Rates in Evacuation Towns
The problem of rates in towns that have suffered from evacuation, and especially London, is one that must quickly be attended to by the Government, for it cannot be solved by the local authorities alone. The position is that, whilst expenditure has gone up on account of Civil Defence and rising costs, the revenue-capacity has fallen greatly owing to the removal of residents, whether traders or householders, and the diminished values of the properties still occupied. The expenditure is higher and the ratepayers are fewer. Shopkeepers are doing less trade. Blocks of flats are partially unoccupied. Individual house-owners or leaseholders, who may have evacuated their families and cannot dispose of their houses, are in many cases liable for rates, and are re- quired to pay on a valuation vastly in excess of the war-time real values. The whole situation is one of inextricable con- fusion, in the midst of which the authorities are endeavour- ing to prepare their rating budgets for the coming year. Since to a large extent the loss incurred by London and other evacuated areas has been the gain of reception areas, it is only fair that some part of the burden should be borne nationally. No solution will be satisfactory which does not include some assistance from the Government and some revision of valuations.
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