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Decision day for
council tax rates
Winter car parking charges in Marine Drive could have netted �15,000.
A DECISION on whether or not to freeze council tax rates is due to be taken on Friday.
It will be made by members of Scarborough Council and follows a Cabinet recommendation to accept a Government offer of a freeze grant.
The decision was a surprise move because finance chiefs had pushed for a rise of either 2.5 or three per cent – at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting it was revealed that the Government would reduce funding to councils which rejected the offer.
In his report Nicholas Edwards, the council’s finance director, has asked councillors to approve a revenue budget for the coming financial year of £17,045,560 as well as the proposed freeze on council tax rates.
He had previously recommended that the Government grant funding should be declined because it was only for one year and would represent a total loss of income of around £2.2 million over a 10-year period – the council would have to make efficiency savings in future years to claw back the shortfall.
Speaking at Tuesday’s meeting Mr Edwards said that there was a £35,000 shortfall in the budget after two recommendations were rejected:
l £15,000 that would have been generated by the imposition of car parking charges in Marine Drive
l £20,000 needed to retain the mayor’s car and chauffeur.
Cllr Jane Kenyon, the finance portfolio holder, said the proposal for an increase had been widely consulted with the public and generally people were not in favour of a rise. She added: “If you think this has been a difficult budget then brace yourself for next year.”
The recommendation to opt for a zero per cent rise in council tax rates brought Scarborough Council in line with North Yorkshire County Council as well as the police and fire authorities who had all voted in favour of accepting the offer of the Government freeze grant.
To ease the strain on household budgets council tax payers are being offered the option of paying their bill in 12 monthly instalments instead of the usual 10 payments.
Scarborough Council is facing a 33 per cent cut in funding over the next two years – with a reduction in the Government grant of 14.6 per cent.
Scarborough’s Labour group has put forward a number of proposed budget savings which are due to be discussed at Friday’s meeting.
They include: a £3,000 cut to the chief executive’s public relations budget; a £10,000 cut in the Sands Project budget; a £5,000 reduction in the demolition budget; a £5,000 saving on lighting; reducing the Cabinet by three members which would result in a saving of at least £11,000.
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Weather for Scarborough
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: North east
Comments
There are 4 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
FairDealForFiley
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 10:14 PMThe proposed 3% rise would raise approx £220000 for SBC. They are to give this year, £200000 to the SJT, £100000 to the Futurist and £10000 to the Rugby Club, though I stand to be corrected on this. In these days of financial squeeze is it not about time they looked to reduce these ridiculous sums. Lets not forget, many years ago when they proposed to give £25000 to the SJT there was public outcry. The sum has risen to £200000 over the years but very craftily being kept out of the limelight - pardon the pun !!
diapason
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 04:30 PMJane Kenyon said that "generally people were not in favour of a rise." What a very perceptive lady. I would have tought that that was self-evident.
joan greenwood
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 01:43 PMI would like to propose that the chief excutive s public relation budget is scapped as mentioned above in letter 1 as what is it used for ?? Then have a look at the number of staff employed in the town hall bet I could cut at least 25% they do not even answer the phone and take weeks to reply to letters Lets see the payroll printed in the SEN. We need to keep the mayoral car as it would cost more to train people and having the neesassary licences. If they scap the car and service I really want to see the costs of the alternative first and the true costs !!! It is good we have a the car Also are they going to sell the number plate or continue to keep it costing renewal each year ?
Ian Moone
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 01:03 PMBlah Blah Blah Blah. Everyone knows that times are hard, and hell we keep getting told we all have to make cuts in spending be it on food, clothes or whatever. Well it looks like the time has come for the Council to make a £35000 cut, get rid of the car and driver all together for good, and scrap the parking charges. Why do the council think they are immune from what everyone else has to put up with. We make cuts on a daily basis with our incomes so you should too!
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