UTTLESFORD District Council is proposing to increase its share of the council tax bill in line with the rate of inflation.
The Conservative-controlled authority plans a 2.9 per cent rise in its demand to householders from April for services in 2010-11, despite efforts by the Liberal Democrat opposition to peg the rise to under 2 per cent.
The proposal means a council tax rise of £4.14 – or 8p a week – for a typical band D property in the district, up to £147.42 from £143.28.
Overall, if all authorities ratify their proposed rises, the council tax for a band D household will rise by 2.46 per cent, up £35.93 to £1,494.78 from £1,458.85 in 2009-10.
Uttlesford’s leader, Cllr Jim Ketteridge, said: “The proposed rise is on a level with the current rate of inflation and will allow the council to keep delivering services to residents and businesses in a very difficult economic climate.
“Government grants, which form a major part of council funding, are not keeping pace with inflation. For 2010-11 we will receive a rise of only 0.5 per cent. This is a problem being experienced by many district councils and one which is likely only to become more serious in coming years.
“However, the council is committed to continuing working with the community to give them high-quality, value-for-money services.
“All these issues will, I am sure, be fully debated by councillors at the budget-setting meeting on February 18.”
However, pointing to a claimed budget surplus of £1m, Cllr Geoffrey Sell, Lib Dem councillor for Stansted North and the opposition’s finance spokesman, said, “Many people in this area have been affected by the credit crunch and the recession. The council should not be demanding tax increases that it clearly does not need. That is really irresponsible.”
According to the Office for National Statistics, CPI annual inflation – the Govern-ment’s target measure – was 2.9 per cent in December, up from 1.9 per cent in November.