Tag Archive for Council Tax Freeze

Labour Can’t Be Trusted After ‘Hypocritical’ U-Turn on Council Tax Freeze

March 14, 2011 Joe FitzPatrick MSP, Shona Robison MSP No comments

Dundee’s SNP MSPs have expressed astonishment after the Labour Party  – just weeks before the election –  has turned its Council Tax policy on its head and now say they will support the SNP’s policy of a two year council tax freeze in the next parliamentary term.

Dundee East MSP Shona Robison said it highlighted how Labour could not be trusted after they had spent the previous four years voting against the Council Tax freeze and were issuing statements within the past fortnight claiming that if elected they would end it.

“After all their attacks on a council tax freeze over the past four years it is yet another example of opportunism and hypocrisy.  Just weeks before an election they have dumped their council tax reform policy despite promising they would announce an alternative. Yet after months of delays and prevarication they have failed to come up with a policy.

“Only just weeks ago in the recent budget they voted yet again against the SNP’s council tax freeze.

“Labour supporters will be dismayed to discover that their leadership has absolutely no clue or coherent policy programme just weeks before the election.”

Joe FitzPatrick, Dundee West MSP said: “There must now be serious questions about Iain Gray’s leadership as he commits yet another u-turn to copy the SNP’s successsful policy.

“However what Iain Gray says cannot be trusted. Actions speak louder than words. The SNP and Labour records on Council Tax are there to be compared.

“It was the SNP which promised a council tax freeze and delivered a council tax freeze for four years, and it was Labour who increased council tax by 60% when they were last in power.

“In the weeks ahead we will be telling voters those facts and that they can’t believe a word Labour says on council tax.

“It is the SNP in Government for four years that has protected family budgets with a council tax freeze which has saved the average family over £300.”

MSP Welcomes Freezing of Water Charges

December 21, 2010 Joe FitzPatrick MSP No comments

Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick today [Mon 20 Dec] welcomed the announcement that Scottish Water’s combined water and waste water service charges will remain at the same level for households across Scotland during 2011/2012.

The MSP said: “Annual council tax bills will be delivered through letter boxes in the next few months which combine water and waste water service charges that come into effect from April 2011 but because both the Council Tax and the Water Rates have been frozen households will not have a penny more to pay again this year.

“With the present Arctic conditions prevailing, here is some freezing which we can positively welcome!

“It means that Dundee households will in February receive combined Council Tax and Water Rates Bills which have remained the same for two years – the second year the Water Rates have been held static and the third year of the Council Tax freeze.

“Every little helps and all households will feel the benefit of improved services at reduced prices. The Scottish Government is doing its best to assist householders in these difficult times.”

Dundee Households Could be Among the Hardest Hit if Council Tax Freeze is Abandoned

October 4, 2010 Joe FitzPatrick MSP No comments
Council tax could increase by almost 20% if Labour’s plans to stop the SNP’s council tax freeze come into force says SNP MSP Joe FitzPatrick – a member of the Scottish Parliament’s Finance Committee, and households in Dundee could be among the hardest hit.

The SNP today released figures which show how much Labour would take from Scottish households if they applied the same cap in Scotland as they did earlier this year in England. In March this year, Gordon Brown’s Government announced a cap of 4.5%. Applying this over a four year Parliamentary term would see the average council tax increase by a cumulative total of 19.3%.

And families in Dundee face rises of up to £229 – the second highest in Scotland, if the freeze is abolished after May’s elections. 

The SNP published a reminder of council tax increases under Labour administrations from 1999 to 2007 demonstrating the Labour’s record in power with rises of over 60%. 

Commenting Mr FitzPatrick said: “These figures show how far Labour will go to make ordinary people pay for the mess they made of the economy.

“We all know the unfair council tax hits the poorest and pensioners hardest yet instead of helping people through the tough times Labour want them to pay for the tough times.

“If Labour is allowed to get away with this, as they did in England, households will see increases of around £200 in the coming years.

 “Under the SNP, Scottish households have had a well earned respite from this unfair tax with bills frozen for three years.  And we want to continue with that freeze. 

“The choice facing voters at the next election is between an SNP Government working hard to keep household bills down and to deliver an alternative to the cuts ahead and a Labour party that wants to make the public pay for their mistakes.”

