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Tax increase: Councils split
County Hall, Northallerton
The news is in direct contrast to the announcement of a recommendation by Scarborough Borough Council that it should approve a three per cent increase – despite government requests for no increase at all.
The county’s cabinet recommendation on the proposed freeze for the second year in a row is due to be debated at a meeting of the council on February 15.
Cllr John Weighell, the county council’s leader, said that the proposed freeze would be worth about £26 to an average Band D household and in “such difficult times” the council was anxious to minimise the financial burden for residents.
Yesterday Nicholas Edwards, Scarborough Council’s finance director, said the decision on whether the borough council should accept the government offer of a freeze or the recommendation to increase tax by three per cent was still out for public consultation and feedback would be presented to the council’s cabinet on February 14.
More than 142 councils across the country have indicated that they will not increase council tax this year.
The two authorities recently had a difference of opinion over the fate of a tree in Irton – approximately £300,000 was spent on a six-year legal battle and a subsequent two-week-long protest, which saw five people climb into the tree’s branches before it was finally felled in October.
As the two councils faced two different positions, Cllr Weighell said: “North Yorkshire is a low spending and low taxing authority which is already making £36 million of savings in the current year, and needs to make a further £15 million next year.
“Although we must make tough spending decisions, we will continue to do everything possible to protect frontline services and the most vulnerable people in our society.”
If approved the county council would accept a Government offer, of a one-off grant of £6 million to avoid the need to impose a tax increase.
North Yorkshire County Council has to find savings of some £69 million over a four year period as a result of the Coalition Government’s spending reviews.
Mr Edwards, for the borough council, said that the Government offer was for one year only, and if it was accepted, the council would have to make savings in future years to make up the shortfall.
He said: “After that year it’s going to cost us £220,000 every year.”
Mr Edwards said that it would cost around £2.2 million over a ten year period on top of the cost of last year’s grant – which was for a four year period – which represented an overall total of £3.3 million over the 10 year period.
He said: “It reduces the level of savings that we would have to find – which ultimately reduces the level and quality of services we can give to the public.”
The 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 Council acts as the collection agent for council tax in the borough and keeps 14 per cent of the amount collected.
The remainder is divided between other organisations including:
• North Yorkshire County Council which keeps 69 per cent
• North Yorkshire Police Authority which gets 13 per cent
• and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue which gets four per cent.
The Communities and Local Government secretary Eric Pickles has said that Scarborough Council is defying its “moral duty” by proposing a rise in council tax.
Scarborough Council is one of 15 authorities across the country planning to introduce a rise in council tax for the next financial year.
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.
The two authorities famously had a difference of opinion last year over the fate of a tree in Irton – approximately £300,000 was spent on a six-year legal battle and a subsequent two-week-long protest, which saw five people climb into the tree’s branches before it was finally felled in October.
• Residents are being urged to add their views to the public consultation by visiting www.scarborough.gov.uk/budget2012 by Monday.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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Comments
There are 18 comments to this article
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joan greenwood
Sunday, February 5, 2012 at 12:33 AMare these letters placed in the evening news and why are they unsuitable ?
joan greenwood
Sunday, February 5, 2012 at 12:31 AMSo we still have not heard anything from our chief excutive I will personally get a petition if he even mentions moving out from the Town Hall to another venueWhy cannot he say something ???????The loose of the mayoral car is a disgrace the Irton Tree is a laughing stock the way it has been handled and still we hear ziltch from the top man How much does he earn ??We are paying his wages he is responsible to tax payers
Hello Vera
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 10:05 PMThe £300,00 was not spent cutting the tree down, this was spent on the over inflated wages of legal staff at County Council and Borough Council. Public sector wasters - Very good at spending other people's money.
throxenbylad
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 08:42 AMSo, has SBC made all the cost savings they can. I doubt it. Send in a team of Evening News readers and I bet they would find more savings. Who do SBC think they are? Bullies.
heavensentmum
Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 04:35 AM#11 Oh yes, Scarborough, a great place to live, work and play. #12 If history is the judge the best we can hope for is “It doesn’t sound very encouraging and I’m very disappointed indeed.”
