It is not just significantly enhanced revenue-raising powers that local government needs (Editorial, 2 May), but fundamental financial reform. Here, our local authority has lost more than £500m of government funding since 2010. Councils in poor areas are obliged to seek ever increasing sums from poor people. With little government help to councils, no wonder budgets are extremely tight for the provision of services.
The Westminster politicians leading the Labour party should be following the lead of Scottish Labour and calling for the abolition of the council tax and its replacement with a fairer local levy linked to property values and ability to pay. Why should the NHS be funded out of general taxation, but social care by local taxpayers, many struggling to make ends meet? Why should those resident in lower band housing have to subsidise those in grander properties?
