Council tax banding
Posted by: marvin the paranoid android on 26 March 2005
Beware the ides of march indeed.
In Wales we have just received new council tax demands, in Denbighshire our house has gone from band D to E, with a consequent 30% increase!
From contact with the body responsible (the Inland Revenue no less) it appears that whilst the apparant value of properties have increased, the banding values haven't, so if you have increased the value of your house, up a band in goes!
In case anyone considers this as a whinge, the first band is set at £40 000 max, now I would really like to know what is available anywhere in the country for this amount.
Also, I wouldn't mind paying this if I received some tangible benefits, all I get is 2 bin bags a week, a stupid little blue box every 2 weeks for a pitifull attempt at recycling, and of course a brand new multi million council office with lights burning 24/7 - wonder what productive output comes out of those late night sessions!
Also, this was heralded as a very low council tax rise, ostensibly to keep the current regime in power. I wonder what will be in store for us next year........
It seems yet another Blair/Brown hidden tax. This must be the most exoensive country to live in, especially when you consider the state of the country, it must look filthy in comparrison with the likes of our European neighbours, in fact it is almost as bad as some of the middle east I've had the pleasure of living in for some years!
Still, £300 less for me to play with this year. That's my cartridge replacement fund gone!
Perhaps I'm not paranoid after all! (Fortunately I have my towell!)
Posted on: 26 March 2005 by JonR
Hmm....and I suppose Heath was more competent was he?
Posted on: 26 March 2005 by Berlin Fritz
Unlike today's Political Media's Spinning top, wether fired Tory's whine about being miss-quoted. James Callaghan never said "What Crisis ?" he was never miss-quoted, and you, nor I have ever seen or heard him say it, beacuse he never did! another Fiction, that even Private Eye didn't ponder upon for more than one issues 'Fun', innit.
Fritz Von Vote and speak, don't vote & be quiet
Posted on: 26 March 2005 by 7V
Yes, he was more or less incompetent - as most of them are.
Still, he was a decent man and, I believe, acted for what he thought was the best.
Of course he'll be missed.
Regards
Steve M
Posted on: 26 March 2005 by Justin
quote:
Originally posted by garyi:
I also laughed when stamp duty threshold was fantastically doubled from 60k to 120k again, how many properties in the UK fall below 120k? The average house price is hovering at 170k at the moment.
How can the average housing value in the UK be 170k pounds???!!! That's enormous. The average value in the US is about $150k, which is only about 75k pounds. I was not under the impression that by and large the take-home wage after taxes in the UK was twice that in the US? I can't see how you get by. Are disposible income levels in the UK that much lower as a result?
stunned!!
Judd
Posted on: 26 March 2005 by long-time-dead
Justin
Yes.
Posted on: 26 March 2005 by Justin
quote:
Originally posted by long-time-dead:
Justin
Yes.
What then is the relative standard of living? I don't get it.
Judd
Posted on: 26 March 2005 by HTK
Neither do we Judd! The cost of property here seems to bear little direct relationship to what it’s actually worth. My modest semi detached house (a quaint custom where two families actually live in the same house, with a dividing wall and own half each) has gone up in value by something like £140k since we’ve lived in it. But the only way I can realise that ‘wealth’ is to sell up and live in a cardboard box. It’s just an asset waiting to be taxed when I die.
Half a million US Dollars will buy you something the size of a garage, with a few feet of grass around it – and these are the modest properties. Of course, it depends on where you live but even taking those variations into account the situation is stupid. Just like it’s always been and will continue to be.
And on the other matter: Rest in peace Jim. Two faced, not all that competent but about par for the course in the 1970s. But when compared with Heath, a positively brilliant visionary and a man of unimpeachable integrity. Neither of them could run the country however, and I hold them both responsible for the pig fuck that Thatcher was able to walk in and do to us.
Cheers
Harry
Posted on: 26 March 2005 by long-time-dead
Judd
The housing market here in the UK is crazy.
I bought my house less than two years ago and moved in Christmas 2003.
It has risen in value by nearly 50% in that time and I could no longer be able to buy it new at the moment.
I'll stay here - I hate cardboard boxes.
Posted on: 26 March 2005 by Mick P
quote:
And on the other matter: Rest in peace Jim. Two faced, not all that competent but about par for the course in the 1970s. But when compared with Heath, a positively brilliant visionary and a man of unimpeachable integrity. Neither of them could run the country however, and I hold them both responsible for the pig fuck that Thatcher was able to walk in and do to us.
Neither Callaghan nor Heath could control the unions who brought us the winter of discontent and virtually crippled the country.
