Council tax can't be reformed, it must be scrapped - Brooke

11.20.57am GMT Tue 20th Mar 2007

Liberal Democrats are fighting to scrap council tax

Commenting on the expected publication tomorrow of the Lyons report on local government funding, which is likely to recommend new council tax bands, Annette Brooke, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, said:

"Merely tweaking the current system will do nothing to change the unfairness and heavy cost of council tax.

"The whole system needs to be swept away and replaced with a fair scheme based on people's ability to pay.

"It's taken three years to produce what looks like being a classic fudge, and the Government has said it will take several more years to implement. Anxiety about the council tax is one of the biggest issues in my MP's mail bag. Across the country millions of pensioners and low-paid families will continue to struggle to pay this unfair tax."

ENDS

Notes to Editors

A Joseph Rowntree Trust report found that 1 in 7 households have difficulty paying their council tax: <http://www.jrf.org.uk/knowledge/findings/socialpolicy/1947.asp>