WEST NORFOLK: Council tax frozen for third year running
West Norfolk Council has frozen its share of the council tax bill at the same level for the third year running, despite a late Labour bid to change it.
At Thursday’s council meeting, leader Nick Daubney said the near £112 tax at Band D was only about £4 more than the same level eight years ago.
He said: “This is pretty well the lowest increase in the country and, along with a freeze on car parking, is a record I believe this council can be proud of.”
And he said the council’s financial plan showed that, through proper use of working balances, it could hold the same level of council tax through to March 2016.
Mr Daubney said the council was providing sports and arts facilities, entertainment, business, tourism and police support, CCTV and other services for little more than £2 a week.
He told members that £5.7 million of savings had been made and the general fund balance was £3.3 million.
Labour group leader Charles Joyce proposed a detailed amendment that included providing free pest control and removal of bulky waste items for householders on the borough’s electoral register, allowing free swimming in the council’s pools between 9.30am and 3.30pm for under-16s during August and replacing payment of all councillors’ IT and communications expenses with a set allowance.
The amendment also suggested savings of £100,000 in the council’s senior management costs, £50,000 at Lynnsport and £25,000 at Lynn Corn Exchange.
It also wanted to look at charging a £100 licence fee for caravans and mobile homes on parks in the borough, of which at least half would go towards improving sea defences on the West Norfolk coastline.
The amendment, which included a one per cent council tax increase to cover any shortfall, was lost by 36 votes to 10.
Liberal Democrat group leader Ian Mack urged the council to look further at how it could better target its use of leisure and arts subsidies, as it will be pumping nearly £800,000 into Lynnsport and £600,000-plus into the Corn Exchange to keep them afloat over the next year.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for King's Lynn
Thursday 23 May 2013
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 5 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Heavy rain
Temperature: 5 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 25 mph
Wind direction: North east
