If Swindon Borough Council gave you the option of paying a little more towards your annual council tax bill to help the poor pay less, how would you respond?
Wealthy residents in the borough of Westminster are being written to by the local council asking them to pay an additional £833 voluntary payment towards their annual bill so the council are able to have a smaller increase for their less well off neighbours.
This idea although not yet mentioned in the corridors of power at Swindon Borough Council has picked up some support in the London Borough with residents such as DJ Tim Westwood among a reported 400 of the areas wealthy supporting the idea.
With an average property price of over £1.5million the council is only planning on writing to those residents in the highest council tax bracket -Band H who if they accept the voluntary increase of £833 would be paying £2209 per year.
This figure is substantially lower than a Band H home in Swindon without any voluntary excess.
The current charge for a home in the Central Swindon South Parish is currently £3214.
The last word on this idea goes to Tim Westwood, who speaking to the press said ‘Asking people who have done well to contribute a little extra seems a very good idea to me.’
Well what do you think? Would you be willing to pay more to help your poorer neighbours?
