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Taking with one hand and taking with the other
As we reported last week, almost every local authority in the country is planning to hike council tax this year. While most of these will be set at just below the referendum cap for councils in England, millions of households will see their bills increase by up to ten per cent!

Birmingham, Bradford, Newham, Somerset, Trafford, and Windsor and Maidehead councils have all been given permission by deputy prime minister and secretary of state for housing, communities, and local government, Angela Rayner, to sidestep their electorates and impose punishing tax rises ([link removed]) . Meanwhile, in Scotland ([link removed]) and Wales ([link removed]) , no cap applies and councils aren’t holding back either.

Following weeks of campaigning on the ground against Windsor and Maidenhead’s outrageous plans for a 25 per cent hike, we were relieved to see residents spared the worst of the council's excesses with a cap of nine per cent imposed. Hundreds of people used our online tool to show their opposition to the plans and the message seems to have got through. This hike will still be tough for households to manage, but bills will be £289 lower on average than they would have been.
But while authorities are filling their coffers, dozens of councils are planning to cut back on the most basic services. TPA analysis has revealed ([link removed]) that 42 town halls, covering 8 million people, are looking at reducing the frequency of their bin collections, with some even moving to monthly!

That's right, you’re paying more and getting less.

It’s fair to say our findings got the nation talking. With literally hundreds of papers and radio stations covering the story, our media phone was ringing off the hook. TPA researcher, Shimeon Lee, took to the airwaves with Times Radio ([link removed]) and GB News ([link removed]) , while Joanna Marchong, our investigations campaign manager who broke the news, could be found in the Talk studio with Mike Graham. Joanna absolutely nailed it ([link removed]) when she told listeners: “When you think about council tax and the things that councils should be doing, bins are one of the first things you think of… They’re not listening to anyone here.” This story was so dominant that a Labour cabinet minister was forced to address it ([link removed]) on ITV.
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While taxpayers scrimp and save to make ends meet, those charging you more are looking to do less and less. Making matters even worse, some councils, like Birmingham, have the cheek to line their own pockets whilst raiding those of their residents ([link removed]) . It is entirely unacceptable for elected officials to be demanding their residents cough up more, only for services to be cut and cash going to councillors. Taxpayers footing the bill for services expect them to be provided.

You can support the TPA's research by clicking here to donate ([link removed])
a nation of taxpayers
Conservative MP Esther McVey joins podcast host Duncan Barkes and our head of campaigns, Elliot Keck, for this week’s episode of a nation of taxpayers.
Should there be an electoral pact between the Conservatives and Reform UK ahead of the next general election? Would Esther ever consider defecting to Reform UK? Why did the Conservatives take such a drubbing at the last general election? Find out her answers to these questions and many more. There's also chat about EDI roles, the BBC and some solid common sense talking. Listen to the latest episode now on Apple Podcasts ([link removed]) , Spotify ([link removed]) , and YouTube ([link removed]) .
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TaxPayers' Alliance in the news
How to spend £18 billion and not give away your territory

Keir Starmer’s plan to not just give away the Chagos islands but actually pay for the privilege was back in the news this week when we learnt his ‘deal’ could cost British taxpayers a whopping £18 billion! Naturally, the TPA team were on hand with some other ideas of what that money could be spent on ([link removed]) .
From paying for the Lower Thames Crossing or the TransPennine upgrade or even 12 years worth of savings from means-testing winter fuel payments, it’s hard to understand why ministers are so set on handing over this money ([link removed]) . Naturally, John O’Connell, our chief executive, was on hand to give his thoughts to the Daily Express: “The cost of the Chagos deal adds insult to an already disgraceful and immoral betrayal of British interests. The Government is surrendering sovereign territory and forcing taxpayers to foot the bill, all while families and businesses suffer under the consequences of the chancellor's economic vandalism.”
Doctors not diversity managers

Despite the health secretary, Wes Streeting, warning that diversity and inclusion has gone too far in the health service, the NHS is ploughing ahead with advertising right-on roles ([link removed]) including one with a salary of more than £120,000.
Our media campaign manager, William Yarwood, spoke for the nation ([link removed]) when he told the Daily Mail: “Taxpayers are sick and tired of seeing six-figure salary EDI roles in their NHS. Multiple health secretaries going back years promised to do something about the growth of EDI roles in the NHS, and yet the amount of woke non-jobs grows by the day. The government needs to get health bosses in line, abolish these roles, and put this money towards actually treating patients.” Quite right!
Costly Home Office failures

It feels like every week we hear of yet another error by the Home Office that winds up costing taxpayers money. This week, we learnt that almost £100,000 has been awarded in compensation to an asylum seeker after failings from bungling bureaucrats ([link removed]) .
Speaking to the Express, Shimeon hit the nail on the head ([link removed]) : “Taxpayers will be furious to be lumped with this mega bill for Home Office failures. At a time when budgets are already stretched, hard-working Brits can't afford to be paying the price of bureaucratic incompetence. Ministers must get a grip of their departments and make sure costly errors like this don't happen again.”
Blog of the week
The absurd cost of the Chagos deal

Following on from our analysis ([link removed]) of the proposed Chagos deal, TPA researcher, Callum McGoldrick, uses this week’s blog ([link removed]) to dive into the numbers and try to work out just why the prime minister seems so hell-bent on ramming his plan through.
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As Callum notes: “The Chagos deal is simply the epitome of what Keir Starmer believes. There is no right to British self-interest, we are simply all a part of one large cohesive international community. To stray beyond the safety of permission from international courts is unthinkable, to risk needing to show Britain’s strength is simply beyond the pale.” Have a read of Callum’s blog in full here ([link removed]) .
War on Waste
Amidst not collecting your bins and putting up your taxes, an investigation this week revealed how some of your money is being spent.

Councils have dished out £141 million ([link removed]) on services for migrants such as yoga sessions, circus classes, DJ lessons, and Playstations. I honestly don’t know what to say to that…

Send me your examples of wasteful public sector spending (mailto:[email protected]?subject=Wasteful%20spending)

Benjamin Elks
Grassroots Development Manager

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