Priest urges pensioners not to pay tax rise (From Gazette & Herald)

Priest urges pensioners not to pay tax rise

A RYEDALE clergyman is urging hard-up pensioners to withhold part of their council tax as the national debate on the subject reaches fever-pitch.

The Rev Gerald Newton, former vicar of Burythorpe, Acklam, Leavening and Westow, believes that many pensioners are living "uncomfortably and anxiously" because they cannot afford rising tax payments on a pension.

His comments come after hundeds of pensioners descended on London on Saturday, January 17, to demonstrate their anger over tax rises.

"I know many pensioners who are worried about the next rise in council tax and I say - don't pay it," said Mr Newton, who is now assistant priest at St Mary's Priory, Old Malton. "You are not breaking the law by not paying the extra, you are simply refusing to pay any more."

Ryedale pensioner Ken Ripley, of Malton, said that, despite having a small private pension, he was finding living costs increasingly difficult to meet: "If council tax was scrapped and it came from income tax and VAT, any one over 60, or not paying income tax, would not be hit by these big tax rises.

"I've paid taxes all my life. I can't even get an NHS dentist around here any more, so I'm having to pay to go private while the tax goes up and I'm on the same pension."

Chairman of Ryedale District Council, Coun Brian Cottam, who is a member of the Ryedale Forum for Older People and chairman of the North Yorkshire Better Government for Older People committee, said: "Obviously with my council hat on I would like to think we can keep any increases down to an absolute minimum. We're in the budget-making process at the moment, and no decision has been made.

"Certainly we strive at Ryedale to keep our part of the council tax down to a minimum."

The majority of the total local tax bill is the North Yorkshire County Council's precept, at around 80pc. Added to this are the police and now the fire precept. Ryedale District Council has control over only a small portion of the tax, but acts as the collecting authority.

"I appreciate the predicament pensioners have," added Coun Cottam. "The rise in council tax over the last few years has been greater than rises in pensions. The last thing I want to see is pensioners put into financial difficulty.

"As the law stands, we are not allowed to single out a certain group for special treatment, so we cannot offer any kind of reduction for pensioners.

"It is my belief that the rise in council tax is down to under-funding by central government, coupled with the fact that more and more legislation is being required of local government, which all costs money, but we don't get the extra funding to cover it."

Bills will be distributed in March.

A public meeting to discuss North Yorkshire County Council's share of the tax bill is being held at 6pm tonight at Lady Lumley's School in Pickering.

The council is also recruiting a citizens' panel of about 1,400 residents to consult on various issues. If you are interested in taking part, contact Colin Andrew on (01609) 532649.

Updated: 09:21 Wednesday, January 21, 2004