Taxing row sparks resignation demand 31/7/08
A top Western Isles councillor is refusing to resign after a political row over local taxes.
Angry vice-convenor Angus Campbell has called on senior councillor Donald Manford to vacate his role as transport chair after he publicly criticised the council's “indecisive and confusing” stance on replacing council tax.
The local authority has given apparently inconsistent and contradictory views on the Scottish Government's consultation on a local income tax. It warns it could lose 12 jobs in collecting council tax while apparently ignoring the potential for even more employment in administrating a complicated local income tax.
The last time the full council considered the issue was on 25th June when councillors voted to defer any response on the proposed replacement for council tax. They wanted to take account of the view of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) which was debating the issue two days later.
The COSLA meeting voted in favour of a local income tax based on people’s ability to pay.
The SNP-led motion at Cosla was supported by Donald Manford while council convenor Alex Macdonald followed the Labour / Tory proposal to keep a reformed council tax.
Mr Manford believes many islanders will be badly hit if the council tax continues particularly in a “low wage economy” dogged by soaring living costs. In an article about the council’s consultation response he said: “you could be forgiven for thinking it is putting its own desire for money ahead of the people’s ability to pay.”
Some in the council are keen to retain the higher level of income which the council tax provides the local authority.
In war of words from widely leaked e-mails vice-convenor Angus Campbell warned Mr Manford to "withdraw from office within the Comhairle" unless he toed the council line.
Mr Campbell said: "Everybody accepts that people don’t like paying taxes but if you follow your populist view through then there would be no services in the Western Isles. As in all Comhairle decisions I think you have to accept the democratic process."
In refusing to resign, Mr Manford highlights there was no clear council line on the matter and insists he will continue to represent his community.
In one message he said: "In order to properly be allowed to represent our electorate councillors must be able to continue to register dissent without fear or threat, the alternative is not a democratic option."
Tonight, Mr Manford said: "I don't accept that seeking to represent the public's views will leave the islands without services.”
He suggested that the angry outburst by Mr Campbell was fired by a local newspaper article which may have taken some of his views out of context.. The complete article was for Am Pàipear but excerpts which offended Mr Campbell appeared in a weekly newspaper.
He added: "Mr Campbell may have responded in haste. I understand the professional pressures he is under in the council at a very difficult time. We should all work together better."
