AS City Of York Council leader Steve Galloway returned from London after talking to the Government about the city's proposed council tax rise, he had either been fighting the local cause or facing a ticking off for wanting to push up council taxes too far.

Mr Galloway, naturally, is keen to stress that the meeting with local government minister Nick Rainsford was amicable. Even given such a spin, Mr Rainsford "emphasised his desire to seek the lowest possible rise in council tax from April", to quote Mr Galloway.

The leader of the Liberal Democrat-controlled council says the Government seems willing to help the city with extra funds. Whether or not this fresh help will see a reduction in the proposed council tax rise of 9.3 per cent is yet to be made clear.

What is becoming increasingly clear is that the council tax cannot survive. Year on year rises are turning this into the tax everyone hates. When an 83-year-old pensioner is brought to court and vows to go to jail rather than pay the rise in her council tax, the situation has got badly out of hand.

The prospect of widespread civil disobedience against council tax grows, with pensioners' groups reporting that scores of older people are prepared to follow the example of Elizabeth Winkfield, of Barnstaple, Devon.

Council tax payers, especially pensioners, feel they cannot afford the sharp annual rises. So now is the time to look for another way.

One possibility is a local income tax, a proposal put forward by some Liberal Democrats. This suggestion does seem to have basic fairness on its side. The more you earn, or the more wage earners there are living in one household, the more you pay. There has to be something in that.

Updated: 09:52 Friday, February 20, 2004