Lets make progress on ending rates crisis before St Andrews talks - Alliance

5.20.32pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 4th Oct 2006

Belfast Alliance Councillor, Tom Ekin

Former Lord Mayor of Belfast, Tom Ekin, has called on all parties to co-ordinate a coherent response to the rates crisis before next week's talks at St Andrews. He stated that the Alliance solution of an income tax provides the best way to solve the rates crisis. Tom Ekin is making these points at a round table debate on rates this afternoon, which was organized by the Fair Rates Campaign.

The Balmoral Alliance Party Councillor said: All the parties must come together and co-ordinate a coherent response on rates in advance of talks on restoring devolution next week at St Andrews.

"The most obvious and fairest way to solve the rates crisis is to scrap the current system and introduce a local income tax. Alliance has been proposing this measure for decades.

"The round table discussion presents a vital opportunity for parties to get together and stop these unfair rates hikes.

"A plan to end the rates crisis must be on the table before the St Andrews talks, to ensure that we can deal with this problem quickly and effectively.

"I would like to see all parties working together to agree a plan of action, because the current momentum on battling rates hikes must not be lost."

ENDS