Labour Refuses to Rule Out Breaking Council Tax Cap - Admits Lobbying Government May Be Pointless

At Full Council this week, Liberal Democrat Councillors asked Labour Council Leader Claire Douglas a direct question: 

Will she categorically rule out raising Council Tax above the 4.99% legal threshold if York doesn’t receive more funding through the Fair Funding Review? 

She refused. Twice.

Cllr Claire Douglas, Labour Council Leader:

“It’s just not really a question that has any bearing on our calculations at the moment… It’s not really based in any sense of truth or reality at this point in time.” 

Even more shockingly, Cllr Douglas admitted that she doesn’t believe lobbying her own Government will have any positive impact for York, saying:

“It is really hard to see exactly where we can lobby to have a positive impact for the benefit of York.” 

Liberal Democrat councillors say this shows just how Labour is failing to stand up for York. 

This comes just days after it was revealed that Labour’s council bosses didn’t even ask the Government for more funding for the York Outer Ring Road, one of the city’s most vital transport projects.

York is officially the least well-funded council area in England per head. If Labour can’t secure a better deal in a Fair Funding review then all hope is lost under their leadership. 

Cllr Stephen Fenton said: 

“I was genuinely surprised by Cllr Douglas’ response. First her administration doesn’t ask Government for funding to enable the Outer Ring Road dualling to go ahead as planned and now they say lobbying their own Labour Government won’t help York. If Labour can’t fight York’s corner now, when the city is at the bottom of the funding league, when will they?”

Cllr Paula Widdowson added:

“Claire Douglas had two chances to rule out a tax hike beyond the current 4.99% cap. She didn’t. Instead, she gave residents a rambling answer that shows Labour either has no plan or is hiding one. York deserves better. Cllr Douglas was elected on a promise of freezing council tax yet she has twice raised it by 5% and offers no promise that she wont seek to go even higher like Labour-run Bradford who increased by 10% last year.”