THOUSANDS of homeowners across Merseyside and Cheshire have been paying too much council tax due to a banding error.
New figures have revealed council tax inspectors have been forced to correct the bands of 6,874 homes since the last election following appeals by householders.
St Helens had the most changes in the country with 1,665, Wirral was fourth with 1,361 and Liverpool had 917.
The Conservatives last night claimed government ministers hid the banding errors to save money and to save face.
They obtained two copies of key minutes and, in one version, certain lines were blacked out.
The deleted lines expressed concern for negative press coverage and the implication for the local authorities which would have to reimburse affected households.
Caroline Spelman, shadow secretary of state for communities and local government, said: “There is clear evidence of a great council tax cover-up.
“The whole moral basis of our tax system is undermined if the state conspires to overcharge the public.
