Councils should control council tax, report says

COUNCILS should be given control over council tax, as the current broken link between the local charge and the quality of services risks undermining local democracy, MPs have warned.

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An inquiry into the financial sustainability of local government concluded that councils should be given interim powers ahead of reform of “the most unfair and regressive tax in use in England today”, which it said should be more of a priority for the UK Government.

This would include giving individual authorities the power to revalue properties in their area, define property bands, set the rates for those bands, and apply discounts, the Commons Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee said.