BANBURY MP Tony Baldry has described the Government's new council tax plans as a "scam".

Mr Baldry has criticised new laws that give council tax inspectors the right to enter homes and fine householders.

Residents face penalties of £1,000 a time, and £200 every day after that, if they do not let inspectors into their homes or if they fail to assist the inspectors when they are in.

The new laws are being piloted in Northern Ireland, with England next in line. They are part of Labour's plans to revalue every home in the country for tax purposes.

Mr Baldry said: "A controversial new system of local government taxation is being quietly introduced in Northern Ireland as a testing ground for England's looming council tax revaluation. Unlike current council tax, householders face a house price tax - a set percentage of the value of their home each year.

"The idea is to tax every home improvement - and features like gardens, patios, conservatories, double glazing, scenic views, number of bedrooms, and number of parking spaces, will increase the size of the tax bill."

Mr Baldry said: "This sort of Big Brother database to increase council tax is unacceptable. The entire approach to revaluation is a scam.

"Oxfordshire County Council has managed to keep council tax rises down. The proposed revaluation of council tax in the manner proposed would completely undo all their hard work."

Mr Baldry said Oxfordshire was already paying more than its fair share to the Treasury, but was not getting a return in grants and general council funding.

He said: "The system to review council tax is flawed and will hit those on fixed incomes hardest, particularly retired people who represent a growing community in the county."

Mr Baldry said the Government had pushed new laws through Parliament via an obscure committee to give town hall tax inspectors powers to barge into homes.

Under the new law, householders would be forced to let officials into their homes, and residents who failed to give reasonable assistance would be fined £1,000 and be recorded on police and court records.

A householder who continued to fail to provide assistance, could be fined an additional £200 per day.