Miss Winkfield claimed council tax money was being wasted

About 50 people attended Barnstaple Magistrates' Court to support Elizabeth Winkfield, of Westward Ho! north Devon.

It is the second year running she has appeared in court for refusing to pay all of her council tax bill.

Magistrates imposed the liability order, but they did not make her pay the £15 costs imposed on the other 114 people against whom orders were made.

'Money wasted'

Miss Winkfield still owes Torridge District Council £128.56 of the 2004/05 council tax bill for her band C bungalow.

When she received the total bill for £793, which included a 6% increase, the 84-year-old paid just an extra 2.5% to equal the cost of inflation.

When the clerk of the court asked whether she had a defence, Miss Winkfield replied: "Not really."

She then spoke of the waste of council tax revenues on the regional assembly and said she objected to paying some, not all, of her council tax.

'Little victory'

Supporting Miss Winkfield in court were members of Ukip and the Devon Pensioners' Action Forum.

Outside court, Miss Winkfield said she was "amazed" that costs were not awarded against her, adding that the district council were "very nice and doing their duty".

Asked what would happen when her 2005/06 bill arrived, she said: "I don't know."

She said people would "have to wait and see" if she would ever pay the bills in full.

When asked if she was prepared to go to prison over the issue, she replied: "I suppose so."

Pensioners' Forum chairman Albert Venison said the fact Miss Winkfield was not ordered to pay costs was a "little bit of a victory".