Lib Dems deliver lowest council tax rise for ten years

1.31.22pm GMT Fri 23rd Feb 2007

The Lib Dems have increased council tax by just 3% - below inflation. The lowest increase for ten years.

A council tax rise of 3% - the lowest increase in 10 years - was agreed by North Somerset Council on Tuesday, February 20.

This means the average Band D property precept will be £1,080.26 for North Somerset Council services in 2007/08.

With the addition of parish/town council, police and fire precepts, which are not set by the council, the total bill for an average Band D property will rise to £1,319.13 - an overall increase of 3.48%.

The agreed budget contains a £40million capital programme which includes:

• £25million to continue the council's substantial investment in schools and youth facilities across the district

• £5.5million on adult social care and housing services

• £6.4million on transport, environmental and community safety improvements.

In preparing its budget for 2007/08 the council faced a number of problems including:

• the increased cost of providing services (including contracts, eg highway maintenance, but also energy and staffing costs)

• a relatively low increase (2.3%) in the amount of funding from central government

• an ageing population which is placing increased demand on adult social services.

In response to this a total of £8.5million in savings have been identified across the council in order to keep the council tax increase as low as possible while still maintaining essential service standards.

Savings include:

• improvements in the efficiency with which the council works, totalling £2.6million

• increases in income of £2.2million

• a range of measures to reduce expenditure by £3.7million by trimming budgets as tightly as possible.

"It was always our aim to set the lowest council tax level possible whilst continuing to provide the best possible services for our residents," said Cllr Mike Bell, the council's Liberal Democrat executive member for finance and performance.

"We are concerned about the affordability of the council tax for those on low and fixed incomes and have lobbied the Government in support of change. We have also worked to persuade the Government that our funding levels aren't enough to meet the challenges we face.

"Despite this I believe we have achieved a budget that is both sustainable and affordable.

"We have carried out a great deal of public consultation over the last few months. I would like to thank all those who have taken part and expressed their views and also the Policy and Scrutiny Panels for their observations and suggestions, some of which have been included in the final budget.

"We will continue to look for ways of how best to get value for money in all we do and ensure we deliver the services residents expect as effectively and efficiently as possible."