Labour's tax double whammy hits poorest
February 21, 2008 9:00 PM
Local Liberal Democrats oppose Labour's massive Council Tax and rent rises
Liberal Democrats have claimed Derby Council's Labour group are hitting some of the poorest people in Derby after Labour leaders confirmed big Council Tax and rent rises.
Labour council leader Cllr Chris Williamson confirmed at last night's council cabinet that he expected Derby's Council Tax to rise by the maximum allowed, 5%.
Cllr Hilary Jones leader of Derby Liberal Democrats said "Council Tax is an unfair tax. Nationally the poorest tenth of the population pay 4 times more of their income in Council Tax than the richest tenth.
"Many people are already struggling to pay their Council Tax as it is, without this increase.
"The leader of the Council tries to fob people off by describing this rise as merely a matter of pence each week.
"In reality, a 5% increase would mean that since Labour came to government in 1997 the typical Council Tax in Derby will have gone up by more than £400".
The decision of Derby Council's Labour/Conservative cabinet to back an 8.2% rise in Council rents has also been identified by the city's Liberal Democrat group as a move that could hit poorer people in the pocket.
Cllr Hilary Jones Lib Dem leader said "An 8.2% rent rise is huge, it's well above inflation.
"This is a blow for the many tenants who will struggle to afford to pay this increase. There will be some tenants who will endure real hardship because of this big rent rise.
"Many of the Tenants in work will have received pay rises well below 8.2%.
"I can pledge that the Liberal Democrats will oppose the rent rise at the Full Council budget meeting on March 4th."
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