For too long now taxpayers have suffered years of council tax rises. Unfortunately, that trend doesn't look like being reversed anytime soon. A survey of councils in England and Wales by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) estimates that this year bills will rise on average by 3.5 per cent, equivalent to ÂŁ65.
That's why the TaxPayers' Alliance has long campaigned against punishing tax hikes. Whilst the government's ÂŁ150 council tax rebate will help millions of households, local authorities are still not doing enough to eradicate waste and be more efficient.
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As we saw with our campaign in Havering, claims that there is no more fat left to trim don't pass muster. How can it be moral that in many instances councillors and their staff have seen their remuneration increase during the pandemic?
Crushing council tax rises are yet another kick in the teeth for taxpayers. The cost of living crisis is causing catastrophe for households’ finances. The last thing residents need is an even bigger council tax bill.Â
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That's why once again, the TPA is taking a stand. More data will be published in the coming weeks on council tax rises across the country. We'll be calling out those authorities that have wasted taxpayers' cash and then had the gall to hike bills.
We're putting pressure on local authorities to do more. They must finally put an end to wasteful spending and deliver value for money.
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TaxPayers' Alliance in the news
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Civil servants pocket bonuses during pandemic
Following revelations that top civil servants had trousered ÂŁ400,000 in bonuses last year, our research director Duncan Simpson took to the airwaves to fight taxpayers' corner.
Speaking to talkRADIO's Kevin O'Sullivan, Duncan said "that unfortunately we do see this year after year" and is all too "ordinary".
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He also took the opportunity to point out how generous civil service remuneration is compared to the private sector. For example, Lord McDonald who used to head the foreign office had a pension pot worth ÂŁ2.2 million when he retired last year!
We will continue to call out excessive public sector pay. It's completely unacceptable that mandarins have received bonuses during the pandemic. Click here to watch the interview.
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Taxpayer forks out ÂŁ5 million in settlements
The Scottish Daily Mail has revealed the huge sums of taxpayers' cash used to fund compensation payouts made by Police Scotland over the past three years.
According to the paper, "Around 65 per cent of all claims made between 2019 and November 2021 were for motoring accidents involving police vehicles, accounting for ÂŁ1.7million. However, most of the ÂŁ5,451,500 was spent on employer liability settlements - claims made by officers and staff".
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Asked for his expert insight our policy analyst Darwin Friend urged the force to do better:
"Most taxpayers could only dream of something like these police payouts. The compensation culture is costing taxpayers millions and every pound spent on settlements is a pound that isn’t spent on services. Police Scotland must do everything they can to ensure their mistakes don’t result in large bills for hard-pressed taxpayers – and take appropriate action against staff whose actions result in costly claims."
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How much will Net Zero cost taxpayers?
Rising energy prices have led many to question how much the government's Net Zero policy will end up costing taxpayers. According to energy economist Professor Nick Butler it could see households bills rise by £400 a year. I joined talkRADIO's Claudia-Liza Vanderpuije to weigh in on the findings.
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I explained that many taxpayers are already forking out hundreds of pounds in green levies every year. The move to more renewable forms of energy has not come cheap. I pointed out that if the expected benefits do not materialise, then it will be "hardworking taxpayers who are landed with very big bills!"
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The efficacy of foreign aid
The events in Ukraine have thrown foreign aid into the spotlight once again following India's abstention on a vote at the UN to deplore Russia. Given the millions of pounds Britain donates in aid to India every year are we getting value for money?
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Similarly, Pakistan, which received £200 million of British aid in 2020 has also been hesitant to support Ukraine. Speaking to LBC's Nick Ferrari, Duncan said the premise of "seeing foreign aid as a tool of soft power is an argument that doesn't really hold up!"
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Fighting for freedom
The terrible war in Ukraine that’s unfolding on our TV screens will impact British taxpayers in many ways. Energy prices are likely to rise, adding pressure to families already struggling with tax hikes. Sanctions and other measures may impact growth.
As Duncan examines this week, is there anything taxpayers can do in response? Perhaps the government should increase defence spending. The TPA wouldn’t be opposed to increasing defence spending. We don’t pretend to know what level of spending is right for our defence needs, but the TPA can propose a roadmap to raising spending if needed.Â
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In simple terms, it can be made possible by a serious consideration of spending priorities rather than simply lumbering the economy with an even heavier tax burden. The west ultimately won the cold war through a more competitive, more productive economy.
Wasteful projects and programmes should be reconsidered alongside a platform of pro-growth policies aimed at freeing up funds for an expansion of defence. Taxpayers will be ready. Like the brutal dictators we’ve faced down before, freedom and prosperity can help us defeat Putin. Click here to read the blog in full.
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NHS hiring even more diversity managers
Despite everything that has happened over the last two years, the NHS still thinks it prudent to hire more equality, diversity and inclusion managers. According to political blogger Guido Fawkes, "Budding pen-pushers in Manchester, York, Scarborough and London are in luck: three more equality lead positions have opened in those areas this week."
And the cost to the taxpayer of these roles? Nearly £120,000! Taxpayers facing a punishing national insurance hike are fed up with seeing their hard-earned money squandered on woke non-jobs. Now more than ever, the health service should be cutting down on waste and directing funds at frontline services.
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Harry Fone
Grassroots Campaign Manager
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