Decision to Cap Council Tax an admission of Government failure:

Today's announcement that Torbay's Council Tax rise is to be capped by the Government was condemned by Totnes Parliamentary Candidate Mike Treleaven as an admission of failure. Commenting shortly after the announcement he said:

'This decision highlights the total disregard the Government has for reforming the way in which we pay for local services. Rather than stick to its election promises to end capping the Government has continued a practice that yet again penalises pensioners and the low paid. It is about time that the Labour Government realised that Council Tax is a grossly unfair way of taxing people. It should be replaced by local income tax which is based on the ability to pay and which, above all, is fair.'

He continued:

' The irony is that this cap will mean a very small reduction in individual bills - around £12 per year for a band D tax payer - but will lead to more unpopular cuts in services which will affect everyone and £50,000 wasted on sending out new bills. Those who are affected most by high Council Tax bills will find little comfort in the small reduction they will receive from capping. It is difficult to understand the reaction of Anthony Steen in calling for the Council to be capped when his own Conservative party's shadow local government minister, Phillip Hammond, has said 'that capping will not properly address the issue' and that ' the underlying driver of soaring council taxes are fiddled local funding from Whitehall and a never-ending torrent of burdens, targets and red tape.' I am at a loss to understand Mr. Steen's comments that '90% of people do not use council services anyway' ( Herald Express April 28th. 2004). I was under the impression that everyone has their rubbish collected, the majority of children in the Bay are educated in the Bay's schools, many, many people are helped by the social service provision and large numbers of people benefit from the myriad of other services provided for by the Council.