Last week Windsor and Maidenhead council announced they are cutting Council Tax for the third year in a row. There are several councils planning to ignore Government funding for a Council Tax freeze so that they can raise it. But Windsor and Maidenhead are cutting theirs by 1.5 per cent cut. This follows a 4 per cent cut in 2010 and a 0.5 per cent cut in 2011.
The proposal – if passed by the full council in February – ensures residents in Windsor and Maidenhead will pay the lowest Council Tax in the UK outside London. This means real savings for hard pressed taxpayers - for band D residents, Council Tax has fallen by £61 over the last 3 years.
The council have made significant savings to make the Council Tax cut possible:
While making these savings the council has actually increased spending in other areas, like an additional £2m in adult services, an extra £1.2m for highway resurfacing and £400,000 for street lighting repairs.
Spending priorities will obviously vary from council to council, but Windsor and Maidenhead show that savings can be made and passed on to taxpayers. Unfortunately many councils are planning the exact opposite, announcing planned increases in council tax of up to 3.5 per cent (the limit at which councils can get away without consulting residents). We'll be keeping a watchful eye on them as next year's budget plans are released over the next few months.Last week Windsor and Maidenhead council announced they are cutting Council Tax for the third year in a row. There are several councils planning to ignore Government funding for a Council Tax freeze so that they can raise it. But Windsor and Maidenhead are cutting theirs by 1.5 per cent cut. This follows a 4 per cent cut in 2010 and a 0.5 per cent cut in 2011.
The proposal – if passed by the full council in February – ensures residents in Windsor and Maidenhead will pay the lowest Council Tax in the UK outside London. This means real savings for hard pressed taxpayers - for band D residents, Council Tax has fallen by £61 over the last 3 years.
The council have made significant savings to make the Council Tax cut possible:
While making these savings the council has actually increased spending in other areas, like an additional £2m in adult services, an extra £1.2m for highway resurfacing and £400,000 for street lighting repairs.
Spending priorities will obviously vary from council to council, but Windsor and Maidenhead show that savings can be made and passed on to taxpayers. Unfortunately many councils are planning the exact opposite, announcing planned increases in council tax of up to 3.5 per cent (the limit at which councils can get away without consulting residents). We'll be keeping a watchful eye on them as next year's budget plans are released over the next few months.
The proposal – if passed by the full council in February – ensures residents in Windsor and Maidenhead will pay the lowest Council Tax in the UK outside London. This means real savings for hard pressed taxpayers - for band D residents, Council Tax has fallen by £61 over the last 3 years.
The council have made significant savings to make the Council Tax cut possible:
- The business improvement programme saved £1.6 million
- £10 million was saved from a renewed waste contract (over seven years)
- £296,000 was saved by adjusting the sweeping and litter contract
- £850,000 was saved by proposals to reconfigure a number of service
- £100,000 was saved through re-tendered insurance contracts
While making these savings the council has actually increased spending in other areas, like an additional £2m in adult services, an extra £1.2m for highway resurfacing and £400,000 for street lighting repairs.
Spending priorities will obviously vary from council to council, but Windsor and Maidenhead show that savings can be made and passed on to taxpayers. Unfortunately many councils are planning the exact opposite, announcing planned increases in council tax of up to 3.5 per cent (the limit at which councils can get away without consulting residents). We'll be keeping a watchful eye on them as next year's budget plans are released over the next few months.Last week Windsor and Maidenhead council announced they are cutting Council Tax for the third year in a row. There are several councils planning to ignore Government funding for a Council Tax freeze so that they can raise it. But Windsor and Maidenhead are cutting theirs by 1.5 per cent cut. This follows a 4 per cent cut in 2010 and a 0.5 per cent cut in 2011.
The proposal – if passed by the full council in February – ensures residents in Windsor and Maidenhead will pay the lowest Council Tax in the UK outside London. This means real savings for hard pressed taxpayers - for band D residents, Council Tax has fallen by £61 over the last 3 years.
The council have made significant savings to make the Council Tax cut possible:
- The business improvement programme saved £1.6 million
- £10 million was saved from a renewed waste contract (over seven years)
- £296,000 was saved by adjusting the sweeping and litter contract
- £850,000 was saved by proposals to reconfigure a number of service
- £100,000 was saved through re-tendered insurance contracts
While making these savings the council has actually increased spending in other areas, like an additional £2m in adult services, an extra £1.2m for highway resurfacing and £400,000 for street lighting repairs.
Spending priorities will obviously vary from council to council, but Windsor and Maidenhead show that savings can be made and passed on to taxpayers. Unfortunately many councils are planning the exact opposite, announcing planned increases in council tax of up to 3.5 per cent (the limit at which councils can get away without consulting residents). We'll be keeping a watchful eye on them as next year's budget plans are released over the next few months.