FbF,

What's happened to you is pretty typical across England excepting a few showcase Councils like Wandsworth in London. May be different story in Scotland or Wales due to effects of devolution.

First and foremost although your Council Tax contributes to the services provided by Essex CC, Castle Point Borough and Police/Fire (and a Town Council if you're on Canvey Island) it only meets a part of the cost. Something around half is met by grants from central government.

The basis of central govt funding varies from year to year according to what Westminster deems right and extent to which it might additionally fund certain specific items. Politics of course plays a part. Without getting into controversy, Labour will tend to direct spending towards the north/cities while Tories might favour the south/shires.

RPI is exactly what it says it is - a measure of increase in what the retail consumer spends. It is not a measure of the costs increases the Councils and Police/Fire etc have to find. A lot of those costs are manpower - school staff, carers, maintenance men etc. Their pay, at least in the good times tends to run a little ahead of RPI - as it arguably shoud if growth in national wealth is fairly shared. Other costs like provision of care to the elderly increase anyway - aging population etc. A lot of Councils have been hit by changes in pension rules, not just tax changes but longevity and accounting conventions, meaning there's a black hole to be filled. Other costs changes include new services prescribed by Central Government but not fully funded.

Finally, on technical issues, theres not much mileage in comparing rates, the Community Charge, and Council Tax. Rates were based on poundage x an 'notional' rent as at April 1974 - governments were frightened of revaluations and that figure is still in use today for unmetered water!. The Community Charge, as we know, was a flat rate/person. Council tax is based on notional capital value in (IIRC) 1990. Again govt has run away from prospect of revaluation. Getting the figure right is a rough and ready calculation although the Valuation Office will have a good set of comparables.

Unless the value of your house in 1990 was right on the margin of Band E/F it's unlikley that simple improvements like double glazing will change the bandingg though obviously more substantial extensions might. If you're concerned about this speak to the District Valuer - he/she isan HMRC employee and not part of the Council.

I assume you've explored any benefits or discounts (single occupancy?) you might be entitled to following retirement.

Sorry I cannot be more helpful/optimistic!!

Edited by Bromptonaut on 08/05/2014 at 09:01

I live in Suffolk where it's been 'frozen' for the last four years and I know Essex County Council really are b******s for this. Probably one of the worst around.

One problem obviously is much of it's spent on stuff nobody needs. They'd rather shut a library than cut some non jobs in the council bureaucracy, but that's how these people work.

Essex is one of those counties which is seen as 'rich' because it's a diverse, buzzing place full of enterprise where there's always stuff happening, so it gets penalised by Government because some residents have the gall to earn a few bob.

Generally local Government funding is still a mess. It has been for decades. The 'poll tax' was an unsuccessful attempt at sorting it out and it hasn't been touched since the rushed fudged compromise there after.

Your only options are to either move or vote in councillors who will cut it. I'd recommend by steering clear of whatever mugs have dominated your county council for the last 20 years.