Council Tax going up!

[Slacker]

As I said before the election, these debates get a bit one sided with nobody representing the LibDems that can be equally cross-examined

[Fly]

Get a LibDem to sign up to ChesterfieldOnline. 

[Fly]

Or isn't there one with the bo**ocks to do itPaul Holmes seems quiet nowadays 

[therealjr]

As I said before the election, these debates get a bit one sided with nobody representing the LibDems that can be equally cross-examined

How the hell could we examine a Lib dem about a decision of the Labour party which goes against their stated 'manifesto' position.

And I'd agree you are in a no win position because you are effectively lobby fodder, you obviously had no input into the majority of your party's leafleting and you now have very little say in this policy decision.

[k4blades]

I don't think this forum is restricting your freedom of speech, Slacker.

All I ask of anyone on here is that they speak honestly and consistently. Either you agree with a freeze on council tax increases or you don't. As far as I'm concerned you are entitled to your view, but to say one thing, and then the other is not acceptable. If you can't say how you really feel because it contradicts what your party officials are telling you what to say, then they are the ones restricting your freedom of speech.

My advice would be to jump ship.

[Pete]

>> All I ask of anyone on here is that they speak honestly

Gets my vote

[Slacker]

At the time of the election this grant would have not been known about.

If a council took this one-off grant to not put up council tax they could be in the position of needing to put it up 6 or 7 % next year to avoid losses to jobs and services. If increases are then capped there will be problems.

As I said before it is 3.5% of a small part of the council tax bill. Will 10p a week cause people hardship? I'm much more concerned in the massive increases in other household bills.

Does give the LibDems something for their leaflets though.

[Old Cruser]

>> All I ask of anyone on here is that they speak honestly

Gets my vote

Ok ok
 All the parties are crap anyway none of them ever do that much, buty i suppose they can't please everyone can they! Countries in such a mess we would need a miracle party to sort it   

[therealjr]

At the time of the election this grant would have not been known about.

If a council took this one-off grant to not put up council tax they could be in the position of needing to put it up 6 or 7 % next year to avoid losses to jobs and services. If increases are then capped there will be problems.

As I said before it is 3.5% of a small part of the council tax bill. Will 10p a week cause people hardship? I'm much more concerned in the massive increases in other household bills.

Does give the LibDems something for their leaflets though.

No sorry doesn't work. You (that's the Labour party you) didn't know about the grant. You said 2012/13 council tax frozen. The government then offered the grant to allow you to freeze the tax. You are saying no we have to put it up or else we will need to put it up by much more later. Or in other words (if we are to have honesty here) we want to put the tax up whilst we are still 3 years away from re-election in the hope that by 2015 in an election year we will be in a position to say we don't have to put it up, it will look good on our election leaflets and we hope the electorate are stupid enough to fall for it.
It might only be 10p a week, the principle is honesty.

[k4blades]

Where does the 10p a week come from. If a 3.5% increase is 10p, then the current tax must be about £2.90. (2.90 x 3.5% = 10p) If your council tax is £2.90 per week, then annually it is 52 times that amount, or £150.00
Has anyone got a council tax bill of £150.00 a year, if so, I need to move house.
Ours is around £1400 per annum. That equates to an increase of around 95p per week. OK, some of our £1400 might be for police or Staveley council, etc but still a massive difference in figures. I can't believe the aveage council tax bill for residents of Chesterfield council is £150 a year! 

I also think the principle is consistency. How can you call for others to bring their prices down, while putting your own prices up, isn't that hypocritical. If you want BP, Boots and British Gas to drop their prices, why should the council be treated any different, unless its because the council can take their "customers" for granted, and charge what they like without fear of them going elsewhere.

[Slacker]

The increase is on the Chesterfiel Borough Part. Most money goes to County as they have Education and Social Services (biggest spenders.) Current year CBC is  £93.26 band A, £139.89 band D. The police element is also higher than CBC. Details at
www.tinyurl.com/7ukh657

[therealjr]

This is another indication how people don't understand how the two tier system of local government works.

ps Slacker you now have 2 lots of unanswered questions.

[therealjr]

well done to one Labour council for sticking to its socialist principles

http://www.chesterfieldpost.co.uk/public_services/mp_politics/mp_news_00000240.html

[k4blades]

OK just checked a few old bills.

I was aware of how the system works, but didn't realise the amounts, the missus usually pays it.
We are in band C, so Chesterfield gets about £150 a year, so is about 10p.

Doesn't alter any of the points raised though.

[Slacker]

Of course in Staveley you also have the Town Council element which I hadn't realised is almost half the Chesterfield Borough cost. Police is also higher than Chesterfield Borough.