28 April - Another stealth tax by Bexley Council
A quick one and a request for more information before I spend the day on
non-Bexley things. I received two messages yesterday about a new stealth tax
introduced by Bexley Council.
Not being very aware of beauty parlours and the like it has totally passed me by
that Bexley has introduced a licence system for nail bars, tattoo parlours, saunas,
aroma therapists and similar establishments.
Our thieving Council has decided that each business will not only have to buy a licence
but also register every one of its employees and the price is astronomical. The
licence will cost up to £800 and the registration of each employee will be £45.
Without registration no one can work. If a new employee joins the company and
leaves a fortnight later, that is £45 down the drain.
Apparently this legalised robbery is authorised by the London Local Authorities
Act of 1991 and some Councils exploited it some while ago, but not Bexley until
now and none impose such swingeing licence levies as Bexley. Across the river it is £160.
There has not been a word about this at Council meetings, nor was it part of the
last budget proposals and consultation.
If Conservatives think the answer to everything is to tax it, I might as well vote Labour in future.
Maybe Sadiq Khan, with the probability that a Labour Mayor might not be so
predisposed to look kindly on Bexley Council, will be a good idea after all.
I would be grateful if someone in the know can shed more light on this latest attack on
small businesses.