Since taking office in Southampton in May last year, Labour have lost no time in taxing Southampton’s residents.

They abandoned shared services and pay restraint and attempted to scupper Conservative plans to legitimately contract out the city’s CCTV operation in order to save the taxpayer money.

Their refusal to implement any of the former Conservative Council’s solutions to the financial challenge means the burden is falling onto Southampton’s taxpayers.

In less than 18 months, Labour have introduced numerous new taxes on residents. They introduced a £55 charge for green waste collections. They have introduced nighttime parking charges in the city centre. They have introduced a charge for Resident’s Parking Schemes. They increased council tax by the maximum amount allowable despite the offer of a government grant to freeze it. They increased day care charges for elderly and vulnerable adults and now they want to tax the nighttime economy.