Council Tax 2006- Almost the Lowest Rise in Essex

10.18.37am GMT Fri 14th Apr 2006

In their recent leaflet, the Tories claimed that the increase in Council Tax has been 30%, over an undefined period.

The truth is that in the 3- year period to 2004-05, the rise has been 28%, while Tory- controlled councils have had larger rises- Rochford 31%, Maldon 65% and the County Council 35% over 8 years..

Every year for the past 10 years, Epping forest District Council has received such a small grant from successive Tory and Labour governments that economies and cuts have been an annual routine. Despite this constraint, the overall increase in council tax has been one of the lowest in Essex.

This year, by contrast, we have been in luck. The Council has been given one of the best central government grants in the whole of Essex. This gave it a chance to fix a below-inflation Council Tax increase. The way that this grant is distributed is cloaked in such mystery that no-one can explain it, but the mystery allows the success Tory and Labour governments to play political games at will.

A Liberal Democrat government would abolish Council Tax and put local taxation back into the hands of local people.