Council tax bill hit by weather
THIS year's council tax increase in Harrogate looks set to be the smallest for 12 years, with Harrogate Council's cabinet recommending a freeze on its portion of the bill.
Harrogate councillors will vote on the proposed freeze on February 10, while North Yorkshire County Council is expected to rubber-stamp a 2.94 per cent increase on its proportion of the tax a week later - its lowest rise since 1993.
The fire service is currently considering a two per cent increase on its precept, while the fourth body that receives money from council tax - North Yorkshire Police - finished a consultation about its figure yesterday.
Coun Andrew Jones, Harrogate Council’s cabinet member for resources, said: “We are recommending a council tax freeze, which will not come at the expense of services.
“A number of factors have contributed to a very positive budget, including efficiency savings of 700,000 and good long-term cash control.
“We have also had one element of very good luck – the recent VAT rebate – and one example of effective lobbying for our district, securing an extra grant from the department of transport for concessionary fares.”
If approved on February 10, the budget will see the council repay 3m of long-term debt – 30 per cent of the total it currently owes – while extending its garden and green waste recycling programme to a further 10,000 houses.
The proposed freeze would be the first since 1998, when Harrogate Council’s precept dropped by 12.1 per cent, year on year.
Knaresborough Town Council is increasing the parish precept (the town council’s part of the council tax) by 2.8% next year. This will increase the amount paid by an average band D property by 42p a year.
The leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the council, Coun Kevin Hawkins, said: “Knaresborough will continue to have the lowest parish precept of any town council in North Yorkshire.
“For example, band D residents in Boroughbridge this year paid 24.09, and in Ripon 21.04, whereas in Knaresborough the amount next year will be only 15.59.”
The new rates come into force in April this year.
North Yorkshire County Council typically receives around 68 per cent of council tax paid in Harrogate. If a 2.94 per cent increase in its precept is approved by the council on February 17, it will be its lowest rise for 16 years. Band D properties would pay 1,057.48 to the county council: a rise of 30.18 annually, or 58p a week.
Coun John Weighell, leader of the county council, said: “It has been our priority throughout the budget consultation process to balance the increasing demands being made for our services with the need to keep the council tax as low as possible.
“As more and more people find themselves victims of the economic downturn, they turn to the county council for help and support.
“It is essential that we are able to offer that vital support, and we cannot do so without making a small increase in the tax we levy.”
The county council says it will cost 10m to repair potholes caused by the recent icy weather.
Though it has asked its executive to approve a 1m transfer from the council’s reserves, the authority is also increasing taxation to help fund the work.
Coun Weighell said: “It had been our hope that the increase would be even lower. But the damage caused to the county’s highways by the most extreme weather conditions for thirty years will cost several million pounds to repair. We have taken what is prudent from our reserves to help to pay for this work, but there is still a shortfall which must be covered through tax.”
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Weather for Harrogate
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Light snow
Temperature: -4 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 2 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: West
