Council Tax Huge Increase

The County Council has defied Government guidelines by increasing their Council Tax demand by nearly four times the rate of inflation. The ruling Labour Group's 9.9% increase leaves Council Tax payers facing rises of between £44 and £134 in bills for County Council services from April. This would come on top of the 12% rise pushed through last year!

Despite the Government's less than generous funding settlement, the Liberal Democrats proposed a 4.5% rise in line with the Government's own recommended increase. By tackling excessive central administration costs there could still be a modest growth in frontline services.

As it is, Nottinghamshire spends nearly £15 per head more than the average council for providing a broadly similar level of services. Until the Labour run council has a better grip on the extra it already spends.

Liberal Democrats argue that it should not spend more than the Government and local people have requested. Following local consultation in the February Focus, Liberal Democrats opposed the massive increase. They were even opposed by some Labour and Conservative councillors - to no avail.

In Southwell, the increase for last year, to pay for improvement in the War Memorial and the Norwood Gardnes Recreation Grounds, have been reversed. Day to day running costs for the Southwell Town Council have been reduced by careful budgetting.

Conservative run Balderton Council, however, has increased their Council Tax yet again so that it is now 13% higher than Southwell's!

Labour run Newark Council yet again has the highest Council Tax in the country.