Tax avoiders not welcome

The Liberal Democrats have won cross-party backing for a motion to stop companies involved in tax avoidance bidding for contracts with the council.

Leader Ruth Davis proposed that the council should adopt similar guidelines to central government, where companies bidding for large contracts must self-certify their tax compliance. HMRC estimate that every year, billions of pounds are lost by companies exploiting loopholes, and complying with the letter of the law, instead of the way it was intended.

Ruth said: “The council and the country can’t afford to have companies taking us for a ride. If they want to be paid by the public sector, they have to be paying their taxes properly.”