Pensioner groups are expected to congregate outside local town halls today to protest at council tax increases.

The coordinated day of activity across Northamptonshire, Hampshire, Dorset and Devon coincides with the start of a three-day conference organised by the senior citizen party in Bognor Regis, at which members will discuss the hotly felt issue of council tax rises.

Marshalled by the IsitFair? campaign, angry pensioners are lobbying for the property-based council tax to be scrapped, claiming the system disproportionately affects those on fixed incomes

They remain unimpressed by the relatively low increases for next year already announced by the majority of local authorities.

A survey of 200 councils has revealed that most local authorities have posted council tax increases averaging 4.5%, following repeated threats from the local government minister, Nick Raynsford, that anything over 5% would trigger capping measures.

Attempts by the Conservative party to woo grey voters by proposing an effective tax cut on council tax bills for pensioners have meanwhile failed to appease campaigners.

Under the Tory plans, announced on Monday, over-65 pensioner households will get a 50% reduction in their council tax, up to a maximum of £500.

But the proposed tax break cut no ice, according to Christine Melsom, IsitFair? founder.

Ms Melsom expressed disappointment at the Tory decision to keep the council tax system it first introduced in 1993, which she described as "totally at odds" with the lobbying camp.

"On the contrary, the present system is a grossly unfair tax for people of all ages, and the Conservatives have ignored the plight of many non-pensioners," she said.

"Council tax is a regressive tax whatever age you are - the less income you have, the higher the percentage of your income you have to pay in council tax. The first essential step must be to stop using property value as the basis for the tax. Fiddling around with discounts will not tackle the root cause of the problem."

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