Earth Angel
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 11:49 PMWell there's going to be a lot of unpaid council tax bills this year in Scarborough most people that I know haven't had a pay rise !
Leo Vine-Knight
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 11:05 PMThere's very little open interaction between our local and parliamentary representatives. What does our MP think about the possible 3% rise in council tax, given his government's preference for a freeze?
badger464
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 10:34 PMhigher than average unemployment lower than average wages, higher than average council tax lower than average services, its a coast thing, for council leaders at least.
village_idiot
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 04:33 PMIts absolutely disgraceful they can even entertain the thought of an increase.But then thats this council all over isnt it?? £300,000 to cut a tree down?! i would have done it for a couple of gauges in the Mayfield.Yet again we pay for the mistakes and failures of the highest order by these incompetent reprobates who insist on taking all the time and giving absolutely sweet FA back to the residents. "North Yorkshire is a low taxing area" Cleary this clown has never been anywhere else in the UK.They just spill out complete and utter verbal diarrhoea on a daily basis.
lemon tops
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 04:14 PMDefying its moral duty, yes fine Mr Pickles but did you provide this town council an explanation of what that means?
Offendedtaxpayer
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 04:03 PMHaving received a Freedom of information request back from the council concerning Christmas spending on decorations alone which they informed me were They spent £55,537 on decorations and £1,339.00 on Christmas trees I find it offensive that they have the audacity to even consider increasing council tax
Richard Ineson
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 02:10 PMLow spending authority? What about the figure, variously quoted as being £250,000, and£300,000 and no more than £100,000 for cutting down the Irton tree? This is a perfect example of double speak - we say we are a low spending Council, therefore we are a low spending Council, no matter what the figures show. And then of course, Scarborough Borough Council, which has written off £4 million of our money as irrecoverable, this money, due to us under the Section 106 agreements with various property developers, has just disappeared. Not to mention the proposed giant incinerator at Knaresborough, which is going to cost us, via NYCC, hundreds of millions of pounds in interest payments under a very expensive PFI deal. Last year John Weighell blamed the cold weather for the tax rise, I think that excuse has worn a bit thin, like the old 'leaves on the line' line we used to get from British Rail. Face facts John, you can fool some of the people all of the time, and you can fool all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time.
Crossgates View
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 02:04 PM#5 the costs to those 2 authorities are relateively lower as the average resident is a council tax payer, does not live in a care home, has a well paid job, etc etc. In general it is seaside towns that have the highest rates due to people retiring to the seaside and scroungers moving to the seaside. I remember when the poll tax first came out, the westminster rate was £0, as they didnt need any money from local residents.
Richard Ineson
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 01:25 PM"Low taxing and low spending authority"? Here are the Council Tax levels pertinent to two well known and prosperous local authorities, for the year 2011 - 12. Scarborough are still debating their figure for the next twelve months, so I give the figures for 2009 -10 for that authority, as that is the latest date I can find figures for;- Kensington and Chelsea Band A £719.42 Band D £1079.12 Band H £2158 24 Westminster Band A £458.41 Band D £687.62 Band H £1375.24 Scarborough 2009-10 (this year will be higher) Band A £1006.52 Band D £1509. 78 Band H £3019.56 Does anybody else think it strange that Council Tax is higher in this area than it is in Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster? Can anyone explain this please? I think that we should be told. Trebles all round
markdrum
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 01:22 PM#3," The Communities and Local Government secretary Eric Pickles has said that Scarborough Council is defying its “moral duty” by proposing a rise in council tax." Its not really about the money, its the principle, we get less yet they still get more. it just looks bad, especially when the money they are missing is almost exactly the sum they spent on the OAT.
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