LOCAL Isitfair campaigners will join thousands from across the country on October 2 in a demonstration which will leave the government in no doubt as to their anger over Tony Blair's refusal to change the current system of council tax.

Fuelled by new proposals which could see council tax bills soaring to three times their current size, Isitfair campaigners are expected to arrive in London en masse to demand a complete reform. Their plea is for a system which would take into account people's ability to pay.

Coachloads of tax payers will be converging on the capital to join this, the second national Isitfair council tax march, and now is the time to register if you would like to take part.

According to Isitfair founder member, Headley resident Christine Melsom, the number of coaches leaving The Herald area will be determined by the response.

"So far we know there will be a coach going up from the Four Marks and Alton area which will call in at Farnham, and from the Haslemere/Godalming and Bishops Waltham areas, but we will be happy to arrange more coaches if they are needed," she said. The cost is expected to be around £10 per head and coaches will expect to arrive and park on the Embankment in time for a 1 pm start from Whitehall Place.

From there the march will progress along Northumberland Avenue and the Victoria Embankment to Bridge Street before turning into Parliament Street and Whitehall, where the petition will be handed in at Downing Street.

While last year's petition attracted more than 46,000 signatures, this year's petition is expected to be even larger. Although new, it will be calling for the same thing.

"What we want is a complete reform of council tax. The present system must be scrapped, no amount of tinkering will do, and a new system that takes into account the ability to pay must be introduced," stressed Christine Melsom whose warning was clear.

"The balance of funding committee's findings will not be implemented until after the next elections but the suggested re-banding and re-valuation of property will mean that many people will find their council tax will increase to a much as £6,000. Anyone living in a band D property or above can expect swingeing rises.

"If council tax and state pensions continue to rise at the present rate, within six years the whole of the state pension will be taken in council tax," she said.

Isitfair campaigners have decided to march at the beginning of October to coincide with the start of local county council discussions over next year's budget.

"If forecasts are correct, we can expect rises larger that last year. We hear high single or low double figures which is simply unacceptable," said Mrs Melsom.

In the meantime, Isitifair will be making deputations to councils across the country to let county councils know exactly where it stands on the issue.

"We appreciate that some unitary authorities may need higher grants, but these should come from central government and not from the council tax in the shire counties of Great Britain. The average contribution to council spending by the council taxpayer is 15 to 20 per cent. Many shire county tax payers contribute 40 per cent and more."

Speaking as a pensioner on a fixed income, Mrs Melsom is passionate about the need for reform. "This is our protest, we ask that council tax must take into account the ability to pay and the only way to do that is through the income tax and VAT system so that everyone pays something for the services they use and the councils provide."

• To take part in the march, phone Christine Melsom on 01428 712680 or e-mail: [email protected]">[email protected].