What would happen to Council Tax bills if there was a Labour Government?
So far as we can tell the extra funding for councils that freeze (or cut) Council Tax would be scrapped. So would the requirement for councils to hold a referendum if Council Tax is proposed to rise above a certain level (currently two per cent).
The Green Party had fudged a deal with Labour to increase Council Tax in Brighton and Hove by 1.99 per cent – so just dodging a referendum. The Labour Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire is seeking to increase the precept by 16 per cent. But I doubt he will get it through the referendum.
Over a hundred councils in England are freezing or cutting Council Tax. I have not heart of any council in England seeking to bring in a rise of over two per cent.
By contrast in Wales every council is proposing a rise of over two per cent. These were the figures I could find.
Blaenau Gwent Lab 2.6 per cent.
Bridgend Lab 4.98 per cent.
Caerphilly Lab 3.9 per cent.
Cardiff Lab 5 per cent.
Carmarthenshire 4.8 per cent.
Ceredigion 5 per cent.
Conwy 5 per cent.
Denbighshire 3.09 per cent.
Flintshire 3.75 per cent.
Gwynedd 5 per cent.
Isle of Anglesey Ind 4.5 per cent.
Merthyr Tydfil Lab 3.95 per cent
Monmouthshire 4.95 per cent.
Neath Port Talbot Lab 4.25 per cent
Newport Lab 5 per cent.
Pembrokeshire Ind 4.5 per cent.
Powys Ind 4 per cent.
Rhondda Cynon Taff Lab 4.5 per cent.
Swansea Lab 4.8 per cent.
Torfaen Lab 3.5 per cent
Vale of Glamorgan 3.9 per cent
Wrexham 3 per cent
I make that an average Council Tax rise in Wales of 4.27 per cent. That gives us a bit of clue as to what would happen to bills in England next year if Ed Miliband becomes Prime Minister.
The Council Tax burden is three times higher for the poor than the rich.
A Labour Government in Westminster would push up hat burden as Labour rule in Wales has done.