Council tax rise revealed (From Harrow Times)

Council tax rise to help Harrow tackle recession

3:30pm Friday 6th February 2009 in News By Tristan Kirk

COUNCIL tax is going to go up by 2.95 per cent next year, it has been revealed.

The Tory councillors on Harrow Council have finalised the budget for 2009/10, and are recommending a below inflation rise in council tax.

The increase is expected to be less than the average boost in council tax across the country, said by financial analysts to be around 3.5 per cent.

In the report prepared by Myfanwy Barrett, corporate director of finance at the council, the council tax rise is described as “a challenging strategy given all the additional pressures created by the economic climate”.

The council is facing an £8.9m shortfall in its budget due to funding shortages and the effects of the recession, and has been making desperate cost cutting measures to try to avoid reducing services or making large scale redundancies.

The tax rise means band D valued households in Harrow will pay an extra £34 a year which means 65p a week.

The council has also announced a series of increases in rents, and charges for garages, parking, and energy bills for council tenants in its bid to balance the books.

Councillor David Ashton, leader of the council, is expected to approve the budget with his fellow Conservative councillors on Thursday, February 12 before it is put to Full Council in March.