Carmichael warns of revaluation 'time bomb' (From Gazette Series)

Carmichael warns of revaluation 'time bomb'

NEIL CARMICHAEL, prospective Parliamentary candidate for Stroud, has warned that the revaluation of properties for council tax, starting next year, was "a ticking tax timebomb" that threatens to send council tax bills in Stroud District soaring.

By contrast, he pointed out, Conservatives have pledged they will stop revaluation being used to further increase the tax burden.

In Wales, where the council tax revaluation has already started, one in three households are being moved up a council tax band, while only eight per cent have moved down.

Laws to allow the council tax revaluation were passed last year, and the revaluation process will start in England in 2005 - with new bills being issued after the General Election. The revaluation will be in addition to any government plans to introduce new council tax bands and change the banding multipliers after the election.

If the Welsh changes were duplicated in England, then many band D homes, currently paying £1,167, could see an automatic tax hike of £257 a year by being moved up a band. Similarly, many band H homes, could be moved into a new band I, taking their local tax bill to a record £2,723 a year. In the Stroud district moving a band D home up a band would mean extra tax of £274.

Mr Carmichael said: "It is clear that Labour are planning third term tax rises, with stealth changes to council tax one of their preferred ways of squeezing hard working families and pensioners.

"Not only have local residents faced soaring tax bills since 1997 thanks to the Government but now Labour want to move more homes into higher bands and charge those bands more. Conservatives are opposing these plans and we pledge to stop the revaluation process being used to increase tax on houses in the Stroud district."