Lanark Liberal

Local authoritites across Scotland have recently announced their increases in council tax for the coming year, and it remains blatantly obvious that this is a totally unfair system which must be replaced. As it happens, my own local authority, North Lanarkshire Council, will increase tax by 3.5%. This is clearly unacceptable, and will result in yet more crippling council tax bills landing on doormats. However, it is even more outrageous when you consider that NLC (and undoubtedly others) have failed to adjust the council tax bands in line with increases in property value, elevating many households into higher bands. In a recent publication, NLC published blatant lies regarding house prices in the region, claiming that the vast majority of households are in band A, and thus most houses in North Lanarkshire are worth below £27,000. Now I don't claim to be any expert on the issue, but I know enough about it to realise that you would struggle to acquire a rabbit hutch for £27,000 these days. Band A tax is now £694 p.a. going up to an astonishing £2,802 in band H. As if the sheer amount of it is not enough, many residents of North Lanarkshire would agree that they do not see the benefits of their tax once it has passed into the greedy hands of the fumbling council. And then there is, of course, the fact that the method of derermining the amount paid in tax is completely unfair. The value of a persons house does not necessarily refletct their income. Local authorities should set tax levels on ability to pay, and not property value.