The TaxPayers’ Alliance today welcomed the decision by South Norfolk District Council to freeze its Council Tax for the coming year. This should hopefully set a precedent for future councils in Norfolk to follow South Norfolk’s lead and work to trim budgets, make efficiency savings and cut taxes.
As we have shown, and will continue to do so, non-essential spending is running out of control. The average council in Britain spends a million pounds on its own self-congratulatory publicity. One hundred pounds out of the average Band D Council Tax bill goes to inflating council middle management on over £50,000 a year. Although South Norfolk have done well in announcing a freeze in Council Tax, Hammersmith and Fulham have gone further in cutting Council Tax by 3% for the second successive year. As the saying goes, “there’s still work to be done”.
Congratulations should also go to TPA Campaigners in Norfolk who have tirelessly campaigned against high Council Tax for so long, including our allies from Folk Against Council Tax. Any councillors and council officials reading this, however, should know they’re not being let off lightly. We want tax cuts, and we’ll continue to hold councils to account to see that we get the essential services at minimal cost to the taxpayer.
This is exactly the tide in opinion we are looking to secure – the majority for lower taxes, a majority who will not vote for any party whatsoever that increases taxes. We’re out to change the political culture and, bit by bit, we are.
If you would like to join our Norfolk branch of the TaxPayers' Alliance, do contact me on 0203 051 8144 or by emailing [email protected] and I can put you in touch with our hardworking activists in Norfolk.