An edition of the Tyne Tees Television current affairs programme ‘Briefing’ on the issue of council rates. With proposals by Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government to replaces the current rates system as well as abolish the larger metropolitan authorities it helped to set up in 1974, the question is asked should central government be allowed to control how rates are collected by and for local authorities, are there better ways of collection taxation and what would be the consequences....

An edition of the Tyne Tees Television current affairs programme ‘Briefing’ on the issue of council rates. With proposals by Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government to replaces the current rates system as well as abolish the larger metropolitan authorities it helped to set up in 1974, the question is asked should central government be allowed to control how rates are collected by and for local authorities, are there better ways of collection taxation and what would be the consequences. Following a brief filmed item of a meeting of Cleveland County Council councillors discussing cuts of £10 million to their budget, the majority of the programme is taken up with an in studio discussion made up of various regional councillors and MPs. Title: Tyne Tees Briefing In the Tyne Tees Television studio in Newcastle presenter Ian Breach introduces the programme on one of the Conservative governments key issues that of bringing major reforms to the rates we pay. Ian goes onto explains that the Conservatives are also looking to bring in controls on local authorities about how they raise their rates and how it is spent, especially those who have overspent in the last financial years. In a meeting room inside Middlesbrough Town Hall, Sir Maurice Sutherland Labour Leader of Cleveland County Council leads a council meeting to, as Ian Breach puts it ‘cut their local coat to the governments limited cloth’ as they discuss the consequences of cuts of £10 million to their budget. Everyone in the room is sullen and depressed as they discuss just one of the services to be cut, that in public transport. Returning to the Tyne Tees studio Ian asks is the government serious about replacing rates with some other form of taxation and what will the effects be of abolishing the larger metropolitan authorities? Ian goes through a list of departments within Newcastle City Council that would be affected should the government follows through on its threat of removing financial support. The remainder of the programme is taken up with a studio discussion lead by Ian asking how should we divide the management of affairs between central and local government, what is the fairest and most efficient system and do local councils really overspend? Taking part in the discussion is Richard Hold Conservative MP for Langbaurgh, Bill Harding Conservative member of Newcastle City Council, Jeremy Beecham Labour Leader of Newcastle City Council, Peter Price Conservative member Cleveland County Council, Harry Cowans Labour MP for Tyne Bridge, John Clout Conservative Leader North Yorkshire County Council, Alan Beith Liberal MP for Berwick-upon-Tweed, Peter Hutchinson Conservative member Northumberland County Council, Philip Hanmer Liberal member Tyne and Wear Council and Sir Maurice Sutherland Labour Leader Cleveland County Council. Title: End of Part One Part Two The discussion into government proposals to control local authority spending continues which at times does become heated. At the end of the programme Ian Breach brings both the discussion and programme to a close. Credit: Presenter Ian Breach Film camera Graham Brown Sound Nic Grant Editor Peter Telford Research Lynne Petrie Political Editor John Sleight Film Director Bernard Preston Studio Director Tony Kysh Producer Bob Farnworth End title: Tyne Tees Colour. © Tyne Tees Television Ltd. MCMLXXXIII