THE battle over the London council tax levy to pay for the 2012 Olympics has begun in earnest.

Letters have begun dropping onto the doormats of people across south-east London who have withheld the Olympic levy from their council tax payments to Bexley Council for this year.

The protest has been spearheaded by the borough's pensioners, who claim no-one asked them if they were willing to pay towards the cost of the 2012 Games, or if they were prepared to underwrite any losses the Olympics may make.

Sylvia and John Killick, of Bourne Mead, Bexley, received their demand from Bexley Council on Monday for an outstanding £20 of their council tax.

The council is demanding the payment by February 28.

If not, the letter warns, the council will give the couple seven days before starting legal action against them.

But the Killicks, aged 72 and 69, who both used to work for the council, have no intention of paying.

Mrs Killick said: "I know people are expected to live longer these days but I am nearly 73. When am I going to go to the Olympics?"

The couple were unaware of the campaign launched by the Bexley Pensioners' Forum on the issue but are now joining forces with the other protesting pensioners.

Mrs Killick added: "It makes us feel more comfortable knowing there are others like us.

"We were all brought up in the war together, so we are used to fighting."

The couple, who have seven grandchildren, say they are quite prepared to go to jail over the issue.

Mrs Killick said: "I am happy to go to court if I have to and to end up in prison. I feel it is something we have got to do.

"Someone is taking £20 out of my pocket without asking me."

Mrs Killick is no stranger to tax protests - she also protested against the poll tax.

Meanwhile John Flunder, one of the achitects of the pensioners' forum protest, is also prepared to go to jail several times rather than pay the Olympic levy.

He has not yet received his warning letter from the council but is expecting one any day.

The forum has already drawn up plans for a protest outside Bexley Magistrates' Court every time an Olympic levy campaigner appears in court for non-payment.

Mr Flunder says the protest will continue beyond this year.

And he added: "We are breaking new ground.

"When people appear in court this year, it will by no means be the end of the fight."

He said: "We will learn from what happens this year.

"Our protest is not going to die if only a handful are prepared to go to court this time."

Bexley Council was unavailable for comment.

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