Title

FINANCE

Sector call for council tax review

Local government has called for a ‘fundamental review of council tax’ in a long-awaited report.

© Yau Ming Low/Shutterstock.com

© Yau Ming Low/Shutterstock.com

Local government has called for a ‘fundamental review of council tax' in a long-awaited report.

The report by senior officers' group Solace, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy and Local Government Association (LGA) argued referendum limits should be abolished and authorities should be given the powers to vary all council tax discounts.

It is understood that there have been a series of disagreements over which ideas to include in the report, which was originally due to be launched at the LGA's annual conference in July in time to influence the incoming Government.

A source said the paper had been expected to be launched at the LGA's delayed conference in October and was then rescheduled to last month after ‘some political back and forth'. 

There are fears that the report has come too late to influence the thinking of the Government, which last week said it had ‘no plans to reform the council tax system'.

The report called for a ‘new urgency' to be added to the search for new local tax streams such as sales levies, tourist levies, payroll taxes and land value taxes.

 

FINANCE

Navigating the new procurement landscape

By Jonathan Werran | 16 October 2025

A Localis study puts forward a series of recommendations on how councils can make the most of the new procurement landscape. Jonathan Werran says local autho...

FINANCE

Shining a light on mental health

By Jessica Mullinger | 16 October 2025

Wellbeing is not a luxury, it is core to a healthy organisation. Jessica Mullinger looks at some of the ways to protect mental health and wellbeing in the wo...

FINANCE

LGR: What is on your pre-decision to-do list?

By Nic Fell | 16 October 2025

Doing work now will ultimately deliver a smoother and more successful transition, writes Nic Fell.

FINANCE

How productive is local government – and are there any savings left?

By Jeremy Cooper | 15 October 2025

As the sector awaits the launch of the Local Government Outcomes Framework, how ready is local government to understand and drive productivity? There is good...

Dan Peters

Popular articles by Dan Peters