Dear Sir Albert and Mr Hughes,
I understand that you have announced that the City Council is proposing a council tax freeze for the year. I would welcome this on behalf of my constituents. However, I would ask why if you have a council tax freeze you are still intending to charge people on JSA council tax.
In the detailed figures from the city council it is intended to raise £1,292,152 from the poorest residents because of a need to identify additional council tax benefit as a result of a 1.45% increase in council tax. If the city council takes the government grant of £2,129,441 and does not charge a contingency figure then there is no financial need to charge anything to the poorest citizens.
It is worth noting from the speech of the Minister Brandon Lewis MP that the government have said that they will keep this issue under review and although there is no promise of additional funding in the next financial year, nor has it been said that there will not be any funding.
Furthermore the government are right to argue that the city council should work to reduce fraud in the provision of a council tax support scheme. I would challenge you to work to reduce fraud rather than tax the poor.
Yours sincerely,
John Hemming
posted by John Hemming ¶ 11:29 am
If your friend Mr Pickles hadn't cut our Council Tax Benefit amount by 10% and was giving Birmingham a fair deal, then this wouldn't be happening.
Look to your government, not those of us trying to protect the most vulnerable. Eric wanted everybody to pay something, but we've protected the disabled and carers.
Meanwhile, the bedroom tax is about to hurt people in this constituency. Fancy speaking up about that?
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