes on the planet and our city still looks a hole.
Poor management is the cause.
If we want services etc we have to pay the tax for them – it doesn’t matter whether it’s an energy company windfall tax or VAT or council tax – they all eventually come out of the people’s’ pockets because there is no one else.
Better for councils (and Governments) to be honest, transparent and to strive not to waste money. If councils are spending government grants then they need to acknowledge more clearly the fact that they can’t do what they do without outside financing. That also needs them to show that they are trying to be as efficient as possible so they aren’t wasting that money.
20 years here and I still haven’t seen a local politician in control try to do this.
It’s autological by the nature of applying for grants, they allow expansion and development beyond an entity’s financial scope.
Tax, ultimately, is the redistribution of wealth, and how that redistribution is structured effectively ends up being your political colour.
Nice use of “autologous” : not sure it works
Keep shaking that magic money tree and it’ll break.
Growth is the only solution and the council needs to facilitate it.
If you want a better town then we need more high-class employers NOT more coffee, pizza or drug dealing.