Benefits of Council Tax Freeze for Dundee Households Outlined

June 25, 2010 Joe FitzPatrick MSP, Shona Robison MSP No comments

 

The value of the continuing Council Tax Freeze for ordinary households was underlined today at Holyrood when Cabinet Secretary for Finance John Swinney revealed that the average Band D council tax payer in Dundee would have been paid more than £212 extra over the three year period of the freeze.

The Minister was responding to a question from Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick.

Joe FitzPatrick said: “I asked the Cabinet Secretary how much more the average family in Dundee would be expected to pay if Council Tax had been increased by a comparatively modest 3% each year since 2007.

“Since the introduction of the Council Tax, it had increased by 100% under Conservative and Labour Governments, and throughout that period there had been double-digit increases. 

“Today’s figures from the Cabinet Secretary show how much help this has provided to families and households since 2007.

“The average Band D council tax payer is  £212 per year better-off with the Council Tax freeze.”

Commenting after the meeting, Shona Robison, Dundee East MSP said: “Labour and Conservative MSPs have regularly demanded that we should end the Council Tax Freeze – but this shows how wrong such demands are. No-one would want to return to the old days under Labour and Tory Governments and Labour Councils when your Council Tax went up and up, every single year.

“Of course, we now have final proof of the value of the Council Tax Freeze with the Con-Lib Dem Coalition at Westminster now planning to establish a similar Council Tax Freeze in  England.

“That wouldn’t be happening if the policy had not been such a big success in Scotland.”

Benefits of Council Tax Freeze Outlined in Parliament Debate

June 25, 2010 Joe FitzPatrick MSP, Stewart Hosie MP No comments

The value of the continuing Council Tax Freeze for ordinary households was underlined today at Holyrood when Cabinet Secretary for Finance John Swinney revealed that the average Band D council tax payer in Dundee would have paid more than £212 extra over the three year period of the freeze.

The Minister was responding to a question from Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick.

Joe FitzPatrick said: “I asked the Cabinet Secretary how much more the average family in Dundee would be expected to pay if Council Tax had been increased by a comparatively modest 3% each year since 2007.

“Since the introduction of the Council Tax, it had increased by 100% under Conservative and Labour Governments, and throughout that period there had been double-digit increases. 

“Today’s figures from the Cabinet Secretary show how much help this has provided to families and households since 2007.

“The average Band D council tax payer is  £212 better-off with the Council Tax freeze.”

Commenting after the meeting, Shona Robison, Dundee East MSP said: “Labour and Conservative MSPs have regularly demanded that we should end the Council Tax Freeze – but this shows how wrong such demands are. No-one would want to return to the old days under Labour and Tory Governments and Labour Councils when your Council Tax went up and up, every single year.

“Of course, we now have final proof of the value of the Council Tax Freeze with the Con-Lib Dem Coalition at Westminster now planning to establish a similar Council Tax Freeze in  England.

“That wouldn’t be happening if the policy had not been such a big success in Scotland.”

Dundee MSP Secures Confirmation of Council Tax Freeze in Next Budget

September 18, 2009 Joe FitzPatrick MSP No comments

Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick, speaking in the debate on the Scottish Government’s Draft Budget today, secured confirmation from Finance Secretary John Swinney, that continuation of the Council Tax freeze remains a key economic measure in the forthcoming Budget.

Speaking in the debate after the Ministerial Statement, Joe FitzPatrick said: “I particularly welcome the Cabinet secretary’s confirmation that measures which are helping families and businesses get through the recession such as small business bonus and the council tax freeze will be continued in this budget.

“And can I ask the Finance Secretary to comment on the evidence given to the local government committee by Dundee City Council’s Director of Finance, David Dorward, when commenting on previous council tax freezes, who said;

‘Not having the freeze would have caused council tax increases of not 3 per cent per annum but approximately 5 per cent per annum.’”

In response to the Dundee MSP, the Cabinet Secretary said: “The point I would make is that without the Council Tax freeze at a time when many families and individuals are reducing their working hours, facing freezes in salary or even salary cuts, families and individuals would be struggling even more than they are.

