Bedroom Tax and Council Tax

Icon_article Star-blue1 Published: March 25, 2013 10:20 by Anti Austerity Action |

Tagged as: cuts
Neighbourhoods:

They way forward in the struggle against austerity is not to pay Council Tax

'Reposter' is correct in pointing out that Nottingham City Council's petition against the Bedroom Tax is completely cynical and self-serving. The same as all the other Labour-controlled local councils, NCC have rigorously applied the Coalition Government's cuts programme resulting in the loss of jobs and essential services.  Only a handful of Labour councillors in the whole country have voted against cuts biudgets.  Clearly, no real resistance will come from that quarter.

More petitions, peaceful pickets, etc. are not going to have any significant impact on national and local government.  The time for direct action is here and that means withholding Council Tax payments. The same as with the Anti-Poll Tax Campaign of twenty odd years ago, starving local government of funds is an effective way of forcing policy changes onto the national government.

Already thousands of people in the Nottingham area have not been paying their Council Tax payments simply because they cannot afford to do so.  At the Anti-Bedroom Tax demo on 16th. March many working class people present said that they are not going to pay up.  This step forward must be encouraged and widened.  It is an action which anyone can take today by simply cancelling your direct debit to your local council.

As with the Poll Tax, it is the working class - rather than middle strata petitioners - who are likely to take effective action.  Anti-Austerity Action will be campaigning in areas such as Bulwell, Clifton, Hucknall, Ashfield, etc. for non-pyment of Council Tax.  Cancel your Council Tax payments and come and join us.

Oppose the Cuts, Don't Pay Council Tax!

Anti-Austerity Action

Email Contact email: antiausterity@talktalk.net

Comments

Appeals are best weapon

Comment Published: March 26, 2013 10:35 by strummer

Here's a really informative blog by a housing professional in the north west, who has a strong understanding and position on this reform. He gives clear steps/ sample letters etc to help people to resist.
https://speye.wordpress.com/
Essentially, the govt has only put a tiny amount aside to deal with appeals, if those affected choose not to pay but appeal the process will collapse=end of bedroom tax. This is going to need a high level of engagement by those affected. Clearly, local councils and housing associations won't be promoting this, so it's for us who are opposed to get out there and put feet on street and get this affected community mobilised? I hope so..