PRESS RELEASE

25 March 2003

Council Tax - Prescott cannot re-open settlement

The Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott has said he cannot re-open the Local Government Finance Settlement agreed by Parliament (see letter below). This follows the presentation of a petition to the Deputy Prime Minister by Richard Ottaway, Conservative Member of Parliament, and Andrew Pelling, Leader of the Conservative Group on Croydon Council and London Assembly Member for Croydon and Sutton. The petition, signed by over 17,000 Croydon residents, protests at the 27% rise in Croydon's council tax.

Richard Ottaway says:-

"This is like ping pong. Croydon Council is saying they have had an inadequate settlement from the Government. John Prescott is saying that the Council has had an extra £2.4 million. Something does not add up - one of them must accept the blame."

Ends.

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