Tax freeze row erupts at Erewash council meeting
The borough council portion of council tax will not rise for Erewash residents in 2010, despite Labour councillors accusing the leading Conservatives of 'putting two fingers up' at the electorate.
A row erupted at Long Eaton Town Hall on Thursday night as the opposition group argued that an increase in council tax was vital to rescue the borough from decline.
Leader of Erewash Borough Council Cllr Chris Corbett said that the Tories also plan to freeze council tax for the next two years.
Reading the budget, lead member for resources Cllr David Stephenson said the zero per cent rise had been achieved without cutting services.
He said: "After inflation this is of course a cut in real terms. There has been no increase in charges for council services.
"But this has not been achieved by cutting services – we are providing additional funding for dog wardens and we are spending 1.24m on Victoria Park Leisure Centre and 168,000 on Long Eaton."
Cllr Corbett said: "The budget demonstrates once again that if you want a low council tax you need Conservatives in control.
"It is a real pleasure to have to explain to incredulous residents that a nought per cent increase really does mean that.
"The planned percentage increase for 2011/12 and 2012/13 is in fact zero. There won't be many councils in the UK this year who have planned and prepared so well that they are able to forecast no increase in council tax for three years."
But Labour councillor Frank Phillips said: "This is a budget dictated by Conservative central office and everybody out there knows it.
"It's putting two fingers up to the electorate. As if they are going to forget all your failures over regeneration of our town centres."
Cllr Ted Bishop said: "As a council we need to do all we can to help people in these difficult economic times – particularly those on low incomes. I have to say however that I am surprised this Tory council is proposing no increase."
Labour councillors tried to pass a motion that the tax be increased by one per cent, but were out-voted.
Ilkeston and Long Eaton residents in Band D properties will now pay 165.91 in 2010/11 for the borough council portion of their council tax bill.
Last week, Conservative-controlled Derbyshire County Council announced its portion of the tax will rise by 1.5 per cent – the lowest rise since council tax began in 1993. Derbyshire Police also increased its portion by 1.5 per cent.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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