N
EWS
RELEASE
205
6 March
1992
LOCAL
GOVERNMENT
FINANCE
BILL
RECEIVES
ROYAL
ASSENT
The
Act
which
will
abolish
the community
charge
became
law
today.
A council
tax,
based
on the value
of properties
and
on
the
number
of properties,
will
replace
the charge
from
1 April
next
year.
Commenting
on Royal
Assent
for the Local
Government
Finance
Act
1992,
Michael
Portillo,
Local
Government
Minister,
said:
"The
community
charge
is
being
abolished.
It
will
be
replaced
with
a
tax
which
is straightforward
to
administer
and
fair
to everyone.
"From
1 April
next
year
households
will
receive
one
bill
based
on
the value
of their
property.
The
valuation
process
is
well
under
way
with
all properties
being
placed
in one
of eight
valuation
bands.
"The Government
believes
the new tax will
be both
simple
to
collect,
since
it is based
on property
and
fair
because
it will
take
account
of
the
number
of
people
who
occupy
the
property.
It will provide
sole residents
with
a discount
on their
local
tax
bill.
-1-
2 MARSHAM STREET·
LONDON SW1P 3EB . TELEPHONE
071·2763000
"It
will
strike
the
right
balance
between
accountability
and
ability
to pay,"
said
Mr
Portillo.
The
Minister
said
the council
tax proposals
had
received
a
thorough
scrutiny
during
the Act's
passage
through
Parliament.
"The Government's
policy
has stood
up to that
scrutiny
- no
sensible
alternative
to
the
council
tax
has
been
put
forward.
We have ensured
that councils
are well positioned
to have
the new
system
in place
in good
time~"
The
Local
Government
Finance
Act
1992
also
details
arrangements
for
the
admissibility
of
computer
evidence
in
magistrates
courts
in England
and Wales.
Regulations
laid
today
will
mean
that
from
tomorrow,
Saturday
7 March,
this
evidence
will
now
be
admissible
in those
courts.
The
Minister
said
the
regulations
will
give
councils
the
power
to deal
effectively
with
community
charge
debtors.
"Councils
will,
from
tomorrow,
have
the necessary
measures
to deal
effectively
with
all those
people
who have
chosen
not
to
pay
the
charge,
an
action
which
has
driven
up
charges
for
everyone
else.
"It underlines
the Government's
message
to those
who
don't
payor
won I t pay - there will be no amnesty
and no hiding
place,"
he
said.
I
NOTES
TO
EDITORS
The
Local
Government
Finance
Act
1992
abolishes
the
community
I
charge
from
1 April
1993
and
replaces
it with
the
council
tax.
Under
the
council
tax:
- there
will
be a single
bill
based
on the market
value
of
property.
-2-
- single-adult
households
will qualify
for discounts
of 25
per
cent
of
the
bill.
- students,
student
nurses,
apprentices,
YT
trainees,
people
with
a
severe
mental
impairment
and
many
carers
will
also
be eligible
for discounts.
- there
will
be
a special
scheme
of
relief
for
disabled
people
who
need
extra
space
in
their
homes,
who
might
otherwise
face
higher
bills.
The Act also allows
for regulations
on the admissibility
of
computer
evidence.
The Community
Charges
and Non-Domestic
Rating
(Miscellaneous
Provisions)
Regulations
1992 provide
for
the use
of
computer
generated
documents
in enforcement
proceedings
for
the
community
charge
and
non-domestic
rates.
Any
statement
generated
by
a
computer
will
have
to
be
accompanied
by
a
certificate
which:
- identifies
the
computer
which
generated
the document.
- states
that
the
computer
was
operating
properly
at
all
times,
or
if it was
not,
that
its non-operation
did
not
affect
the production
of the document
or the accuracy
of
its
contents.
-
is signed
by
a person
occupying
a responsible
position
in relation
to the operation
of
the
computer.
The provisions
of the Regulations
cover
proceedings
for the
issue
of
liability
orders
or
warrants
of
commitment,
and
of
complaints
about
the levying
of distress.
Separate
regulations
applying
to
council
tax
proceedings
will
be
made
on
the
same
lines .
...
Press
Enquiries:
071-276-0910
(Out of Hours:
071-276-4120)
Public
Enquiries:
071-276-0900
-3F-
Document Outline
