Scrap Council Tax

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ISITFAIR COUNCIL TAX PROTEST GROUP
For further press information, please contact: Christine Melsom on 01428-712680 or E-mail c@isitfair.co.uk

4 October 2005

EMBARGOED UNTIL 12 NOON on TUESDAY 4 OCTOBER 2005

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RELEASE OF REVEREND ALFRED RIDLEY

Christine Melsom, founder of the IsItfair council tax protest group issued the following statement:

We are delighted that Reverend Alfred Ridley has been released and reunited with his wife and family. We regard the imposition of his 28 day sentence as draconian and vindictive. Alfred's "crime" was to protest against the relentless inflation-busting hikes in council tax by paying last year's council tax plus inflation and no more. The application of the letter of the law in such a case is shameful and has led to a surge of interest in the IsItFair campaign with many people saying that they are now even more determined to campaign for the present system of council tax to be scrapped.

How many more people, disadvantaged by this regressive system of taxation, will have to suffer the indignity of a prison sentence before the Government starts to take notice?

The jail sentences imposed on Reverend Alfred Ridley and more recently Sylvia Hardy have received extensive media coverage, but it's important to reiterate the underlying reason for their protest.

Massive increases in council tax have had a dramatic impact on the financial situation of many people living on fixed or modest incomes. The principle reason for such people being so disadvantaged by the present system is simple - council tax liability is based on the value of your property, and not your income.

The present system is illogical as there is no direct connection between the value of your property and the monthly income from which you have to pay the tax. No political party would dream of assessing income tax based on the value of your house, so why should we be saddled with a monthly tax on property which happens to be called council tax? Council tax is regressive - the less income you have, the higher the percentage of your income you have to pay in council tax.

Since its introduction in 1993 council tax has risen by 121% in England, by 186% in Wales and by 101% in Scotland. Over the same period inflation was 36%.

We are NOT asking for pensioners to be given special treatment - we want a fairer system for everyone, based on people's ability to pay instead of property value.

Many pensioners are amongst those who are most disadvantaged, but people of all ages on fixed or modest incomes are paying a disproportionate percentage of their income in council tax under the present system.

We do NOT want the introduction of special discounts for pensioners, or any extension of the council tax benefits system. The whole council tax benefits system would be redundant if the tax was related to income instead of property value.

A radical overhaul of the funding of local services should take place as a matter of urgency and property value must cease to be the basis for local taxation. Although it will take time for a new system to be agreed and implemented, that does not excuse any further inflation-busting increases.

We call on the Government to ensure that no-one is required to pay an increase in their annual council tax above the rate of inflation with effect from April 2006, and until such time that property value ceases to be the basis of taxation for local services.

The people at the sharp end of this iniquitous tax don't want any more delaying tactics, buck-passing or empty promises from the Government, they want urgent action!

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For further press information, please contact: Christine Melsom on 01428-712680 or E-mail c@isitfair.co.uk

Issued by IsItFair Campaign, Headley, Hampshire GU35 8PJ

NOTES TO EDITOR

IsItFair is a UK-wide, non party-political campaign for the abolition of the existing property-value based system of Council Tax, and for its replacement by a fairer system based on individual ability to pay.

The campaign represents people of all age groups (not only pensioners) who are unfairly affected by Council Tax.

IsItFair is endorsed by The Royal British Legion.

You can find more information about the IsItFair campaign at www.isitfair.co.uk