Take your pick (From York Press)

Take your pick

11:53am Saturday 11th February 2012 in Letters By Readers' letters

OLDER readers might remember a popular TV quiz show where contestants had a choice of taking a cash offer or gambling on winning the booby prize or star prize.

The host would ask the audience: “What should (he/she) do – take the money or open the box?”

If James Alexander asked York ratepayers: “What should we do; take £1.8 million – or put up your rates?” I imagine York ratepayers would shout “take the money” drowning out any cry of “put up the rates”.

Taking the money (government grant) and freezing the rates would leave local ratepayers with £2.1 million to help with their own debts or spend, perhaps, with York shops and businesses.

Squeezing more in rates leaves less money for ratepayers to spend how they choose.

Stephen Reynolds, Station Lane, Shipton, York.

• OVER the coming weeks, local authorities across North Yorkshire will be setting their council tax bills for the year ahead.

Last year, the Government offered additional funding to help councils freeze council tax. Every eligible council took up the offer, saving a typical family up to £72 in council tax on a Band D home.

This year, the Government is offering councils another opportunity to freeze council tax, providing a further £675 million of extra funding to support a freeze.

Already half of all councils have signalled they will sign up to the freeze – and I congratulate those that have done so. A few are wobbling – having been lent upon by municipal officers who just want to fill their town hall coffers.

I would encourage readers to lobby their council if they want to keep bills frozen.

Hard-working families have to count the pounds and pennies. At a time when public and private sector workers are facing pay freezes, the last thing they need is to see their council tax bill get even bigger.

This month, councils have an important opportunity to help with the cost of living. Anything less is a kick in the teeth.

Bob Neill MP, Minister for Local Government, Department for Communities and Local Government.