advertisement
Council tax rise to deal with effects of recession and snow
By Hugh FortFebruary 19, 2010
Council tax is likely to rise by 2.9 per cent and services will be cut as council bosses battle the recession and the impact of January’s big freeze.
Bracknell Forest Council announced the increase at a meeting of its executive on Tuesday.
The increase means the average Band D property owner will pay £1,093.95 a year, up from £1,062.63.
However, the council is facing tough times financially and has had to increase its contingency budget for unforeseen emergency payments from £390,000 to £1 million to cover additional costs.
At the meeting, Councillor Alan Ward, executive member for council finance, explained the contingency had to increase because of factors including emergency pothole repair and extra grit due to January’s heavy snow.
The council has also lost more money from leisure services being hit by the snow.
The council’s total budget has been set at £74.581 million, of which around £47.9 million comes from council tax.
The council has a £3.8 million funding gap it has to meet to set the budget and is making cuts to make that cash available.
These include around 60 jobs, some of which are currently unoccupied, as well as reducing hours at libraries and leisure centres.
Other savings include £15,000 on a trolley food service at the civic offices at Easthampstead House, reducing IT costs, a £20,000 saving on the residents newspaper Town and Country to three editions a year, as well as using cheaper paper and limiting the number of pages to save £20,000 a year.
Cllr Ward said £47.9 million of this budget is coming from council tax, £22.8 million comes from National Non-Domestic Rate, which is erroneously classed as Government funding.
“This comes from around £55 million from our local business, of which we get back £22.8 million.
“The rest goes to areas the Government thinks need more.
“We get another £3.31 million in Government grant, which has been cut by around 33 per cent since they [Labour] took over.
“Of course, the money we receive from the Government has been contributed to by Bracknell taxpayers, paying fuel duty, VAT etc.
“I’d say it’s likely the people of Bracknell have contributed considerably more than we have got back.
“That said, this budget is still for spending and I think in these times it is a fair one.”
Council leader Cllr Paul Bettison added: “Our Government grant increase this year has been 1.86 per cent, around £386,000.
“However, landfill tax rises quarterly so we have to cover that, and of course the ever increasing demands on our social services.
“And, to be honest, this budget is something of a holiday compared to what we face next year.”
The council will add the precept figures from parish councils and Thames Valley Police and Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service and confirm the total at the full council meeting on Wednesday, March 3.
Browse Sections
Most recent user comments 3 of 3
For Councillors the Independent Remuneration Panel says that the Basic Allowance is designed to cover all incidental expenses not otherwise expressly specified, and from this year should include travel within the Borough. http://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/irp-recommendations.pdf Even so, the allowance of 8,700 would represent up to about 9 hours a week at the average pay given above. Perhaps some questions to ask are: 1. Does your councillor do this amount of work? 2. Is it extra money they get in the evening/off shift? 3. Do they have to take time out of the “day job” to perform their functions? 4. How much training do they take up to do the job properly? 5. How much time does your councillor spend answering calls, and following up residents problems? 6. How much preparation needs to be done for meetings? How long are meetings? 7 How many meetings does you councillor go to? 8. Where and how many external bodies is your councillor on?
http://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/your-council/yc-members-of-the-council/yc-becoming-a-councillor.htm says to a prospective councillor:
You will be expected to attend meetings of the Full Council, which take place at least 8 times a year, and any other meetings for which you are a member… For most of the meetings you attend there will be papers which you will need to read beforehand… The people you represent will look to you for help in dealing with their problems even if these do not involve the work of the council. You are likely to receive a lot of emails or post and many telephone calls. Not every caller will telephone at what you might think is a reasonable hour! You might need to discuss casework or council business with council staff. These meetings will usually need to be during the day… You will be expected to attend political group meetings and possibly party training and other events.
Maybe you should write to your councillor and ask them what they do?
19/02/2010 at 23:53 Offensive or Inappropriate?
Please let us know the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.
19/02/2010 at 11:50 Offensive or Inappropriate?
Please let us know the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.
Well councilor Bettison if you have not noticed you have 12 month notice to trim those fat cat salaries as well as other costs to help the Bracknell Forest residents.
By the way those who have had 2.9 percent pay rise are in a minority in these economic times as companies continue to trim their costs.
19/02/2010 at 09:35 Offensive or Inappropriate?
Please let us know the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.