 John Gough, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Barrow & Furness welcomed the 0% Council Tax rise proposed by Barrow Borough Council as proof of what Conservatives can actually deliver. Council tax bills have more than doubled across the country under Labour and even in Barrow in Furness bills have risen by 94% since 1997 thanks to Labour but:
- Barrow Borough Council has recommended a 0% Council tax rise for 2010/11, achieved by better procurement and with no reduction in services.
- Conservatives have pledged to work with councils to freeze council tax bills in England and provide additional central funding to keep bills down for the next two years. Scotland has already benefited from a council tax freeze, making bills almost £300 a year less on a comparable home north of the border. Labour Ministers have ruled out introducing such a policy in England.
This compares to the situation in other parts of the country where new figures reveal the soaring use of court orders and bailiffs to collect council tax.
- New statistics show that 1.4 million households had bailiffs knocking at their door for unpaid council tax last year – up nearly 70 per cent since 1997. Another 1,517 people were made bankrupt by the courts for their council tax debts.
- New official figures also reveal that that a record 3.1 million households are now in severe council tax difficulties and face liability orders for unpaid council tax. Liability orders allow councils to seize money from wage packets/benefits or commence bailiff proceedings
Mr. Gough said:
“Thanks to Gordon Brown doubling council tax bills, a record number of families across the country are struggling to make ends meet. More people now face the threat of menacing bailiffs knocking at their door. This is a crisis of Labour’s own making. But, in Barrow, the Conservative run Council has managed to maintain services and deliver a 0% Council tax rise. This is an example of what the Conservative Party can do; this is delivering for Barrow better services at a lower cost.
Labour have blocked a Council tax freeze and only a Conservative Government will work to help fund a continuing council tax freeze for Barrow and bring real help to low and middle income families. Only Conservatives can deliver the change our country needs.” | 
