Labour must address council tax issue

It would be gratifying to think that Johann Lamont would heed former MSP Des McNulty’s plea for a more modern property tax (Perspective, 7 January). But if recent history is anything to go by, then inertia rather than reform is likely to be the guiding principle.

Labour has had nearly two decades, for example, to look at reform of the bands but has done nothing. Even if it started now, it would probably take the party years to come up with an alternative. Is it any surprise that the voters at last year’s Holyrood election found the prospect of a five-year freeze under the SNP attractive?

The council tax freeze proved popular not just because of its impact on household incomes, but also because large swathes of the electorate still did not trust the main opposition party to enforce council tax rises wisely. It is all very well for Mr McNulty to argue that councils should be trusted to apply resources where they are most needed. But too many people were convinced that giving the local authorities a limited freedom to raise the tax would simply underwrite duplication, delayed decision- making and waste. Better to keep the money in your own pocket than see it spent on another unnecessary municipal scheme.

Labour needs to set a deadline now on when it should come forward with new local government finance proposals.

There is just a chance that the public will accept a credible, easily understood scheme. There is even a chance that voters might accept a council tax increase if they could be sure it was spent on something innovative and relevant.

But unless the party does some long-delayed hard thinking on the matter, then it can look forward to another decade in the electoral doldrums.

Bob Taylor

Shiel Court

Glenrothes, Fife