The South Wales Echo has a report that Caerphilly Council is looking to freeze council tax for the next two years.
According to the Echo ‘With the recession, wage freezes and other cuts, council leaders say holding down the bills is possible because of £12m of savings through streamlining its operations.
Lindsay Whittle, leader of the Plaid Cymru-led administration, said: “Council tax is one of the largest items on people’s household budgets and Plaid is very conscious that many people have had their pay frozen or reduced. We did not want to increase their burden further and, therefore, have decided to make it our ambition for no increase in council tax for the next 12 months with the aim of continuing that for a further year.”
His deputy Councillor Colin Mann said: “Since Plaid won control, we have sought to keep council tax rises to the absolute minimum because of the mismanagement of the economy from Westminster. We have taken action to improve efficiency further and make the council more streamlined and this has meant taking difficult decisions from time to time.
“But it has been absolutely necessary, and this is how we’ve been able to set our ambition not to increase council tax next year and in the following 12 months. The people of the county borough will be aware that we have ensured that councillors’ allowances have not been increased since 2008 when Plaid took control. We have been very prudent and that is paying dividends.”
If approved, as expected, that would see no increase from the council, although total bills might rise if police and community councils increase their charges. The authority says its Assembly Government revenue support grant for the next financial year represents a cut of 1.7% cent with an increase of just 0.68% in 2012-13 and 1.4% in 2013-14.
It’s certainly good news for residents of Caerphilly County Borough Council, but it begs the question if Caerphilly Council can manage to freeze council tax for two years even with the spending cuts then what will the rest of Wales’s Councils do?
Caerphilly Council's announcement is all the more timely especially when Council Tax Bills in Scotland and England will be being frozen next year and wage increases are being frozen and family budgets are going to get even tighter in the coming 12 months.
Councilors could make themselves more popular with local resident ahead of the 2012 Welsh local elections, let see what happens.Any source
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