Readers will be aware all properties in England (and Scotland) are about to be revalued for local government council tax.

The Government has decreed all homes will be revalued, based upon the estimated market value as of April 1, 2005. The plan is to use these new values to calculate council tax bills for 2007 - well after the forthcoming General Election in May 2005.

Most homes will be moved up one or more tax bands which will result in significant increases in the amount of council tax demanded.

Revaluation and rebanding has already happened in Wales, where council tax bills based on the new values will arrive soon.

In many areas, the value of more than 60 per cent of properties has been increased by one or two bands, resulting in increases in council tax ranging from ten per cent (one-band increase) to 75 per cent (four-band increase), and this before any increases required for inflation or budget deficits determined locally.

The same scenario will confront residents in East and West Sussex who are already bearing a disproportionate burden of council tax increases imposed by central Government in recent years.

This issue should feature near the top of the election manifestos of all political parties during the run-up to the forthcoming elections.

You may, indeed, feel compelled to ask of all your Parliamentary candidates where their party stands on the issue of council tax.

Anyone wanting more information may wish to contact the nationwide, non-party-political organisation IsItFair - council tax protest campaign. Call 01428 712680 for the national headquarters, visit the web site at www.isitfair.co.uk or email c@isitfair.co.uk

-B Davies, Haywards Heath