“This is not the time to be increasing the Council Tax and there would have to be a significant increase to fill for Council resources not available for support from Government. I think to protect household income at a time when we all recognise household income is fragile is what would be expected of this Government.”

COUNCIL TAX INCREASES UNDER LABOUR WHILST FROZEN IN SCOTLAND

February 28, 2009 Joe FitzPatrick MSP No comments

Commenting on today’s news that council tax south of the border will increase by an average of 3% compared to Scotland where it is frozen SNP MSP Joe FitzPatrick – a member of the Scottish Parliament’s Finance Committee – pointed to the difference as an example of how the SNP Government is delivering for Scotland whilst Labour’s government fails south of the border.

The figures for south of the border were revealed in a survey of councils in England by the Local Government Association.

Commenting Mr FitzPatrick said:

“This survey highlights Labour’s lack of answers when it comes to helping people in these hard economic times. It also stands as an example of how things could have been if Labour were still in power in Scotland.

“Thankfully we have an SNP Government delivering another council tax freeze for the people of Scotland and to freezing council tax for the next two years as well. A freeze that will help them keep more of their own money in these uncertain economic times .

“Since the SNP came in to Government we have seen council tax frozen after years of increases under Labour. News that it continues to rise south of the border show s a Labour government failing to meet the needs of people south of the border.

“This survey just shows the benefits voting SNP has brought to people in Scotland and that Labour is out of touch.”

SNP WELCOMES LAUNCH OF ‘REAL HELP NOW’ WEBSITE

February 24, 2009 Stewart Hosie MP No comments
UK GOVERNMENT TRUMPETS SNP ECONOMY ACTION

UK GOVERNMENT TRUMPETS SNP ECONOMY ACTION

SNP Treasury spokesperson, Stewart Hosie MP, has welcomed the launch of the UK Government’s “real help now” website by Prime Minister Gordon Brown today (Monday) – the website lists SNP Government action, such as the Council Tax freeze and flexible business support, as key efforts being taken to help the economy through the recession.

Visitors to the website who wish to see what action the UK Government is taking for Scotland are redirected to the Scottish Government website, and a BBC story about the Council Tax freeze by Edinburgh City Council’s SNP-led administration.

Mr Hosie said:

”Gordon Brown’s enthusiasm for the Scottish Government’s economic recovery programme is certainly welcome, if not a little confusing.

”Over the weekend the Chancellor accused the SNP of ignoring the economic realities, and today the Prime Minister launches a website praising the action being taken by the SNP Government.

“The Prime Minister’s apparent backing for the action being taken by the Scottish Government will be a huge embarrassment for Iain Gray who has again been left looking ridiculous by his London masters.

”If Gordon Brown is serious about tackling the economic crisis then he should start by ruling out Labour’s planned cuts to public spending in Scotland which would be so damaging in the teeth of recession.

“The Scottish Government put forward responsible plans to win parliamentary approval to spend Scotland’s budget allocation over three years.

“For the UK Government to then come in and plan to chop £1 billion off is totally unacceptable – especially at a time when Scotland is in budget surplus, contributing far more to the UK exchequer than we get back in return.

ENGLISH TAX RISE HIGHLIGHTS COUNCIL TAX FREEZE

January 20, 2009 Joe FitzPatrick MSP No comments

The value of the SNP’s council tax freeze has been highlighted today after a new survey showed that councils in England will raise council tax by 3.5 – 4%.

The above inflation increase is a stark contrast to the fully funded council tax freeze being offered by the SNP Government for the second year in a row.

SNP MSP for Dundee West Joe FitzPatrick said:

“These rises in England show how important the SNP Government’s offer of a council tax freeze is.

“For the second year in a row the SNP is helping households across Scotland keep their bills down and make it through the tough times ahead.

“The increases in council tax in England are a stark reminder of the decade of council tax rises suffered under Labour and a reminder of why the unfair council tax must be scrapped.

“The Scottish Government is putting in £70 million to fund this tax freeze.

“Alongside further reductions in prescription charges and slashing business rates to zero for 120,000 businesses the SNP is working hard to put money in people’s pockets.

“With increased investment announced in hospitals, dental centres, transport and enterprise projects and affordable housing to maintain jobs in construction and a budget that targets economic growth the SNP is taking action to ensure Scotland can weather the economic downturn.”

 

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