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Mr. Bernard Weatherill
(Croydon, North-East)
With your permission, Mr. Speaker, and that of the House, I beg leave to present, with the support of my hon. Friends and Members for Croydon, Central (Mr. Moore), Croydon, North-West (Mr. Taylor) and Croydon, South (Mr. Clark) a petition signed by 16,925 of our constituents, all of them ratepayers of the borough of Croydon.
The Secretary of State for the Environment has said that the average rate increase in the country this year will be about 25 per cent. Because of the precept imposed by the GLC, the implementation of Government policies and the inequitable distribution and application of the rate support grant, the domestic rate increase in our borough has been 75 per cent. This burden is intolerable:The petition reads:
Wherefore your petitioners pray that steps may be taken to relieve the ratepayers of the excessive demands made upon them by the Greater London Council and the Council of the London borough of Croydon and, further, so to reform the rating system that it is more broadly based and related to our ability to pay.
And your petitioners, as in duty bound will, ever pray, &c.
To lie upon the Table.