County's tax bills soaring

Council tax payers in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin have seen their bills soar by more than £300 over the past five years, the Shropshire Star can reveal today.There are renewed calls in the county for the current system of funding council services to be scrapped because it is unfair to the less well off.

The biggest cash demand is in south Shropshire. Householders will face a total levy this year on "average" Band D properties of £1,505.36.

It includes county, district and parish council taxes as well as those from the police and fire authorities.

But figures obtained by the Shropshire Star show that since 2003/04 the overall bill for the banding in south Shropshire has risen £320 from £1,185.28.

The second highest amount will be paid in Oswestry at £1,495.85 (up £306 over five years) followed by north Shropshire £1,464.28 (up £309), Bridgnorth £1,434,26 (up £305), and Shrewsbury and Atch- am £1,425.31 (up £303).

In Telford & Wrekin - a unitary authority - the overall Band D tax bill will be £1,351.64 - an increase of £304.82 since 2003/04.

The highest council tax demand will be on Band H homes in south Shropshire at £3,010.72. The lowest amount to be paid will be on Band A properties in Telford & Wrekin at £901.08.

A fortnight ago Lib Dem county councillor Roger Evans failed to persuade the authority to adopt a proposal to freeze tax increases for the less well-off.

But today he pledged to continue campaigning to get the system overturned, which he said was not linked to ability to pay. His party is calling for a Local Tax, which would not be based on what it claims to be outdated valuations of property.

Councillor Evans said: "We must have a fairer system. The current system of council tax bandings doesn't make sense. It doesn't equate to the services that people actually use and doesn't reflect the income going into a house."

Tory county council lead- er Malcolm Pate today defended the rise, saying it would lead to investment in services for vulnerable people and other improvements.

Telford & Wrekin Council leader Andrew Eade said people had given the budget their broad support.