SHDC council tax rise

Dear Editor,

Anthony Steen has made much comment recently about inflation busting Council Tax rises. He forgets to mention that it was the Conservative Party, and Michael Howard in particular, that introduced the system. Nor does he mention the present shadow chancellor's plans to remove £1.9billion from central government grants to local councils (equivalent to a Council Tax rise of 10%), or the complete absence of Conservative proposals to replace Council Tax.

The Council Tax is the unfairest tax of all in that it penalises pensioners and the low paid to the benefit of those who can afford to pay more. Liberal Democrats are the only party with firm, fully costed plans to replace it, plans which have welcomed by the public and endorsed by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance as a realistic and workable alternative. The sooner Council Tax is replaced with a local income tax system based on the ability to pay the better.

He has had to withdraw his criticism of the Conservative run South Hams District Council (pressure from Conservative colleagues?) but would do well to examine their plans more deeply. Councillors have tried to hide the problem despite an inflation busting rise of 4.95%. No mention is made of the stealth tax , equivalent to a further 9%, imposed by way of increased charges, raiding the reserves and other financial manipulation. A comparison of spending with other similar Councils is depressingly illuminating. The Council has also lost extra Government funding due to the inadequacies of its planning procedures - one of only 4 councils in the country to do so.

His analyses of other councils praises Teignbridge - a council led by a Liberal Democrat and where Liberal Democrats are the largest party, but fails to mention Torbay's decline into disaster under a Conservative administration that led the Audit Commission to rate them as 'poor'. This position is being rapidly reversed under Liberal Democrat control praised by the Audit Commission. He accuses Devon County Council of being overstaffed with a workforce of 18,000. This is being little economical with the truth. Currently the County Council employs the equivalent of 15369 full time staff - 5000 less than it did in 1998. Of those over 90% work in front line services such as teachers, care workers and social workers. Is he really suggesting we cut back on teachers and on care for the elderly?

On one point we can agree-the proliferation of inappropriate speed bumps and traffic calming schemes.

A final thought - according to the Governments own statistics Liberal Democrat Councils had the lowest average Council Tax rise in the country last year.

Yours sincerely,

Mike Treleaven