Ahead of the Government’s publication of its review of town hall finances later this month, Jeremy Hunt MP today called for a fairer funding deal for South West Surrey and expressed concern at plans to introduce new town hall taxes. The local government review is considering a local income tax, which is supported by the Liberal Democrats, whose party currently control Waverley Borough Council. Jeremy has warned that this would do nothing to tackle the problems of council tax bills soaring because of ever more responsibilities imposed on local councils by central government.New analysis has revealed the fact that a typical two-earner family in South West Surrey could end up paying double in council tax if it was changed to a local income tax. Their bill would be £3,124, compared to the current average council tax of £1,444.Jeremy said: “As we await Gordon Brown’s report in town hall finances, there is a lot of speculation about how council tax could change – with the real threat of a new house price tax or higher council tax bands.“Allowing councils to levy top-up income taxes on pay packets isn’t the answer. It could add an extra £1,680 to the tax bill of a working family in South West Surrey compared to their current council tax bill.”Leader of the Conservatives on Waverley Borough Council, Richard Gates, added: “We have already had broken council tax promises to pensioners when the Liberal Democrats pledged £100 off council tax in the last Waverley Election in 2003 but did not deliver. Now they are making proposals that would hugely increase council tax bills for working families – that cannot be allowed to happen in Waverley.”