UNISONActive is an unofficial blog produced by UNISON activists for UNISON activists. Bringing news, briefings and events from a progressive left perspective.

Tuesday 4 October 2011

Council Tax freeze is an attack on local democracy

Heather Wakefield, UNISON head of local government, writing on the public finance blog, makes a connection between the additional pension contributions being levied on council workers and the announcement by Con Dem Chancellor Osborne that council tax in England will be frozen in 2012/13 (by an injection of £805m of government funds) - which will disproportionately benefit wealthy property owners. At a time of massive budget cuts, the removal by central government of the autonomy of councils to levy local taxes to fund discretionary services is also an attack on local democracy:
http://opinion.publicfinance.co.uk/2011/10/council-tax-freeze-is-lgps-members-lolly/