Hartlepool North East Party candidate backing overhaul of 'unfair' council tax system

North East Party candidate Hilton Dawson is in favour of scrapping council tax and instead ask every householder to pay the same percentage of the value of their property.

Research by the Fairer Share campaign group claims Hartlepool has the second highest council tax burden in England.

It claims the average household in England currently pays 0.47% of their home’s value in council tax every year. But in Hartlepool the figure is as high as 1.31%.

Mr Dawson, a former Labour MP and now North East Party candidate in the May 6 by-election, said: “Boris Johnson’s government talks of levelling up the north.

"However, so far, despite some pressure from some Conservative and Labour MPs they have failed to consider a big idea which could change everything.

“Scrapping council tax and charging every householder in the country 0.48% of the value of their property would raise the same amount for public services as the current system.

"A fair property tax to replace council tax would also bring huge beneficial change to Hartlepool. Everyone in Hartlepool would benefit.”

Polling by Fairer Share also indicates that 40% of people would consider switching their vote to a party backing a fairer property tax system.

Andrew Dixon, chair of Fairer Share, said: “We urgently need a fairer system such as a simple proportional property tax that would lower bills not just for the people of Hartlepool, but for 76% of households across the country."

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