Does anybody in the UK actually know what we pay council tax for?

Answer 1

In London we also have to pay for Ken Livingstone to represent us all around the world, and his free newspaper which lets us know everything that he has done, plans to do and will never be allowed to do. And we pay his court expenses when he tries and fails through the courts to be allowed to do them. And even when he is punished with a suspension, for his disgraceful personal behaviour which brings London into disrepute, then we still pay for him all the same. And he does such a wonderful job at whatever it is he does for us too. And his fireworks displays are very good, I mean he single-handedly keeps the fireworks industry alive in Britain.

And we pay for public halls to be used free for meetings and demonstrations, on subjects that either no one cares about apart from Ken, or else, like trying to stop the tide coming, in they cannot change, and then the extra police to police them, and the street cleaners to clean up after them.

We also have to pay for consultations so that local Councils can listen to our views on a wide range of issues. And then ignore them, because although they must listen to our views they have no intention of actually hearing them. And since they know better than us, they then have further consultations just in case we changed our minds, and further consultations to tell us why their idea is really much better than the people who actually live in the area. And when their idea is implemented, and it ultimately fails, further consultations to discover the causes why, and how it can be salvaged, and to spin how good it really was, and then to introduce a new completely different idea, very similar to the first and still not what the people have asked for all along.

Traffic Wardens in London largely pay their own way. In fact, if they hire any more, and they extend the Congestion Charge to cover every single street, we could do away with Council Tax entirely. I think that must be the general idea. Or, better still ban all cars and introduce a Pavement Tax for walking, it beats me why people need to go out to work at all.

Answer 2

The money is ***sed against the wall. I have worked for several council's and there is so much waste going on within their admin departments.

I have see people sitting around drinking coffee and going out to the shops for a walk when they should not even be leaving the office! All they care about is their fat pay checks at the end of the month.

We pay council tax because the government has got us by the bollocks and it is the poor and middle classes that struggle most with this council tax / poll tax scam.

The council will say:

well, you pay council tax to take care of refuge collection, paper banks, fire service, the free trashy papers pushed through the letter box every weekend, community police assistant officers etc.

But I do not believe it! The money goes to line the pockets of fat cat councillors, who really could not give a damn about the ordinary people that voted them in.

Council Tax represents big government at it's worst.

Answer 3

WE don't all pay Council Tax. Those that do are not always in a position to afford it.

Those exempt from Council Tax are those who are in a poor financial state.

We all benefit from Police, Fire brigade, street cleaning, refuse collection and other demands.

We all contribute to council staff employees wages and their pension rights (retire at 60), councillors salaries and lucrative expenses.

However, non-payers living in rented council houses may have their bulky items collected and disposed of free of charge. Council tax payers who live in private accommodation are not entitled and have to pay for bulky items to be removed.

Now, if they want to dispose of an old mattress, microwave oven or similar items what do you think they are going to do?

Just what are THEY paying Council tax for?

You would object strongly if you were held responsible and had to pay for your neighbour's debts.

Under the Council Tax imposed each year an extra amount is included to cover tax which the Council has been unable to collect.

In short you are paying for debts incurred by others. Now is that fair (even legal) or not?

Answer 4

We pay a local council tax in order to boost the income generated by local authorities. These pay for the activities which many people take for granted until they need to use them.

The majority of funding of local services is actually dictated by the funding that comes from central government. Of this income a large section is actually ringfenced - meaning that it can only be spent on certain activities.

The ability to top up with additional local income is a way of locally elected representatives being able to freely choose what they would like the money to be spent on.

Answer 5

For local government services most of which have been mentioned before I see. Unfortunately salaries play the biggest part in this and we have far too many under-worked and overpaid public servants for whom we pay far too much. Town halls throughout Britain should be cleared out but the silly councillors do not want to lose even one vote and they themselves are on a good number nowadays.

heavenlyhaggis

Answer 6

Councillors have to make frequent visits overseas to see what traffic islands look like in the rest of Europe, or check out why tourists flock to places like Alicante and don't go to Scunthorpe!!
All very important stuff like that, we peasants wouldn't be able to understand the complexity of these issues!
Hope this helps??

Answer 7

Basically for the emptying of wheelie bins, for the emergency services and street lamps, They never collect my rubbish, haven't phoned an emergency service in years and I have a torch at home so not too fussed about street lights. Therefore don't pay it!!!!!

Answer 8

Yes, all the things that the government don't want to. this is an increasing number of things as the Labour party give more of our money away to Europe, and hangers on. Its known as stealth tax.

Answer 9

For your council services, like rubbish collection.

Answer 10

Probably for a whole heap of stuff you don't realise you are getting until they take it away.

It's easy to moan about paying it, hard for them to explain why you have to, but there's pretty much always a reason behind it?