Squeeze ‘will not change’ Shropshire tax freeze bid
Monday 21st February 2011, 11:29AM GMT.
Shropshire Council still plans to freeze council tax bills for the coming financial year. The move will be confirmed at a meeting of the full authority to be held next Thursday.
Leader Keith Barrow said that, despite the national funding squeeze and millions of pounds having to be saved by the council, it was important to help people as much as possible during the economic downturn.
The Shirehall share of the overall household council tax bill will be frozen, and any future increases will be below the rate of inflation.
The police and fire authority have also frozen their tax rates this year, but local parish and town councils set their own council tax rate, so the total payable will differ from area to area.
Councillor Barrow said: “We are all having to tighten our belts at the moment and we hope that by freezing council tax we are doing our bit to help householders.
“Council tax takes up a greater percentage of the income of those on lower wages and fixed incomes, so keeping levels frozen helps the people who need it the most.”
He added: “I think it’s essential we do what we can to give people a choice about how they spend their money. By keeping council tax low, I think we are doing that.”
The proposed amounts payable to Shropshire Council in the former districts and boroughs for the next financial year, and based on the average Band D rate, are: Bridgnorth, North Shropshire, and Shrewsbury and Atcham £1,164.72; Oswestry £1,216.58 and South Shropshire £1,216.62.
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“Leader Keith Barrow said that, despite the national funding squeeze and millions of pounds having to be saved by the council, it was important to help people as much as possible during the economic downturn.”
I should jolly well think so! After they’ve made all the cuts, increased parking charges, stopped bus passes on the park and Ride and wasted money on 3 new non-jobs, expecting us to pay more council tax would have been the last straw.
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