Pain and relief from Tories on Council Tax

2.23.53pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 5th Oct 2005

Responding to Caroline Spelman MP's challenge to Labour and Lib Dems to support the continuation of transitional relief for Welsh households, Mike German AM, Assembly leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats said:

"I welcome Mrs Spelman's support for the council tax 'dampening' transitional relief to be continued. But she's a bit behind the game on this one - Local Government leaders in Wales have called for this already and I have been leading the campaign in the Assembly for this relief to continue and end the injustice of council tax rebanding.

"The Welsh Local Government Association has called for no-one in Wales to face a second banding jump, with leaders of all parties agreeing. I'm happy to see the Westminster Tories beginning to accept the injustice of the council tax and the pain it has caused, which of course they introduced.

"Since Monday, I have been calling on all my colleagues in the Assembly to work together so that no further property band increases take place in Wales until changes in the way local government is funded also take place in England. I expect to see Tories in the Assembly follow Mrs Spelman's lead and go some way to redress their Council Tax mistakes in the past."

Notes/Nodiadau:

Caroline Spelman MP is Conservative Local Government and Communities spokesperson and was speaking today at the Conservative conference in Blackpool.

Mike German's statement of opinion reads:

"The National Assembly endorses the call by the Welsh Local Government Association for the council tax 'dampening' transitional relief to be continued so that no further property band increases take place in Wales until revaluation takes place in England"