Council Tax (Hansard, 10 April 2003)

§ Mr. Evans
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the(a) county council, (b) local authority and (c) police council tax contribution, as applicable, for each local authority in England in (i) 2003–04 and (ii) 1996–97; and what the percentage change has been since 1996–97. [107952]

§ Mr. Leslie
A table setting out the county council, billing authorities' own and police authority contribution to each billing authority's area council tax has been placed in the Library of the House.

§ Mr. Drew
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) if he will make a statement on the reasons for the divergence among local authorities in the percentage of total revenue expenditure raised through council tax; [108107]
(2) which local authorities raised 50 per cent. of their total revenue expenditure through council tax in 2001–02. [108106]

§ Mr. Leslie
One of the main reasons for the divergence among local authorities in the percentage of total expenditure raised through council tax is the varying extent to which authorities are dependent upon central Government grants. The distribution of grant between354W local authorities takes account of authorities' relative circumstances, in terms of both their need to spend and their ability to raise resources from council tax.
It is, however, for local authorities to determine their revenue expenditure and council tax levels. Ultimately, they are answerable to their local electorates for their decisions. They should be seeking the views of their taxpayers about the level of tax that they will bear, and where their money is spent.
St. Albans district council budgeted to raise 50 per cent. of its revenue expenditure through council tax in 2001–02. In addition, the following local authorities budgeted to raise more than 50 per cent. of their revenue expenditure through council tax in 2001–02:

Aylesbury Vale district council

Blaby district council

Castle Point borough council

Chiltern district council

Congleton borough council

East Dorset district council

East Hampshire district council

Elmbridge borough council

Harborough district council

Harrogate borough council

Huntingdonshire district council

Macclesfield borough council

North Hertfordshire district council

Reigate and Banstead borough council

Rochford district council

South Bedfordshire district council

South Northamptonshire district council

South Oxfordshire district council

Stroud district council

Tandridge district council

Uttlesford district council

Waverley borough council

Wealden district council

West Wiltshire district council

Wychavon district council