Published: 11/03/2010 12:00 -
Updated: 11/03/2010 11:14
EAST Herts residents face a below-inflation council tax rise next month – but those elsewhere in the county are getting an even better deal.
Band D households in Bishop’s Stortford will pay £1,499.77 in council tax in 2010-11 – a rise of just £8.55 (0.57 per cent) on what they currently pay for local authority services.
In Sawbridgeworth the band D bill will be £1,466.53 – up £10.11 (0.69 per cent).
While East Herts District Council is charging 2.4 per cent more for its £159.14 share of the demand, other Hertfordshire councils have frozen or even slashed their bills.
In St Albans, residents will be hit with a rise of just 0.3 per cent – and in the south-western Three Rivers district, which includes Rickmansworth and Chorleywood, the tax will be cut by 0.5 per cent.
East Herts has promised to be “leaner, more focused and more efficient” after presenting its annual budget, which was approved at a meeting of the full council last Wednesday.
It points out that band D taxpayers will pay only £3.72 more for its services and adds it has identified more than £1.2m of savings.
The percentage rise is also lower than Uttlesford’s, where the district council is asking for a £147.42 share in the £1,432.62 that a Band D householder will pay – an increase of 2.9 per cent.
But according to Liberal Democrat councillor Mike Wood, who represents Bishop’s Stortford’s All Saints ward and is also a member of the town council, East Herts is imposing the second largest rise in the county – only Dacorum, which covers Berkhamsted and Hemel Hempstead, is higher at 2.5 per cent.
He said: “It’s interesting because usually East Herts doesn’t like to be on the high side, but it will be this coming year.
“I think it’s partly due to the recession, which has affected all councils, but despite their denials there have been things like the move from Stortford to Hertford, which in the end is going to cost us more.”
Conservative district councillor Michael Tindale, who represents Little Hadham and is the authority’s executive member for resources, said: “The increase of just 2.4 per cent is the same as the inflation rate for last year, meaning no real-term increase.
“It will require the council to continue to make difficult decisions to find ways to cut spending.
“The background for this budget is the deepest recession in a generation. For the council this has meant a dramatic drop in fee income, a fall in investment income and the likelihood of swingeing cuts in the Government grant.”
On average, Herts County Council services account for 75 per cent of council tax bills, East Herts District Council 11 per cent and town and parish councils 4 per cent. The remaining 10 per cent goes to Herts Police Authority.
In Sawbridgeworth the band D bill will be £1,466.53 – up £10.11 (0.69 per cent).
While East Herts District Council is charging 2.4 per cent more for its £159.14 share of the demand, other Hertfordshire councils have frozen or even slashed their bills.
In St Albans, residents will be hit with a rise of just 0.3 per cent – and in the south-western Three Rivers district, which includes Rickmansworth and Chorleywood, the tax will be cut by 0.5 per cent.
East Herts has promised to be “leaner, more focused and more efficient” after presenting its annual budget, which was approved at a meeting of the full council last Wednesday.
It points out that band D taxpayers will pay only £3.72 more for its services and adds it has identified more than £1.2m of savings.
The percentage rise is also lower than Uttlesford’s, where the district council is asking for a £147.42 share in the £1,432.62 that a Band D householder will pay – an increase of 2.9 per cent.
But according to Liberal Democrat councillor Mike Wood, who represents Bishop’s Stortford’s All Saints ward and is also a member of the town council, East Herts is imposing the second largest rise in the county – only Dacorum, which covers Berkhamsted and Hemel Hempstead, is higher at 2.5 per cent.
He said: “It’s interesting because usually East Herts doesn’t like to be on the high side, but it will be this coming year.
“I think it’s partly due to the recession, which has affected all councils, but despite their denials there have been things like the move from Stortford to Hertford, which in the end is going to cost us more.”
Conservative district councillor Michael Tindale, who represents Little Hadham and is the authority’s executive member for resources, said: “The increase of just 2.4 per cent is the same as the inflation rate for last year, meaning no real-term increase.
“It will require the council to continue to make difficult decisions to find ways to cut spending.
“The background for this budget is the deepest recession in a generation. For the council this has meant a dramatic drop in fee income, a fall in investment income and the likelihood of swingeing cuts in the Government grant.”
On average, Herts County Council services account for 75 per cent of council tax bills, East Herts District Council 11 per cent and town and parish councils 4 per cent. The remaining 10 per cent goes to Herts Police Authority.
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