Double tax bill (From Stroud News and Journal)

Double tax bill

A FORMER soldier who has been called up for action has been told he will have to pay council tax.. TWICE... while he is away fighting for Queen and country.

David Tinsley of Paganhill served in the Royal Engineers in the last Gulf War and in Bosnia in 1995.

He left the Army six years ago but is still a reservist.

This week he received his call up papers asking him to report to a mobilisation centre in Nottinghamshire, from where he expects to be shipped out to the Gulf.

But while he was getting his affairs in order Mr Tinsley discovered that although utility companies are happy to put his bills on hold while he is away, Stroud District Council wants full payment of council tax.

"And I'm going to have to pay it at the military barracks which will be classed as my base while I am away," said Mr Tinsley who could be gone for six months.

"I've been told I've still got to pay my council tax in Stroud while I'm away," he said.

"But I'm not going to be using any services. The council said I have to pay because of the police and fire brigade."

He pointed out that if he refused to go to war and was court marshalled he would not have to pay council tax while in prison. "Being called up is not a problem," he said.

"They've asked me to go and I'm happy to do it."

"When I was 18 I signed on the dotted line to do my duty for Queen and country. "But this tax situation is ridiculous."

SDC told the News & Journal its hands were tied and it had to follow the law.

"We have every sympathy with him but unfortunately we don't have any discretion in this," said council spokesman David Marshall.

"The law says that he's liable to pay council tax on his main place of residence and legally that is his home here. "It would be the same if someone went abroad for several months in the winter.

"In our opinion he is not legally liable for council tax in his barracks but that's an issue he needs to take up with the MoD." Mr Marshall said the council was bound by the law and could not make any exceptions.