High value council tax surcharge: LGA statement

Cllr Pete Marland, Chair of the Resources Committee at the Local Government Association, which represents councils, said:

"We call on government to urgently work with us on the details of this plan to address practical concerns about how it would work and to avoid unintended consequences on any future council tax reform. 

"The founding principle of council tax is that it is a locally accountable tax which has always existed to fund local services. Any additional funding raised through the council tax system must be available to support local authorities, particularly in the context of the current financial pressures they face, and we wait to see how government intends to use this funding to specifically support local services.

“Council tax needs comprehensive, fair reform and local government is ready to work with government on this. This surcharge should not create confusion over accountability, with councils likely to be blamed for a charge that is not theirs."