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Colin Rosenstiel · October 8th 05, 09:07 PM posted to uk.transport.london

In article ,
(Richard J.) wrote:

Colin Rosenstiel wrote:
In article ,
(Richard J.) wrote:

My parents in Putney in a much larger home pay a lot less council
Tax than I do in Cambridge. So I reckon I pay more to support TfL
through my general taxes than they do.

That's because they're in the London Borough of Wandsworth, famous
for setting a zero poll tax, and which still has a very low
council tax rate. I assume that by some quirk of government
funding, LBW have managed to get an extremely favourable deal. If
your parents were across the river in Fulham, their council tax
would be 83% higher (or 90% higher if they're not subject to the
Commons rate).

Yet total local government spending in Wandsworth is some 50% higher
than in Cambridge. It's corrupt.

I thought the Commons rate was banded by distance from the commons,
BTW? My parents have always paid but I thought not in the highest
band.

I wasn't aware of it until I looked up the rates on the Wandsworth site
tonight. There seems to be one Commons rate (per council tax band)
that applies IIRC within 0.75 miles of the Putney/Wimbledon common and
within the old parish of Putney.

Since I haven't lived in Putney since the days of the old rating system
I expect there were changes made when Poll tax and Council Tax were
introduced. It is a unique local tax that at one time straddled the LCC
boundary. It is also levied in Merton.

--
Colin Rosenstiel