Council Tax going up!

[Pete]

Just got a leaflet though my front door from the LibDems informing me that a Council Tax increase of 3.5% is on the cards.

They describe it as unnecessary - is it?

It goes on to say that LibDems left financial reserves of £8 million, a balanced budget, no Council Tax increase, no cuts in jobs or services in 2011 and no need for any in 2012. 

So what went wrong?

[Fly]

Market Hall renovations ?
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Isn't housing rent going up to 

[therealjr]

Just got a leaflet though my front door from the LibDems informing me that a Council Tax increase of 3.5% is on the cards.

They describe it as unnecessary - is it?

It goes on to say that LibDems left financial reserves of £8 million, a balanced budget, no Council Tax increase, no cuts in jobs or services in 2011 and no need for any in 2012. 

So what went wrong?

I hesitate to say a Labour council got voted in but ...............................................
They intend blaming the government for it
http://www.chesterfieldpost.co.uk/public_services/mp_politics/mp_news_00000222.html

[k4blades]

The Govt. are offering a grant, which I though most councils were taking. The intention as I understand it is to stop the constant increase, year after year, and give councils a chance to put a halt to it. Obviously some costs do go up annually, (wages), but this could be offset by looking for better contracts, as Chesterfield has meant to have done with rubbish collections.

Whatever happens, all the bad news gets blamed on the other party, while each party wants to claim credit for the good news, instead of working together for a sensible way forward.

[Pete]

I'd be interested in a local Labour Party councilor's opinion on this... 

[therealjr]

He won't have one, he will just quote the party line to you

[Slacker]

The grant (or incentive not to put council tax up) is a one off which when taken away next year would require a bigger rise just to stay where we are. If the percentage is capped next year it could therefore mean a shortfall.

The county council will take the grant because the Tories expect to lose control in 2013 thus leaving a mess for Labour to sort out.

The Chesterfield element is a small part of the council tax so a 3.5% increase will hardly be noticeable.

[k4blades]

To which I woud like to quote these comments:

Maybe because when you look at spending power petrol, energy and just general shopping a pay freeze means a pay cut. A call for these prices to be held down would have gone down a lot better. The retail companies that we hear about closing down, and there seems to be a national chain closing down almost every week, are doing so because the ordinary working people have less in their pocket for luxuries.

Your words, Councillor.
Latest inflation figures out show retail inflation around 0%, VAT no longer factored in, energy prices on the way down, it seems everyone is doing their bit to bring costs down, except the council! Pot, say hello to kettle.

[Fly]

As a resident of Bolsover, living in a council house.
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I'm keeping out of this one.   

[Slacker]

To which I woud like to quote these comments:

Maybe because when you look at spending power petrol, energy and just general shopping a pay freeze means a pay cut. A call for these prices to be held down would have gone down a lot better. The retail companies that we hear about closing down, and there seems to be a national chain closing down almost every week, are doing so because the ordinary working people have less in their pocket for luxuries.

Your words, Councillor.
Latest inflation figures out show retail inflation around 0%, VAT no longer factored in, energy prices on the way down, it seems everyone is doing their bit to bring costs down, except the council! Pot, say hello to kettle.

Inflation at zero? Sounds like lies, damned lies and statistic because I'm paying a lot more for my shopping, petrol, gas, water and every insurance policy.

[k4blades]

I should have been more specific, non-food retail inflation is at 0%, ie the cost of teles, etc. Food is falling and expected to fall more later in the year as comodoties are falling, (coffer, grain, etc).
Insurance policies are going up because the last Labour Govt, lead by a money grabbing leech of a lawyer and his wife, promoted the compensation culture, which the current govt are trying to tackle.

If you find statistics difficult to understand, it helps to look at the detail.

[therealjr]

Cllr John Burrows, Leader at Chesterfield Borough Council explained: "This year's offer of funding to Councils that agree to freeze Council tax in 2012/13 is a one-off grant for one year only.

"If we accept the Government's grant, equivalent to a 2.5% Council tax increase, we will be left with a shortfall of funding in every year after 2012/13.  For Chesterfield, this equates to £458k over three years, rising to £914k over five years, when the benefit of the Government’s first Council tax free grant ends in 2014/15.

"This will mean having to make cuts to frontline services, which could well involve job losses, or needing to apply higher Council tax increases in future years.

"A 3.5% increase means a 6p per week rise for those living in a Band 'A' household and a 9p per week rise for those in a Band 'D' household.

"Even with this increase, Chesterfield will still have the lowest Council Tax when compared to the other district councils in Derbyshire and councils of a similar size in the country.

Councillor Slack's posting
The grant (or incentive not to put council tax up) is a one off which when taken away next year would require a bigger rise just to stay where we are. If the percentage is capped next year it could therefore mean a shortfall.

The Chesterfield element is a small part of the council tax so a 3.5% increase will hardly be noticeable.


Told you he wouldn't have an opinion!!

[Kent]

Good Old LABOUR.... True to Form .... SOD THE PEOPLE, IF THEY ARE STRUGGLING, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

8m in the Bank is not enough..!

[Slacker]

I put that before I read article though i do listed to what's said in meetings with chief finance officer so no surprise i said something similar.

[therealjr]

I put that before I read article though i do listed to what's said in meetings with chief finance officer so no surprise i said something similar.

Sorry? Are you trying to say that Barry Dawson wants to put the council tax up?