LABOUR GOVERNMENT INTERVENES TO PREVENT COUNCIL TAX INCREASES RISING ABOVE 5%

The Tories on Kent County Council have been told by the Labour Government that rises in Council Tax must not exceed 5%. The fact that the Tories have bitterly criticised this capping policy indicates that, left to their own devices, Council Tax would have been even higher but for this intervention.

Mike Eddy, Opposition Leader on Kent County Council, says:

"The Tories are trying to offset the needless waste of resources ranging from a few hundred thousand pounds on unnecessary trips abroad to millions on the original aborted Turner Centre project and on an expensive reorganisation of Kent Highways. The Tories are complaining because the Labour Government is not bailing them out when no Government of whatever political complexion could justify using taxpayers' money to effect such profligacy."

Derek Smyth, Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance, says:

"The Labour Government granted Kent County Council an above-inflation settlement for their core funding of all key services of 4.2%. Against this background, the Labour Government is quite right to rein in the Tories' need to drive up Council Tax bills."