Hammersmith Tory council faces a £15m black hole in its finances thanks to dodgy tax arrangements

“H&F currently owes HMRC around £15m in unpaid taxes and fines”. So says this week’s Private Eye (see below - and see previous blogs with more detail here and here).

£15 million is equivalent to a 25% increase in council tax.

In other words, if HM Revenue & Customs rules against the hopelessly inefficient Tories, local residents could end up paying a quarter more for their services. Or face yet more cuts.

To make matters worse, Britain’s least transparent council is blocking any attempt to shed light on the matter. 

When Labour councillors at last week’s budget meeting called for the council to ensure its tax obligations were met and up to date and to report full details of any back taxes and fines issued by HMRC, Tory councillors voted to block this.

A £15 million potential black hole and a refusal to be open. Only in Tory Hammersmith & Fulham.

Private Eye, "Rotten Boroughs" section, 9-22 March 2012