1.00pm Thurday 8 August. Nottingham Magistrates Court

Council Tax protestor Ross Longhurst with supporters at Nottingham Magistrates were a liability order was served against him.

Council Tax protestor Ross Longhurst appeared at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on 8th. August.  He was charged with failing to make Council Tax payments to Nottingham City Council and a liability order was served against him.  Ross told the magistrates that he was refusing to pay up because the Council want more money for less services and they have been slashing services which hit vulnerable people such as the disabled, sick, old and children.

There were supporters with placards outside the Court and Ross told them that it was rich bankers who brought about the financial crisis but the Government which is forcing the rest of us to pay their debts.  Thousands of people in Nottingham and elsewhere are not paying Council Tax because they simply cannot afford it.  Many families have been reduced to needing handouts from food banks. Labour-controlled Nottingham City Council, like all other local councils across the country, have done nothing to resist the Coalition Government's austerity programme which hits the poorest people hardest.

People who can afford to pay Council Tax should withhold it in solidarity with those who cannot afford it.  Already non-payment is spreading throughout the country and if enough of us take action then it will create a financial crisis for local government as happened with the anti-poll tax campaign.  This could force a change of policy by the Coalition Government.

Information for people summonsed to court over council tax

http://falseeconomy.org.uk/blog/from-leeds-hands-off-our-homes-iinformation-for-people-summoned-to-court-ov

Thousands summoned at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court for council tax arrears

http://jus.shef.ac.uk/mawebdissertations2013/austerity-sheffield/thousands-summoned-at-sheffield-magistrates-court-for-council-tax-arrears/

Austerity Sheffield

https://www.facebook.com/austeritysheffield

Nottingham Anti-Bedroom Tax Demo at the Council House

http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/5810 [with video of the council debate]

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ALAN LODGE 

Photographer - Media: One Eye on the Road. Nottingham.  UK

Email:                 tash@indymedia.org

Web:                   http://digitaljournalist.eu

Member of the National Union of Journalists [NUJ]

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"It is not enough to curse the darkness.

                                   It is also necessary to light a lamp!!"

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