Hounslow council tax freeze

Pleased to see that Hounslow are freezing their council tax for the second year running. This means, of course, a cut in real terms.

"We have moved from charging the 5th highest council tax in London, to the 11th highest," says the Council leader Peter Thompson.  "Too many families are crippled by high bills and rising costs of living, and we do not believe people can afford to pay any more. So it is up to us to respond by lowering our tax burden."

Quite right. The achievement is impressive because they had a below inflation grant settlement from the Government and because it is not a majority Conservative administration but run in coalition with residents group.