| |
Slap in face for traders
• MORE than 10,000 businesses call Islington home and we know that times have never been tougher for them. Liberal Democrats want to do all we can to help locally.
But government ministers are insisting that local businesses stump up an extra 5 per cent this year in business rates – despite most firms facing their toughest trading conditions for decades.
While government sets business rates, the council has to collect them and hand the cash over to Treasury coffers. This year’s planned steep rise is a slap in the face for struggling businesses and cuts across all the council is trying to do to support them. The Labour government must stop this 5 per cent rise.
I have written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer calling on him to reconsider his plans as part of the Budget. But after Islington Labour forced through inner London’s biggest council tax increase last month and the Labour government tried to impose a 6 per cent rent rise on Islington tenants, I’m not very optimistic. Labour seems hell-bent on costing everyone in Islington more in the middle of a recession.
CLLR JAMES KEMPTON
Lib Dem council leader
|
| |
|
|
 |
| |
| |
| |
