Council Tax

The decision reflects aspects of the case, to which we listened carefully and which we accepted, made by the police authority, which challenged our original decision under the set process. However, the hon. Gentleman must take into account the fact that this year Lincolnshire police authority has received the fourth-largest rise in police grant of any police authority in the country. It is therefore not the case—this cannot seriously be argued—that the Government have not taken into account the pressures faced by Lincolnshire police authority. It is not right—I have not heard any Opposition Member argue for this—that that police authority should be able to impose a 79 per cent. increase in council tax on Lincolnshire council tax payers this year.