Council Tax
Live and kicking
Red-faced officials at North Somerset Council apologised to local resident Ena King recently, when a letter arrived in the mailbox informing her of her death.
Sector writes off £410m in ‘uncollectable’ taxes for 2016/17
Local authorities wrote off £410m of uncollectable council tax and business rates in 2016/17, new Department for Communities and Local Government figures have revealed.
Porter to call for council tax rises
Local authorities should be allowed to increase council tax, the Tory chairman of the Local Government Association (LGA) will argue today.
‘Second homes tax’ funds will benefit county’s vulnerable
Derbyshire CC has agreed to allocate 75% of income raised through its ‘second homes tax’ to vulnerable people in four areas of the county.
Tories reveal local government approach in manifesto
The Conservatives have revealed a raft of policies on social care, business rates, devolution, housing and children’s services in their manifesto published today.
Ex-Oldham leader urges ‘constitutional protection’ for local government
The public will feel ‘stitched up’ if central government doesn’t deliver jobs, housing and prospects in the aftermath of Brexit, according to Labour local government spokesman Jim McMahon.
Why councils need to watch their language
Writing better letters can help build stronger relationships with residents and boost income. Hannah Moffatt sets out three tips for councils can use to make their communications more effective.
‘Delay rollout of 100% rates retention by at least a year’
The rollout of 100% business rates retention should be pushed back by at least a year, the chair of the Communities and Local Government Committee has urged.
Rural England Budget blow
Rural residents are paying an average of £87 more per head in council tax than their urban counterparts, new figures have suggested.
Election casts doubt on 100% retention plan
Plans to roll out 100% business rates retention from April 2019 have been thrown into the air by the calling of the General Election.
Districts do far more than just collect council tax
Ian Miller rejects recent comments about the role of districts and highlights the important duties they carry out.
Think-tank calls for fiscal devolution
Council tax and business rates in Scotland should be devolved in full to local authorities, a think-tank has argued.
‘Ludicrous’ current council tax situation needs to be tackled
An ex-chairman of the Local Government Association (LGA) has called for a government-commissioned independent review of council tax to address the ‘ludicrous existing situation’.
A helping hand to our public sector friends
Cllr Simon Blackburn explains why Blackpool Council decided to loan £9.2m to its local NHS trust.
It’s time to play
Diary brings you news of two local government competitions this week.
Wales boasts of lower council tax than England
Council tax in Wales remains lower than in England, new figures published today have revealed.
LGA group exit for Surrey leader
David Hodge has quit as the leader of the Local Government Association’s (LGA) Conservative group following the political furore over the so-called Nickileaks affair.
Bid to oust Hodge as Surrey leader thwarted
An attempt to oust the leader of Surrey CC in the wake of an alleged ‘sweetheart deal’ with the Government failed today.
DWP must rebuild trust after housing benefit referrals drop
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is hoping to restore confidence in its efforts to tackle housing benefit fraud after performance plummeted.
'Single highest' council tax rise in decade
England is facing the ‘single highest’ council tax increase in a decade, a new study has revealed.