NO NEW WINDOW TAX CAMPAIGN

Saturday, 24 October 2009

HELP US

Please, we are small and need all the help we can get. We are not asking for money or donations of any kind, this is not about personal gain.
As well as the need for people to spread the word about regarding what might be happening, we need people who can write, collate, draw, those with access to relevant information, printers.
We will be producing our own info leaflets and 'posters' for people to download and pass on but until then our greatest weapon is word of mouth.
Remember, we are just starting, this is for all of our sakes and of those who come after us.

WHAT IS THIS ABOUT?

This site has been set up for the purpose of opposing the Governments new proposal to charge us more Council tax based solely on the view we have from our windows.
This does of course, sound preposterous and also highly unfair, and it is, except we are deadly serious.
This idea also leaves every council tax payer in the land open to petty corruption.
If this new 'window tax' were to become law, then the act of a council planting a tree within sight of your window could mean another increase to your council tax, regardless of the condition your home is in. And, as we have seen with the scandals involving council's and their corrupt abuse of 'spying' powers, granted to them by the Government for wholly different, legal and 'legitimate' purposes,
it isn't hard to imagine some of our less...moralistic councillors using the planting of trees, shrubs and flower beds planted in inappropriate places, being misused to generate money.
Already, every year when April comes rolling around, we see councils working in a flurry to spend their remaining budgets in order to qualify for next years money, how long will it be before someone thinks of spending that extra money on plants put into places where they will easily be viewed from the windows of residents? At least that way, they can spend their remaining budget as well as turning it into "a nice little earner". Promotions and bonus's all round!
Plus, they can claim that they will of course, be living up to any environmental promises that may have been made, its 'win-win' all round for councils and 'lose-lose' for housing tenants, home owners and, well, anyone with a window.

WHO, WHAT, AND WHY WE ARE.

The 'no new window tax' group are a single issue community based group who, as a golden rule do not follow any one party line, nor do we have any clandestine political objectives. That is not to say we would reject or not welcome any sympathetic, political aid that furthers our aims should any M.P.'s choose to offer it to us.
Similarly, we do not wish to be involved with 'political' parties who do not promote the basic human values of equality, we don't need their help.
Our aim is to alert the public about the proposed, upcoming new laws that for obvious reasons are currently being called "the new window tax". Called so not because it is created to work in the same manner or serve the same purpose as the original, but because, like its predecessor it was a big earner, and their aim is to tax you based upon your windows, or more rightly, the view from them.
What is more nefarious is not the fact someone could instigate its introduction, its real horrors lie in the way it is to be calculated.
Where as the size and number of windows were the basis for the old tax, the new one differs in that its worth will be based upon what is visible through the window. This idea seems weak headed at least, yet if you have a row of trees outside your windows, or a field, a park, private gardens that are not yours even. All are situations liable for extra council tax's.
Residents who do not have the privilege of access to private gardens may have to pay for being in their line of sight, or that of a park or natural scene.

A quick history behind our last window tax.

A QUICK HISTORY BEHIND OUR FIRST WINDOW TAX

In 1696 in the reign of William III another form of taxation came into force this was known as the “Window Tax” and would last until 1851.

In 1696 there was a financial crisis created by a growing inflation caused by the many conflicts both in Ireland and on the continent. One of the forms of taxation created to help pay the debt was known as the “Window Tax”.

By 1700 reforms had taken place by slashing taxes, auditing the accounts showing irregularities, and finally the nine-year war had come to an end in 1697, but the “Window Tax” would stay for another fifty one years.

The tax would be paid on a house of more than six windows. Unfortunately none of these records appeared to have survived, one way for a person to by pass the tax was to brick up one or two windows over the stated six, even today on some of the older houses the bricked up windows are still there.

In 1792 houses with 7-9 windows had to pay a tax of 2 shillings, and those people with property containing 10-19 windows would pay a tax of4 shillings.

In 1825 the number of widows taxable went from six to eight windows. The Window Tax would be replaced in 1851 with a tax called House Duty.

In 1697, windows became a tax liability. Earlier, it had been hearths, subjected to a much-resented tax first in England and then in the colonies. An illustration of the period shows a householder chasing off a tax assessor with a broom.

If the revenuers couldn’t get in to count the hearths, they could still count the chimneys; but therein lay the loophole. By locating fireplaces in the corners of rooms, next to the center wall, resourceful builders could place two hearths on the first floor and two more on the second, all vented through the same chimney.

So the window tax set its sights on more visible assets, levying two shillings per year on any house with more than six windows, 10 shillings for 20 windows, and 20 shillings for 30 windows or more.

Soon, thousands of windows in London were being bricked in or boarded up to keep their owners within the 6-window exemption. In the countryside, windows were a status symbol and great estates such as Longleat already glistened with hundreds of them.

Loophole: it was the number of windows, not their size, that counted for tax purposes. So it may be more than coincidence that manor houses built since enactment of the tax tend to have fewer—but larger—windows.

The 'now window tax' group would like to thank the creators of this history, it was made usuing the information taken from The History of Longparish, by G. timmings. and much thanks go to the members of the site www.insteadofapes.com who's work also features heavily here.

Many thanks go to both sites.

NO NEW WINDOW TAX CAMPAIGN

Saturday, 24 October 2009

HELP US

WHAT IS THIS ABOUT?

SAY NO, RESIST THE NEW WINDOW TAX

WHO, WHAT, AND WHY WE ARE.

A quick history behind our last window tax.

A QUICK HISTORY BEHIND OUR FIRST WINDOW TAX

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