This Council-Tax proposal together with the Conservatives’ proposals to create new parish councils in order to introduce dramatic council-tax increases through a new precept, shows that they no longer wish to be associated as the low council-tax party.
The Conservative administration on Swindon Borough Council is proposing to increase the Council-Tax next year by at least 1.9 per cent and will consider increasing the tax by a further 2%. This was announced as part of the Conservatives’ draft budget for next year which needs to find cuts of £19 million on the current budget. A rise of 1.94% is recommended in the report, an increase of £22 for Band D properties. However this could rise to 4% once changes announced in last week’s Autumn Statement are taken into account. George Osborne said local authorities could raise council tax by a further 2% so long as the cash was spent on Adult Social Care services.
The Labour Group Leader, Councillor Jim Grant, said: “This Council-Tax proposal together with the Conservatives’ proposals to create new parish councils in order to introduce dramatic council-tax increases through a new precept, shows that they no longer wish to be associated as the low council-tax party.
I think this move is also a recognition that they have been very political on previous decisions they have taken on council-tax and that their previous council-tax decisions have impacted on services to the vulnerable and the tidiness of our neighbourhoods. Slogans like delivering more for less and efficiency savings have all been a nonsense.
The Labour Group will definitely be supporting a council-tax increase at the budget setting meeting.”