IT IS one of those ironies in life but one that will eventually have to be addressed by all of us.
This year, the spotlight has fallen on council tax rebanding, largely thanks to one man, Jack Darrell Henry.
His controversial business career in Huddersfield came to an end in September when his company Reband UK was wound up by the Government’s Insolvency Service in the public interest.
The High Court in Manchester was told that the firm took more than £200,000 from 1,167 clients – but had won rebates for just seven of them.
Mr Henry might not have done little to help many of his clients but other savvy householders in Kirklees clearly listened to advice from the Valuations Office. They stressed that homeowners could lodge their own appeals against their council tax banding free of charge.
Hundreds of them did and won which is great news for them but less good news for Kirklees Council which is left with a hole in its coffers which so far this financial year stands at £668,000.
Ultimately though, it is the right result. No-one should pay over the odds on their council tax and the money to balance the budget must be found through adjustments and savings elsewhere.
After all, council services and taxes should be based on and paid for on a fair and equitable basis and in many cases, our current banding system clearly is not.
