Council tax bills to rise £297

THE average council tax bill in Warrington will rise by £297 to £1,663 if Government plans for property revaluations go ahead, according to a prospective candidate for the next General Election.
David Mowat, (pictured) Prospective Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Warrington South, claims Government inspectors are already “snooping” on family homes in the borough, logging details of features can could be said to increase the value of the property.
These include living in a quiet road, patios, balconies, views, conservatories, double glazing, parking spaces, etc.
He said: “New evidence has emerged of the Government preparing for a council tax revaluation across England, aimed at increasing tax bills in order to fill the black hole in Britain’s ruined public finances.”
Mr Mowat says even though the revaluation is not yet complete, across the country some 100,000 homes have been logged for having a scenic view, broken down by views of the sea, hills, lakes, fields and golf courses.
Some 780,000 conservatories – including whether they are single or double glazed or have an adjoining greenhouse – have been logged.
More than 5,000 homes with “value significant patios” have also been logged.
Mr Mowat said: “Revaluation will lead to soaring council tax in Warrington; Wales has already had a council tax revaluation in 2005, which saw four times as many homes moving up a council tax band as down.
“Moving up a tax band would increase the council tax bill for a typical home in Warrington from £1,336 to £1,633 – a rise of £297 a year. The local council would receive less government grant as a result – meaning the tax rise would effectively be pocketed by Whitehall.
“Labour’s claims that the council tax revaluation in England was postponed have been exposed as a complete sham. Gordon Brown’s council tax inspectors have been caught red-handed preparing the way for massive tax rises on Warrington after the election to fill the black hole in Britain’s ruined public finances.
“The Government must now come clean and state exactly how many homes in Warrington have been secretly logged and recorded to date.
“People who rent will be taxed just as much as those who own their home. Only Labour would think of taxing people for looking out of their own windows or having a nice patio. The Conservatives will scrap these tax raising plans and abolish tax inspectors’ rights of entry into your home.”