GIVE TAXPAYERS THEIR MONEY BACK

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 14th Oct 2008

Now that more people are struggling to keep up with food and fuel bills in the current economic climate, it is time for taxpayers to have some of their money back. That is the view of Liberal Democrats at Essex County Council, who will be asking the council to release some of their large reserves back into local people's pockets, at a meeting of the full council next week.

Speaking about the proposal, Cllr Tom Smith-Hughes, Liberal Democrats group leader, said: "The county council's Conservative administration has increased council tax by over 100% over the past few years, too much of which has ended up in reserve funds as a result of underspends of budgets. In the current economic climate, it is only right that this money is put back into the pockets of low and middle income users to ease their financial difficulties.

"The very unfair council tax system - which should be abolished - penalises the most vulnerable members of our community, as people on low and middle incomes and pensioners pay a higher percentage of their income in council tax than the very wealthy. However, whilst we would like to see taxpayers money returned to residents on low and middle incomes, we would not expect that to be at the cost of cuts to basic services the council offers, particularly for the young, the elderly and other vulnerable groups.

"Hardworking and vulnerable people need a break and want and deserve to have some of their money back."