The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead is looking to continue its recent tradition of delivering tax cuts for hard-pressed residents. Council Leader David Burbage proposed a substantial reduction of 3 per cent in the next financial year. It is the fourth year in a row that the Council will have delivered a tax cut for its residents should it pass. What's most impressive about it is that it has been achieved through a continuing drive against waste and bureaucracy.
They've managed to budget for a 3 per cent cut by reducing top-level management costs, through tougher negotiations on contracts with suppliers and other efficiency savings. It has been done without increasing fees and charges for residents or delving into reserves. Refreshingly, the council also reject the 'spend every penny' approach. They have planned to add last year’s £1 million underspend to the reserves in the event of a rainy day, rather than frittering it away.
Windsor and Maidenhead has demonstrated that more spending doesn’t necessarily mean better services. Finding lots of small savings - to partner big-ticket savings - can deliver substantially reduced Council Tax bills, a welcome relief for people in the area. Taxpayers need their councils to be more like Windsor and Maidenhead and less like the numerous authorities across the country currently looking at Council Tax hikes.
We'll be out in Manchester city centre on the 16th February protesting about tax increases in the Greater Manchester area. We'd encourage you to join if you can.