Assembly calls for law change on council tax arrears and budget votes
Under Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, councillors who are two months or more behind on their council tax are legally barred from voting on council budgets or council tax matters.
The London Assembly has today called for a change in the law to prevent Assembly Members who are significantly in arrears on their council tax from voting on the GLA budget, mirroring the rules already applied to local councillors.
The Assembly argues that extending this principle would strengthen accountability and public confidence in decision-making at City Hall and Members should in the meantime voluntarily commit to upholding the same standard.
Neil Garratt AM, who proposed the motion, said:
“People expect the highest possible standards of politicians in public office, and bringing requirements on Assembly Members into line with existing standards for Councillors would help show the public how seriously we take our jobs. “
“I hope that the Government will support our call to standardise these rules across Local and Regional Government and put onus on Assembly Members to ensure we are all up to date on paying our council tax.”
The full text of the motion is:
“This Assembly notes that under Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, any councillor who is in arrears with their Council Tax for two months or more is legally barred from voting on the council's budget or any matter concerning council tax calculations.
This Assembly believes this is a sensible and reasonable rule and would wholeheartedly support it being extended to cover London Assembly Members in respect to the GLA Budget.
Therefore, this Assembly calls on the Mayor and the Chair of the Assembly to jointly write to the Government and urge that the law be changed accordingly.
Nevertheless, this Assembly recognises that a change to the law would be likely to take some time.
Therefore, this Assembly urges each Assembly Member to voluntarily agree to abide by this principle until such time as the law is changed.”
The meeting can be viewed via webcast or YouTube.
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Notes to editors
- The Motion was agreed unanimously
- Neil Garratt AM, who proposed the motion, is available for interview.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
For more information, please contact Alison Bell in the Assembly Media Office on 07887 832 918 or [email protected]. For out of hours media enquiries please call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the Assembly duty press officer.