Council Tax

A meeting was held in the Guildhall last night (28th February) To decide on the Council budget for the year and set the council tax. The rulling lib-dem group recommended a 3.68% increase in the tax. The Labour group put forward an amendement to the budget.

That the following service pressures be supported

• £30.000 For addressing the educational attainment gap between Junior & Lower secondary pupils
• £50.000 to fund a pilot scheme for patient re-enablement( to reduce bed-blocking)
• £50.000 to support modern apprentice scheme
• £125.000 to fund preventative / inclusion measures for young people including safegaurding of youth facilites
• £150.000 to improve homecare

The above service pressure be funded by reducing the amount currently proposed to go to balances by £800.000

The Lib-Dem led administration voted against this amendment, and as a result Labour councillors felt they could not support the budget or the council tax increase. I along with my fellow labour councillors voted against the budget and the council tax increase of 3.68%