Date: 16/02/2010
High Peak Borough Council's council tax increase for 2010/2011 will be 1.5%. This is well below inflation and continues the downward trend under the present administration.
Subject to approval by Full Council on 2 March, the Executive's proposal last Tuesday means that a council tax payer in a Band D property will pay £174.40 for Borough Council services next year, an increase of only £2.58. This is under 5p per week.
While many local authorities are cutting services and shedding jobs, High Peak has been able to increase investment in priority areas without making compulsory redundancies or hitting the hard-pressed taxpayer too hard in the pocket.
Emily Thrane, Executive Councillor for Corporate Services, said that High Peak's Alliance with Staffordshire Moorlands District Council had been crucial to keeping costs down and would enable the Council to make efficiency savings of nearly £1m in the new financial year.
"With only a 0.6% increase in government support, the Alliance is essential to help High Peak balance its books while giving something back to our residents at a time of economic difficulty.
"Many people are still suffering from the impact of the recession. That's why we've worked so hard to make this year's council tax increase as low as possible."
The Council will also freeze the charges for removing bulky items of household waste until the Melandra disposal site in Glossop reopens.