Labour councillors are seeking a tax raid on single occupancy council-tax payers which would cost Runnymede residents £543 and Elmbridge residents £507 a year.

The Labour-led Welsh Government published a consultation paper on changes to council tax in Wales in July 2022. A summary of responses was quietly published just before Christmas in December 2022; it commits to ‘continue the work on council tax reform as reflected in our Programme for Government and the Cooperation Agreement’. 

Conservatives have obtained the individual responses to the consultation – showing how Labour councils are egging on hikes to taxes, including cutting single person discount.  

Labour-run Cardiff Council: ‘The Welsh Government should have more flexibility for single adult and empty property discounts. In fact, consideration could be given to delegating these powers to individual local authorities. Any additional income generated as a result of reducing the current value of the discount available should be retained by the local authority for spending’. 

Labour-run Newport Council: ‘There are too many discounts, disregards and exemptions… Consideration should be given to allowing councils more control over discounts and disregards exemptions in order to meet local policy objectives. 

These comments make it clear that Labour led Councils are seeking a further increase in tax-raising powers. Rather than respond to budgetary challenges through innovation and investment, Labour’s response is to find yet another way of funnelling hard-earned income into public money. We have seen the same in London with ULEZ expansion and Sadiq Khan’s plans to increase costs of public transport.  

Vote Conservative on Thursday May 4th for a Council that will commit to keeping single occupancy discount, delivering investment in our communities while keeping tax low and ensuring value for money.