Council Tax (New Valuation Lists for England) Bill

moved the amendment:"Page 1, line 7, leave out from ““on”” to end of line 8 and insert ““a date prior to the making of any order under section 5(4) and (4A) of that Act.””””" The noble Baroness said: My Lords, so far as we are concerned, this is the remaining part of this legislation. I am moving just one amendment to this very small Bill, which has engaged us all in a great deal of interesting discussion. The remaining matter on the table today relates to the possibility that the Government may wish to make amendments to council tax banding without a revaluation having taken place or before it takes place. Under the Bill, revaluation is being postponed for a number of very good reasons, not least of which is the fact that Sir Michael Lyons has yet to report. We do not disagree that there should be a postponement. In fact, we think that postponement should be eternal and that, if revaluation goes, it should never come back, but that will remain a disagreement between us and the Government. However, one area is already a legislative possibility—that is, that council tax banding can be changed and amended within the period before revaluation. The amendments that could be made to council tax value were agreed under the Local Government Act and are now on the table. But it is inconceivable that council tax banding could be done without current and real valuations, and in this amendment we say that no changes should be made to council tax banding unless and until there is revaluation. That is the purpose of the amendment. It is short and to the point. I beg to move.