Windsor and Maidenhead Council today announced a 2 per cent tax cut proposal for 2014-15. The cut will represent the fifth successive year of rate reductions, during which time the tax burden has decreased by a considerable 26 per cent in real terms.
Councils like Windsor and Maindenhead which cut tax while providing efficient services serve as an example from which other councils should learn. For example, the council points to £7.5 million that has been allocated for the brand new Oldfield Primary School in Maidenhead, with another £3.7 million planned for the new Stafferton Way link road. Simon Dudley, the cabinet member for finance, explains their approach:
The Royal Borough has a track record of council tax cuts without cutting services… We run our finances knowing that it is residents’ money to spend prudently.
The borough has taken action to cut costs such as saving £220,000 through IT improvements which include moving to cloud technology. Councils across the country would do well to pay attention. If more focus was directed towards intelligent and necessary spending while cutting back on frills and waste, residents could access good quality services while lightening the load on long-suffering taxpayers.