The Sunday Times carried an interesting and important article by Simon Jenkins which is very relevant to Wandsworth Council's inability to continue its support for our museum and libraries.
It was Nigel Lawson who capped our local council tax for fear of the Treasury losing control.
The result was to shift the weight of local spending on to the central exchequer, from 40 per cent in 1983 to 80 per cent now.
Local taxes in Britain constitute just five per cent of total public revenue, against 46 per cent in Sweden, 18 per cent in France and 13 per cent in Gerrmany.
With council tax capped and almost all local budgets ring-fenced by Whitehall, councils (and their electors) enjoy discretion over barely 10 per cent of their budgets.
It is to be held against our present Conservative administration that they failed to increase our council tax when they could.
Our record low poll-tax over recent years has had its price and now we are being asked to pay in cuts to valued local amenities.
John Martyn, Cherrywood Drive
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