Council Tax
Labour’s Folly
Under Labour Council Tax has risen since 2006 and even worse the burden of indirect taxation through “stealth taxes” such as the increases in charges for parking permits has imposed a damaging burden on all households.
Conservatives’ Answer
“We will give a ‘helping hand’ to new businesses seeking to open in our high streets through more flexible planning policies, extra cash for shop front grants, and by holding an annual business excellence competition.”
We will:
- Keep council tax down and service quality high making low Council tax one of Lambeth’s top priorities. The Conservatives have promised a two year freeze in Council Tax if they win the general election.
- Go even further. We will seek to cut the Council Tax year on year. For 2010-11 the Conservative shadow budget proposed a 2.1 per cent cut in Council Tax or £20 off the basic Band D rate.
- Support the national Conservative proposals for greater use of local democracy, including allowing residents to veto high Council Tax rises and instigate local referendums on local issues.
- Make savings from improved efficiency through new business processes and more use of collaboration technology.
- Ensure better procurement of goods and services that will also produce savings. There is no need for in-house catering at the town hall when dozens of coffee bars, sandwich shops, and low cost restaurants exist in Lambeth.
- Support the principle of worker co-operatives to manage services as not-for-profit social enterprises.
- Use council properties more effectively, by consolidating some and disposing of others, we can release cash to invest in the future of all residents of Lambeth and to bring services closer to the communities they serve.
- Give a ‘helping hand’ to new businesses seeking to open in our high streets through more flexible planning policies, extra cash for shop front grants, and by holding an annual business excellence competition.
- Support Conservative proposals nationally to give local authorities a new discretionary power to levy business rate discounts, allowing them to help local shops and services such as post offices.
- Research innovative options to regenerate shopping parades such as Southwark Council-funded initiative called Improving Local Retail Environments (ILRE) that has similar aims.
To find out more CLICK HERE and download our manifesto (PDF, 9MB)
