Member News
August 24 2009
Angela Watkinson, MP for Upminster this week demanded that Government tax inspectors come clean about their plans to increase taxes on family homes. New evidence has emerged that the Government is preparing for a council tax revaluation across England. Labour's aim is to increase tax bills in order to fill the deep black hole in Britain's ruined public finances.
• Clipboard inspectors recording your house, scenic views and nice features: Leaked Government presentations have revealed how the features of every home are currently being recorded, logged, digitised and entered into a new Government database. Using complex mathematical techniques, the council tax banding of every home will then be re-calculated, pushing up council tax bills for the targeted homes. The features that are being recorded by the inspectors include architectural styles, fascias and even sash windows. 'Value significant codes' are logging and recording features like living in a quiet road; patios; roof terraces; balconies; sea or hill views; near a field or golf course; conservatories; double glazing; and the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, garage spaces and parking spaces in your home.
• 100,000 homes now logged for their scenic views: A Freedom of Information Act request has forced the Government to give a breakdown of the property codes collected so far across England. Even though the stealth council tax revaluation is incomplete and internal inspections of people's homes have not yet started, the tax snoopers have already recorded 100,000 homes as having a scenic view, broken down by views of the sea, hills, lakes, fields and golf courses; 780,000 conservatories – including whether they are single or double glazed or have an adjoining greenhouse; the number of garage spaces of every home – including 1.1 million with two or more spaces; and 5,000 'value significant' patios.
• Revaluation will lead to soaring council tax in Havering: Wales was hit by a council tax revaluation in 2005. Four times as many homes moved up a council tax band as down. Moving up a tax band would increase the council tax bill for a typical home in Havering from £1,511 to £1,837 – a rise of £336 a year. The local council would receive less government grant as a result – meaning the tax rise would effectively be pocketed by Whitehall.
Angela said:
"Labour's claims that the council tax revaluation in England had been shelved have been exposed as a complete sham. Gordon Brown's council tax inspectors have been caught red-handed preparing the way for massive tax rises on Upminster after the election to fill the deep black hole in Britain's ruined public finances. The Government must now come clean and make clear exactly how many homes in Havering have been secretly logged and recorded to date.
"People who rent will be taxed just as heavily as those who own their home. Only Labour would think of taxing people for looking out of their own windows or having a nice patio. Conservatives will scrap these tax raising plans and abolish council tax inspectors' rights of entry into your home."
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd