Council Tax Freeze.

AllanP · Joined: 17 Jan 2008 Posts: 488 Location: Central Scotland.

This SNP Government has decreed that council tax has been frozen this year with a commitment to abolishment and a much more fairer way of taxation in future years.
Given that this is a possible end game, just how is this going to be financed without loss of jobs and services without future funding from the taxpayer?
Whilst I'm on my high horse, I must ask this.
Just how is the Forth Bridge going to be rapaired without funding of tolls?

Don't get me wrong, I think it is a great SNP winning pledge overall, but in the real world of financing? Doh!
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Summer_08 · Joined: 01 Feb 2008 Posts: 274 Location: Scotland

Well, I'm glad it's been frozen for this year....it's a big chunk to pay out of your take home pay...the second biggest bill I have to pay (after the mortgage of course)

I would like to see it change over to a fairer way of paying - dunno how they work out the banding - I recently moved from a 2 bed flat to a 3 bed house and I'm in the same band - not that I'm complaining about that of course...

But there are a lot of people who struggle to pay it - it really shouldn't be based on the valure of your house - that's no indication of wealth.

Xcotty · Guest

I live in a caravan, and found out recently.
That I pay more, than my mate, who lives in a flat.

sissy · Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 3:30 am Post subject:

just doesn't seem right.

Xcotty · Guest

I know Sissy, when I get the chance, I'll go to the offices.
To see what the hell thats all about.
He has three bedrooms in his flat, I have two, but one is a shoebox?

sissy · Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 3:38 am Post subject:

I have phoned them three times for a payment card and sent off a letter.Im still waiting for it,gosh! I only want to give my money away to them and they drag their heels.

Xcotty · Guest

Aye, you would think they don't want our money.

My lot were huffing about me paying by direct debit.
Until I said, if I didn't do it that way, they wouldn't get it.
That seemed to work.

sissy · Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 3:56 am Post subject:

My brother has never payed a penny and still gets away with it.I was late one month and got a nasty letter.

Xcotty · Guest

My bank made a mix up once, and the payment was late.
So I got a nasty letter from them too.
But I didn't know the bank had made a late payment.
When I asked them about it, they asked to see the letter.
The manager, threw the letter in his bin, and said, it was all sorted.
But I made him write a letter explaining, it was their mistake.
I got a letter of apology back, so I was quite happy.

My bank.

The Royal Bank Of Scotland.

Merak · Joined: 15 Jan 2008 Posts: 154

Am I imagining things or is every other the time the snp opens its mouth it's to give another freebie? Its seeming more like a company trying to keep/attract customers, than a government.

Can't help thinking that it's gimmickry.

Summer_08 · Joined: 01 Feb 2008 Posts: 274 Location: Scotland

Summer_08 · Joined: 01 Feb 2008 Posts: 274 Location: Scotland

BoB · Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 2:40 pm Post subject:

Summer_08 · Joined: 01 Feb 2008 Posts: 274 Location: Scotland

^^Exactly

I think the banding was done in the early 90's?? I just think it's a really unfair way to work out tax.

Merak · Joined: 15 Jan 2008 Posts: 154

well what they want to do here - which as been postponed for the moment - is to band council tax rates according to the value of your house. It's ridiculous. Your house could be valued at £150k today, yet you might be struggling to pay the £100k mortgage you took to buy it 10 years ago. I really don't see what the value of a house has got to do with consumption of council services or ability to pay based on that - the extra £50k that it's valued at today doesn't exist, unless you sell up and move on.

Summer_08 · Joined: 01 Feb 2008 Posts: 274 Location: Scotland

^^Whereabouts do you live Merak? That's how ours has been worked for as long as I've been paying it.

