Council Tax Freeze?

[observer]

With a Tory Finance Chief in the Town Hall, and a Tory Policy to freeze Council Tax for two years - can we expect no rise in Council Tax next year? And what services will they cut, or what charges will they introduce to do it?!

[Egbert]

Quite frankly I am not too bothered as long as they keep the council tax down. It is far too high and must be causing hardship to many people.

[KeithR]

It will need councils to 'sign up' to the offer by keeping the tax rise to 2.5% or less It's all very well promising every tax payer a freeze and then saying it depends on each council agreeing to it

 

The demand for more and improved services may well surpass the demand for a freeze.

[Legion]

They could stop buying traffic lights.

maybe sell off land to developers at the going rate

not rent a "big Wheel"

 

how would we ever live with all them cuts.

[Paul Kennedy]

With a Tory Finance Chief in the Town Hall, and a Tory Policy to freeze Council Tax for two years - can we expect no rise in Council Tax next year? And what services will they cut, or what charges will they introduce to do it?!

 

It is conditional upon there being a Conservative Government. In the meantime the Conservative Group in the Town Hall will be doing their best to keep Council Tax rises to the minimum.

[Dizzy]

With a Tory Finance Chief in the Town Hall, and a Tory Policy to freeze Council Tax for two years - can we expect no rise in Council Tax next year? And what services will they cut, or what charges will they introduce to do it?!

 

It is conditional upon there being a Conservative Government. In the meantime the Conservative Group in the Town Hall will be doing their best to keep Council Tax rises to the minimum.

 

Whats the point if us having a Tory Finance Chief and of course a shared Lib Dem/Tory administration in the Town Hall of the Tory side can't actually do anything

 

The mention of a frozen council tax certainly caught my eye but the minute the word conditional was mentioned I did start to wonder and am now feeling rather cynical rather than hopefull

 

Don't worry though Paul the Lib Dims will be soom be promoting the same idea in their next newsletters

[asperity]

Jonah Brown putting more of the onus on councils to pay for things that used to be paid for out of general taxation doesn't come into it of course!!

[observer]

Simple equation folks - Less Tax = Less Services; = cuts in services and/or being charged for services: which has been the example set by Tory Councils throughout England; a slight reduction in Council Tax and huge increases in charges or cuts - take your pick. However, their are areas of waste, that could be explored, but that's often subjective.

[Paul Kennedy]

An explanation from The Times:

 

"Mr Osborne said that if a local authority could limit its budgeted council tax rise to 2.5 per cent or below he would provide the money to ensure that the proposed rise was not passed on to council tax payers.

 

Councils that accepted the proposal would be able to offer council tax payers a freeze or even a reduction for two years in a row. Mr Osborne said that he expected a 100 per cent take-up, costing the Treasury about ?500million in the first year and ?1billion in subsequent years.

 

Local government organisations said that town halls would have to make swingeing cuts in services to qualify for the freeze. Critics also pointed out that the poorest third of families would benefit less than middle-income households.

 

According to the Conservatives, council tax in England has more than doubled under Labour, with the average bill rising to ?1,374 a year.

 

Local government experts hailed the move as politically astute. ?It's a palliative rather than a brilliant reform, but it hits at one of Labour's weaknesses,? Tony Travers, of the London School of Economics, said. ?The Conservatives can now go into the next election saying, ?Vote Labour you will pay 5 per cent council tax. Vote Conservative and you will pay zero.? "

 

The comment about swingeing cuts seems somewhat over the top, for example if to maintain the status quo, a rise of 3.5% - 4.5% was required, there only needs to be savings of 1% - 2%, not difficult and not swingeing I would have thought.

 

In the case of Warrington if it didn't have such high levels of borrowings, then it could save ?4.5 milion in interest payments each year. I understand that ?700,000 spent/saved equates to a 1% increase/reduction in our Council Tax.

 

Observers point is not wholly correct, for example spending on the NHS has tripled over the last decade, and whilst the service has improved, it has not improved threefold. There is a point of diminishing returns, the skill is finding that point.

 

In the case of Warrington, we need to look at concentrating on basics not fancy projects..........improving road surfaces rather than new traffic control systems, the Orford Park Project should have basic architecture and traditional materials not grand designs costing millions more....etc etc. Remember in tough economic times, "basics is best". Hard pressed taxpayers do not appreciate seeing their money "spent" on elaborate projects, costly equipment and expensive consultants.

[Peter T]

Isn't the problem the fact that Labour have caused a huge increase in the number of people employed to tick their boxes, hence monies going on salary rather than deliverance?

[Paul Kennedy]

Yes

[observer]

Don't disagree with your sentiments regarding fiscal prudence Paul; it used to be called "value for money"; which can be achieved by addressing the basics rather than the frivolous, and achieving "added value" with a bit of imagination by killing two birds with one stone on some issues. However, one of the reasons for the debt mountain in WBC, has been a political desire in the past to set low rates, for political rather than fiscal reasons. There are huge areas for savings or rather a re-orientation of budget priorities to get rid of "evolved" commitments; thus creating a lean machine re-targeted to fundementals. As you will know, part of the problem is, that Council Tax only accounts for about 25% of spend, and if Government grant (the other 75%) isn't adequate, it results in a disproportionate Council Tax requirement or cuts or charges for services. We also have the fact that the majority of the budget is statutory spend (ie: dictated by central Government) thus leaving only around 15% for local discretion. Perhaps it's time to increase local scope for revenue generation by for example, placing a tax levy on non- Town Centre Super-Markets, increasing taxes on TC night spots; allowing the parking warden service to make a profit etc; and generally listening to the priorities of the "silent" majority rather than the usual suspects who hover around the Town Hall honey pot!

[BossyBoots]

'It is conditional upon there being a Conservative Government. In the meantime the Conservative Group in the Town Hall will be doing their best to keep Council Tax rises to the minimum. ' says Paul Kennedy.

Then long explaination of how Council Tax has risen.

 

Standard format is, LAs rcve about three quarters of money from Gov, one quarter from council tax.

So if spending goes up by inflation, and Gov funding up by inflation, Council tax goes up by inflation.

Spending goes up 1% more than inflation, Gov funding by inflation, Council tax goes up 4% more than inflation (since it has to pay for all of the difference, and is one quarter of the total).

Gov funding to LAs has increased by more than inflation every year in the past 5 years at least.

It is LA spending which is making Council Tax go up.

[Peter T]

Didn't the gov. withhold an extra ?13 million a few years ago, and the council has struggled ever since?

[Paul Kennedy]

Gov funding to LAs has increased by more than inflation every year in the past 5 years at least.

quote]

 

Warrington

[observer]

"LA spending makes the Council Tax go up" - if we ignore the Terris Wheel, I don't think the current WBC management have spent ?millions on Skittles or an Arts Centre?!

[Peter T]

What do they spend the taxes on besides wages?

The rates increase every year, the delivery reduces every year and unused buildings are being got rid of, thereby reducing costs.

[Paul Kennedy]

Materials, buildings, vehicles, buying in services..........

 

In 2007/8 nearly ?200 million was spent on schools, social services ?78 million, housing ?74 million........

 

At the end of 2007/8 the Council owed nearly ?300 million and had assets of ?940 million

[Peter T]

How do they get ?74 million for housing, when GGH was formed to bring all the council houses up to standard?

And how accurate are these figures?

Have you ever heard a council quote for a job and wondered which sky they plucked the figure from? About 4000% over cost.

 

There won't be ?900 million assets if they keep selling them off at a ?1 a go.