PENSIONERS in North Somerset are facing a 25 per cent council tax increase, says a senior citizen's chief. Weston's Senior Citizens Forum chairman, Ken Lacey, says the increase will leave pensioners worse off than they have been for the three years. He is

PENSIONERS in North Somerset are facing a 25 per cent council tax increase, says a senior citizen's chief.Weston's Senior Citizens Forum chairman, Ken Lacey, says the increase will leave pensioners worse off than they have been for the three years.He is warning pensioners that following Gordon Brown's budget announcements, they actually face an increase in council tax of 25 per cent, not the 4.9 per cent set by North Somerset Council.In 2005/06 council tax for a band D property in North Somerset was £1,211. But because of a £200 handout by the Government the tax bill was effectively £1,011.With no Government handout this year, pensioners will have to pay the full £1,269 - an increase of £258 or 25 per cent.Mr Lacey said: "Our pension increased by £124 this year and last year so in one fell swoop Mr Brown has clawed back two years' pension increases which means we are worse off than we were three years ago."When will the pensioners get really angry and take a stand against this obscene form of taxation? What does it take to make pensioners rise up and say 'no more, we won't pay'. If we all stuck together we could jam the courts for months.