Give taxpayers their money back. Yes AND NO say Tories!

11.57.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 23rd Oct 2008

With everyone struggling to keep up with food and fuel bills, it is time for taxpayers to have some of their money back. That was the call from Liberal Democrats on Essex County Council, who asked the council to release some of their large reserves back into local people's pockets, at a full council meeting.

Speaking about the proposal, Cllr Tom Smith-Hughes (Chelmsford North, Lib Dem group leader), said: "The county council's Conservative administration has increased council tax by over 120% over the past 10 years, too much of which has ended up in reserve funds as a result of underspends of budgets. In the current economic climate, it is only right that this money is put back into the pockets of low and middle income users to ease their financial difficulties."

However, confusion reigned in the council chamber when the Conservative leader appeared to agree with the Lib Dem proposal and the Conservative finance spokesman did not!

Cllr Tom Smith-Hughes commented: "A direct conflict of statements between two senior figures in the same party is always odd, but when it involves such an important issue as this it is truly remarkable. Unfortunately this nonsense distracted from the important issue of helping our neighbours through this difficult financial crisis, which is likely to hurt many people over the coming weeks and months.

"The very unfair council tax system - which should be abolished - penalises the most vulnerable members of our community, as people on low and middle incomes and pensioners pay a higher percentage of their income in council tax than the very wealthy.

"Hardworking and vulnerable people need a break and want and deserve to have some of their money back."