KESGRAVE plumber Roy Burgess today spelt out his views in black and white in a bid to rally support for a council tax bill boycott. The 59-year-old is urging his fellow tax-payers to join him in unleashing their anger on Suffolk County Council about the 18.

KESGRAVE builder Roy Burgess today spelt out his views in black and white in a bid to rally support for a council tax bill boycott.

The 59-year-old is urging his fellow tax-payers to join him in unleashing their anger on Suffolk County Council about the 18.5 per cent rise in council tax bills.

Mr Burgess takes his message with him everywhere he drives, via a blackboard attached to the back of his van. He has also displayed a similar message outside his Carlton Road home.

He said: "We should be marching on County Hall in large numbers about this. The whole county ought to be in uproar. There are definitely a lot of people who are unhappy about it.

"The council can fight like hell for it as far as I'm concerned. I'm quite happy to pay the council a three per cent rise but that's it."

Mr Burgess, who runs his own plumbing and heating business, is fully supportive of the stance taken by retired magistrate Betty Bone, of Sudbury.

Mrs Bone has pledged to go to prison rather than pay the council tax bill and has gathered a petition signed by 1,400 people. She will only pay a three per cent increase, which is just above the inflation rate of 2.9pc.

He said: "If it's good enough for a retired magistrate, it's good enough for me. If there's enough people who refuse to pay it, they won't be able to send us all to prison.

"I've been working for myself for 35 years and in the building industry for 44 years and why should I have to draw on my savings to pay my council tax."

Mr Burgess, who is married to Jenny, 54, warned the council may consider future hefty rises if it is allowed to get away with it this year.

"We've got to have some redress on this ridiculous bill they have sent out, he said. "They ought to be kicked out for this.

"They are just robbing me and then wasting the money. If they were doing something sensible with it, it would be a bit different but they are not."

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