HENDON LIBERAL DEMOCRATSCampaigning for Hendon
HENDON LIBERAL DEMOCRATSFour out of five towns in London and the South East are in line for massive council tax rises because of the threat of revaluation; new Liberal Democrat research has shown. Among the biggest losers under Council Tax revaluation will be Barnet, Borehamwood and Brent – the places where house prices have risen the fastest since 1991. Council tax is currently based on property values in April 1991 but the government is updating its valuation figures to take account of changes in property prices since then. Families in London and the South East will be worst hit, because house prices have risen so much faster in the region than in the rest of the country.
Analysis of the Halifax house price index by the Liberal Democrats shows that 82% of towns in the region have seen prices rise faster than the national average, meaning homes are likely to be moved into higher paying tax bands. The whole of central London could be moved up a tax bracket.
Nahid Boethe, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Hendon said: “Labour is set to turn the warm glow of house price rises into a post election tax time bomb. People who have lived in their homes for many years, particularly pensioners, are in for a big shock”
“The government claims Council Tax revaluation will make the system fairer. But this research shows it will be arbitrary, random and unfair.
“The people of the South-East are about to be penalised for the market forces that have pushed up house prices in the region.
Sean Hooker, Liberal Democrat Councillor has had many people coming to his constituency surgery with great concerns over how they are going to pay their new council tax bill. He said, “In areas where prices have risen the most, homes could be moved up two, three or even more bands, which could mean tax rises of 50% or more. The danger for the capital is that it could follow Cardiff, where more than 60% of homes were moved into higher bands. One home was moved up six bands – more than doubling that family’s tax. “‘Revaluation is going to highlight the unfairness of Council Tax. Millions of families will see their Council Tax bills rocket once the election is over, but ministers have refused to come clean about it.”
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Notes to Editors:
1. The Valuation Office is revaluing all properties and will introduce new bands based on property prices on 1 April 2005.
2. The government has postponed the final decision on how rebanding will work until after the election.
3. Explaining revaluations, Nick Raynsford said (12 October 2004):
‘Only where the change in a property’s value is significantly above or below the average is it likely to change bands.’ The research was designed to establish which properties had changed in value ‘significantly above’ the national average and therefore face band changes. The national average price rise over the same period is around 160%.
4. Revaluation has already occurred in Wales, where 33% of properties were moved up a band, and only 8% moved down a band. In Cardiff, which correlates most closely to London, 64% of properties were moved up one band or more.
5. If a property were moved up a band, its bill would increase by up to 22%.For further information please contact: Stieve De Lance – Press officer
020 8906 8506
stieve@onetel.com
Nahid Boethe – Prospective Parliamentary Candidate – 020 8427 8681- ppclibdem@yahoo.co.uk
For policies and costings in detail please visit: www.libdems.org.uk and follow the links
Published and promoted by D. IWI on behalf of Hendon Liberal Democrats, both at 5 Meadway, London NW11 7JR
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The reality of Britain today is that it is a multi-ethnic, multi-faith and therefore diverse society. It is a richer society as a result - culturally, socially and economically. The Liberal Democrats embrace that Britain and we celebrate it. We will ensure that our laws reflect that diversity, protecting minorities from violence, discrimination and harassment. Labour can no longer lay exclusive claim to the votes of Britain’s ethnic
minorities.
Many people in Britain, of all backgrounds, were angry about the way we were taken
to war in Iraq. And they saw – and very many welcomed and supported - the principled stand the Liberal Democrats took at the time. We want to restore Britain’s reputation on the world stage - fighting international poverty, tackling climate change, protecting human rights and pushing to make sure that free trade is fair for all.
The Liberal Democrats are now seen as the leading proponent of politics, which call for tolerance and respect for human rights, both at home and abroad. We have refused to join a ludicrous and dangerous political auction of the other parties on anti-immigrant rhetoric. And we will promote a balanced approach to tackling terrorism. That means tough measures to make Britain safe - but not at the expense of fundamental legal rights like has happened at Belmarsh. It means acting through the United Nations on terrorism, but recognising that also means tackling the breeding grounds of terrorism – inequality, extremism and oppression. And it means that war must only be used as a last resort. But the popularity of the Liberal Democrats amongst the ethnic minority communities of Britain is not just about our stand on international issues and protection of civil liberties - our distinctive voice on health, education and crime is just as important. Our policies resonate because the ethnic minority communities in this country understand that opportunity and freedom for all are not just slogans, they need to be put into practice by political parties with affordable policies that will make Britain better.
The Liberal Democrats have been the real opposition in this parliament. But we have
no arbitrary or artificial limit to our ambition. Many people in the ethnic minority
communities in this country are looking for a political home – I want the Liberal
Democrats to be that home. United; principled; ambitious as a party. Together we can make those ambitions real for the country, for us and for the future of our children.
These are taken from the printed version of the pre-manifesto document. For more details, and to see the full document please visit www.libdems.org.uk
For further information please contact:
Nahid Boethe - Parliamentary Candidate – 020 8427 8681 -n.boethe@btinternet.com
Stieve De Lance – Press officer 020 8906 8506 stieve@onetel.com
For policies and costings in detail please visit: www.libdems.org.uk