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Tax bills freeze on council’s agenda
TIMELY BOOST ... says council leader Coun Iain Malcolm.
A COUNCIL Tax freeze in South Tyneside seems certain this year, it has emerged.
For a second consecutive year there is likely to be no rise in our bills from April.
The borough council’s dominant Labour Group has already indicated its support for a zero increase on the levy.
And Coun Iain Malcolm, leader of South Tyneside Council, believes such a move would be a timely boost for the borough’s ‘hard-pressed families’.
The news comes as the cash-strapped council faces up to finding £20m of savings in the next financial year.
By agreeing to a freeze, the authority will gain access to an undisclosed amount of financial support from central government.
It will mean the vast majority of homes in the borough, which fall into the Band A category, will again pay £965.
But next year that funding will no longer be available – leading to fears of potential steep council tax increases nationwide in 2013/14.
Coun Malcolm said: “The steer that I’ve had from the Labour group is that they are wanting to have no increase in Council Tax this year to help hard-pressed South Tyneside families.
“We have been able to reduce council tax year on year since I become leader.
“We will receive extra support as a result of a freeze, but there is the caveat that the money will not be available next year.”
This week, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said councillors had a ‘moral duty’ to sign up to the Government’s council tax freeze.
He spoke out after some local authorities in England said they will increase the tax and reject money from central government.
Government figures indicate that 142 councils in England have so far promised to freeze bills this year.
But a number of Labour-controlled authorities, including Leicester, Nottingham, Darlington and Stoke-on-Trent, are planning increases of up to 3.5 per cent from April.
And Conservative-led Surrey, Chelmsford and Peterborough have also announced plans for a rise in recent weeks.
Mr Pickles said any local authority in England wanting to raise council tax by more than 3.5 per cent this year must consult the public in a referendum.
A tax freeze in South Tyneside will need to be endorsed by the council’s decision-making cabinet and the full borough council.
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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Temperature: 11 C to 19 C
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Wind direction: North east
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Comments
There are 4 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
Clio
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 09:16 PMI have lived in S. Tyneside all my life and can never remember when the Council Tax did not go up even under the old rating system. Every year it went up,except last year when the government froze it.Not the Council. So who is he trying to kid. Your'e spot on Boldon Lad.
BoldonLad
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 06:50 PMHe says they have reduced Council Tax once? I must have missed that. I have lived in South Tyneside since 1980, and only remember increase after increase. I will have to refer back to my old bills.
Wavydavy
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 04:26 PMNow they have a freeze they need to start looking at small year on year reductions. As much as I am critical of local government for numerous counts of inadequacy, it's a much welcomed improvement, even if the motivation is for more cash to squander from central government which will undoubtedly mean tax increases somewhere along the line to pay for it.
geordie999
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 02:24 PMi seem to remember many years ago a small efficient council that was a small part of buisness life in our area , and very cheap to run . has the council grown to a size that we simple cant afford ....time to get back to basics ..throw those flash suits away ..get those jeans on ..and cut our bills by half ........is the image of a local government .more than we can afford ??????
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