LOCAL MP Michael Mates has condemned as "a snooper's charter" government plans to introduce internal inspections of people's homes during the council tax revaluation process. The announcement of the increased power for the Valuation Agency follows the revelation that John Prescott is planning to charge higher council taxes on homes with patios, multiple bedrooms, conservatories and scenic views. Mr Mates has expressed alarm at reports that government inspectors will be marching into people's homes to collate this information. He told The Herald: "I am astonished that ministers have given inspectors from the Valuation Office Agency – an arm of the Inland Revenue – the right to enter properties and gardens, and, in many cases, take photographs of each home, including bedrooms. "East Hampshire residents will find it offensive that bureaucrats sent by John Prescott will be taking photographs inside their home, to find out their number of bedrooms, and the size of their patio, garage or greenhouse. He warned: "Council tax bills have already risen by 80 per cent under Labour, but everyone will pay even more for this Orwellian bureaucracy. "This whole exercise is bizarre and absurd and it arises because the government have set up a review of the council tax but have decided to start the revaluation process for every home in the country before the review reports." Mr Mates is incensed by the government's decision to plough on with the revaluation without any clear guidelines: "What on earth is the government doing pressing ahead with an expensive revaluation with this intrusive system of inspection, when they do not yet know that it is needed? "The government should call off the entire revaluation and speed up their review of the council tax".