Thatcher came in and undid the mess that these two failures created.
She inherited a weak economy and left it one of the healthiest with 11 years.
Even today her legacy lives on, Blair is an economic Thatcherite in all but name and that is why our economy is still the healthiest in Europe.
When she dies, she will go down in history as one of the greats.
Regards
Mick
Posted on: 26 March 2005 by HTK
quote:
Originally posted by Mick Parry:
When she dies, she will go down in history as one of the greats.
Regards
Mick
No doubt about it. Although each of us will think so for different reasons.
Fair enough I say.
Cheers
Harry
Posted on: 26 March 2005 by TomK
The folk using the services should pay for them except where they’re essential. We used to live next-door but one to the classic argument family: mum and dad, both working, four adult sons, all working. We were a pair of newly-weds earning not very much and this family paid the same rates as us just because they lived in the same sort of house as us. Something had to change. The poll tax was too coarse, as Thatcher discovered with her experiments up here, but would have worked with some refinement. A local income tax is required and seems such an obvious solution I can’t believe there’s an issue with it.
Thatcher will go down in history as a memorable figure because of the divisive effect she had on society. On the glorious day when she dies a hopefully lingering and painful death I’ll happily charter a bus and go and accompany my friends in performing a gleeful dance on her festering grave.
Posted on: 27 March 2005 by Mick P
Tom
I am convinced that your Grandchildren will be taught, in their history lessons, that Thatcher transformed the economy.
From your comments in the last paragraph, I presume you are some sort of supporter of old Labour.
Well she stuffed you.
Regards
Mick
Posted on: 27 March 2005 by long-time-dead
Mick
She stuffed all of the Scots with her little experiment.
Whilst pulling the country back together economically, she managed to alienate the Scots with the Poll Tax.
Somehow, I think that will escape the history lessons ...........
Posted on: 27 March 2005 by Mick P
LTD
If I remember correctly, Scotland kicked out virtually every Tory MP.
The attitude down here is that we just want the Scots to put their money where their mouths are and go independant, but when they do, the tax payers moneys stops going in over the border.
That will save us a few billion each year.
So hurry up and declare UDI.
Regards
Mick
Posted on: 27 March 2005 by Roy T
MIke, can we not go one step further and declare UDI for all within the M25? I am sure the economic engine that is London and the City of London will be able to perform all the better once freed of all tax draining bodies beyond the M25 don't you?
Posted on: 27 March 2005 by Mick P
Roy
If the Scottish people genuinely want to go it alone and this is verified by a referendum, why should it not happen.
They get what they want and we save a small fortune.
Regards
Mick
Posted on: 27 March 2005 by Roy T
But will we then have to pay the going rate for their North Sea gas and oil?
Posted on: 27 March 2005 by 7V
quote:
Originally posted by Mick Parry:
They get what they want and we save a small fortune.
It's not what they want anymore. Having witnessed the incompetence of the Scottish Assembly, most Scots now prefer to be governed by the Scots in Westminster - just like the rest of us.
Posted on: 27 March 2005 by Mick P
That's a pity.
Now that the oil revenues are dropping, it would be a good time to hive them off.
Regards
Mick
Posted on: 27 March 2005 by long-time-dead
Goodness
Nobody mentioned the unfairness of the application of the Poll Tax - so I did. I thought the tax to be a better option than the old "rating" system although I am totally in agreement with an LIT.
Now we have the democratic republic of Livingstoneland being formed.
I thought you were much more capable of debating the point I raised rather than a pointed attack at Scots.............again ?
Posted on: 27 March 2005 by Mick P
LTD
I am a friend of the Scots and I believe they should be given their freedom which they have been crying out for.
I take it you want your freedom ?
Regards
Mick
Posted on: 27 March 2005 by long-time-dead
Fairness and equality Mick - that's all I ask for.
This is meant to be a UNITED Kingdom.
Posted on: 27 March 2005 by Berlin Fritz
quote:
Originally posted by Mick Parry:
That's a pity.
Now that the oil revenues are dropping, it would be a good time to hive them off.
Regards
Mick
Is it true that the Post Office pension fund is being taken over by RBS ? Maybe you'll get some more work yet our Mick, instead of lazin abaat on internet fori talking rubbish, innit ?
Fritz Von A nickety nackety noo the noo a nickety nackety noo
Posted on: 27 March 2005 by oldie
Mick,
Isn't it time you went on another cruise?
PLEASE !!!!
oldie.
Posted on: 27 March 2005 by Mick P
Oldie
We have another cruise booked for October but in the meantime I will be here.
Love
Mick
