§ Mr. Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby)I present a petition from Helen Houghton and 740 electors from my constituency and that of my hon. Friend the Member for Cleethorpes (Shona McIsaac), who is present. They live in pensioners' flats, which are rated as band A for council tax purposes, with values up to £40,000, and pay the same council tax as people with two, three and four-bedroom houses, because the average three-bedroom terraced house in Grimsby and Cleethorpes is valued at £30,000 or less.
Helen Houghton, the lead signatory, pays £43 a month, allowing for the reduction for single people, which she would get whatever band her accommodation was in. 667 The petition asks for a new lower band to be created for such accommodation for pensioners and students in flats and bedsits. The petition states:
The Humble Petition of Helen Houghton, pensioner, and 740 others of like disposition, shewethThat living in warden controlled dwellings in Grimsby and North East Lincolnshire, as your Petitioners all do, they are required to pay the same Council Tax for their bedsit accommodation as those living in their own houses with as many as three bedrooms, because their properties are all in the same band.Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your honourable House will consider the plight of pensioners in group dwellings and introduce a new additional band to cover this type of property.And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.The petition is signed by Helen Houghton, 3 Stratford house, Barmouth drive, Grimsby, Joyce Miller, 1 Stratford house, Barmouth drive, Grimsby, and 738 others. I commend it to the House.
§ To lie upon the Table.