Council slammed for not selling NH1 registration plate worth £400,000

Council bosses were today slammed for refusing to save money by selling the mayor’s private registration plate – worth £400,000.

The number NH1 has adorned the Mayor of Northampton’s ceremonial car for decades.

But Northampton Borough Council say it is not worth selling because it would only reduce an individual’s council tax bill by £4.

But the TaxPayers’ Alliance yesterday urged the council to sell the plate and raise money for those ”struggling to make ends meet.”

A spokeswoman said: ”These number plates are a luxury that the council can ill afford at a time when it is facing spending cuts.

”It’s a disgrace that they’re trying to hang onto these at a time when some taxpayers in the area are struggling to make ends meet.

”The plates are an indulgence and they should sell them off as soon as possible.”

Northampton Borough Council leader Brian Markham said the plate is part of the town’s heritage.

He said: ”If we got £400,000 – that’s equivalent to £4 off the average council tax bill for a whole year for the council taxpayers of Northampton.

”But that is only one year – next year you can’t sell the number plate again.

”More importantly, that number plate is part of our heritage – not just for the council but for the town – we’ve owned that since the first number plates on cars.”