Council taxpayers beware

Ministers last week announced next year's grants to councils - including Kingston.

Not good news. Local government experts predict average rises of 10% or more across England. It's too early to know Kingston's exact figure, but recently Government has hit our Borough harder than most.

Few people realise Kingston is a low spending authority, compared to most councils. In London, Kingston is the third lowest spender, per resident. The reason our council tax is so high is because our Government grant is so low.

The last Conservative Government started the cuts on Kingston, but the trend of low grant rises continued under Labour. In 1997/98, grants paid for 67.6% of Kingston's budget. This year, grants paid for only 59%. That's forced up Kingston's tax and why council tax is Labour's "stealth tax" - Gordon Brown getting others to do his dirty work.

The worst thing is council tax is such an unfair tax: the Chancellor is making people on low incomes, like pensioners, pay the most.

In Parliament last week I once again criticised the Minister for Local Government, saying, "He knows the council tax is set to soar again. He knows his statement will do nothing to stem the seething unrest and unease about the spiteful council tax."

I believe the unfair council tax must go. Yet so far, the Government is not listening.