Our housing bands work out as:

Band A -Home value up to £27,000

B £27,001 - £35,000

C £35,001 - £45,000

D £45,001 - £58,000

E £58,001 - £80,000

F £80,001 - £106,000

G £106,001 - £212,000

H Over £212,000

^^^Now, I would LOVE to find a property round here under 80,000....but they don't exist...well, maybe they did 10 years ago

rickyross3359 · Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 5:45 pm Post subject:

The banding and price of the house it still at 90's house prices not todays.
The council tax is unfair anyway as it was related to property value and not income.
I personally think the SNP are right. Labour keep moaning but they were 8 years in government and council tax spiralled way out of control. They moan and moan about social justice now that they are in opposition - wasn't 8 years long enough? All I say is give the SNP a chance - not perfect( is any politician?) But for me I do believe they have Scotland's interest at heart. I lived doon South for a good 10 years and believe me Scotland is a lot better at social justice than doon there.
Labour are bound to bring up service cuts in councils, but the government has provided extra funding of 70 million this year and given the councils more freedom of were they money should be spent. Just wait for the scaremongering to start

BoB · Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 5:52 pm Post subject:

It was far better when it was the rates.
Just because some people in big posh houses started complaining about how much they had to pay they scrapped it.

Pole tax was good in principle, but fraught with problems and could never work.

Council tax is still unfair and I don't know if a local income tax would work very well

It would be very expensive to collect for a start!
With people changing jobs etc, it would be a paper nightmare

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Merak · Joined: 15 Jan 2008 Posts: 154

Merak · Joined: 15 Jan 2008 Posts: 154

rickyross3359 · Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2008 3:41 pm Post subject:

I guess Local income tax would present itself with new difficulties. Council tax certainly hasn't been working and as I said spiralling way out of control each year. Although somehow the councils themselves always seemed to build new fab council offices for themselves! A lot of them also wanted to offload their council housing to housing associations.
I hope the SNP will be able to sort something out and for the moment welcome the freeze as a begining.

Merak · Joined: 15 Jan 2008 Posts: 154

well the way the snp seems to love things for free, they'll be abolishing council tax shortly.

AllanP · Joined: 17 Jan 2008 Posts: 488 Location: Central Scotland.

BoB · Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 9:58 pm Post subject:

If there is a Council Tax Freeze, someone wants to tell Aberdeenshire Council

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MikeS · Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 7:45 am Post subject:

The council tax has always bothered me.

With other utilities such as gas, electricity, telephone service, the customer has a choice. If you feel you're being overcharged you can take your custom elsewhere in a competitive market.

Local authorities have their countless committees who decide how much Mr & Mrs Bloggs will have to fork out to pay for their ineptitude in providing local services. They set an amount and wham, bang, thank you mam, you're billed an extortionate amount for very little in return. And if you're not happy with the bill? Tough. Someone has to pay for councillors numerous jaunts and freebies (Dalkeith, for example, has a twin town in the south of France - nice work if you can get it)

I know local services have to be paid for - in Midlothian Council's case rubbish not being collected, never-ending roadworks, streetlights that come on during the day but go off at night etc. etc. - but a system of local income tax where you can pay what you can afford would be a lot fairer in my view.

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Des · Joined: 18 Jan 2008 Posts: 255 Location: Isle of Bute

We live on an island & our cottage is right out in the middle of nowhere.We have no street lights,hardly see a Policeman (unless they are skiving) recycle most of our rubbish waste if possible so the bin gets emptied once every 3 wks..
Our other waste goes to a septic tank & we are putting in a water meter cos we dont use as much as we are paying in council charges therefore its cheaper with a meter.
So surely the council should take all these factors i9nto consideration? nope its give us your money & get very little in return

Summer_08 · Joined: 01 Feb 2008 Posts: 274 Location: Scotland

Summer_08 · Joined: 01 Feb 2008 Posts: 274 Location: Scotland

Well, got the council tax bill for 08/09 through - and it IS the same as last year's

A slight comfort...but not much...

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Guest · Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 8:52 pm Post subject:

Apart from the increase in WATER CHARGES

sissy · Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 10:14 pm Post subject:

Council Tax

I have just spent two hour working mines out.Got a letter today saying I owe them £160,turns out they owe me £136.Guess who is on the phone tomorrow.