13/11/09 - Labour Plan Fourth Term Tax Hikes

Swindon faces a barrage of hikes in local taxes under Labour plans, Cllr Justin Tomlinson, North Swindon Conservative Parliamentary candidate warned today. A new Labour Party Manifesto for a 'fourth term' has outlined plans to introduce higher council tax bands, above inflation rises in business rates on local firms, bin taxes and anti-car taxes in towns and cities.

Council tax rebanding: This official Labour Manifesto for local government was published at the recent Labour Party conference. It calls for a council tax revaluation and higher council tax bands "to make it a more genuinely progressive tax". Labour’s deputy leader, Harriet Harman, is already drawing up plans for council tax rebanding. The Government has changed the law to give Ministers powers to impose higher council tax banding - changes which were supported by the Liberal Democrats.

Council tax bills in Swindon have risen by 125% since 1997, taking the bill on a Band D home to £1366. A Government review has provided a blueprint for council tax rebanding, and suggested a new ten-band system. More homes would be sucked into the higher bands, and the amount that higher bands pay would increase too. Council tax bills in Swindon could rocket to as much as £7282 a year under the new system.

Higher business rates: The Labour Manifesto calls for above inflation rises in rates for local firms, ending the explicit link between business rates and inflation.

Bin taxes: The Manifesto calls for more 'bin bully' policies, with financial penalties for residents when disposing of rubbish.

Road pricing taxes: The Manifesto signals yet another tax assault on drivers, with the imposition of "road pricing" in urban areas, with no offsetting tax cuts elsewhere. It also signals the extension of workplace parking taxes, currently being trialled in Labour-run Nottingham.

Cllr Justin Tomlinson said:

"Labour’s new town hall Manifesto exposes Gordon Brown’s plans for massive hikes in local taxes on people in Swindon. This is a tax bombshell primed to explode after the general election.

"Under Labour, new council tax bands will be used to punish families and pensioners who have saved and invested in their homes, with bills rocketing.

"Only Conservatives are opposing these tax-raising plans and standing up for struggling residents who are paying more and getting less under this Labour Government.''