Essex Tories tax hike hits elderly and vulnerable

11.27.05am GMT Thu 8th Mar 2007

Stephen Robinson collecting Axe The Tax petition signatures

Conservatives at Essex County Council are sending out bills this week with yet another above-inflation hike in their Council Tax for the financial year 2007 / 2008. Essex residents will see a County Council increase of 4.5% plus increases from the Borough Council and Essex Police and Fire Authorities.

Over the last 10 years of Conservative budgets, Essex's Council Tax has more than doubled. On a typical Band D property, it has risen from under £500 to over £1,000 - an increase of 117% compared to a rise of only 30% in the general rate of inflation.

Council tax is a particularly unfair tax not linked to the ability to pay. It hits the elderly, vulnerable and disadvantaged people the hardest, and should be scrapped.

The Liberal Democrats have been campaigning for years to replace the Conservatives' Council Tax with a fairer tax. Read more here www.axethetax.org