Council Tax rise is lowest in county (From Warrington Guardian)

Council Tax rise is lowest in county

RESIDENTS in Middlewich are facing a 3.9 per cent Council Tax rise from Congleton Borough Council - but it is still the lowest increase of all the Cheshire districts.

In real terms this means the borough council portion of the Council Tax bill will increase to £140.91 per year for a band D property.

The total tax bill, including Cheshire County Council and Cheshire Police Authority's precepts, is £1,212 per year for a band D property in Middlewich.

About 50 per cent of the increase is to cover staff required to take on responsibility for liquor licences, which the Government is to transfer from magistrates' courts to local authorities without any corresponding transfer of funding.

Key areas that the borough council will plough money into include:

l Keeping the streets green and clean

l Providing digital CCTV cameras

l Upgrading public toilets

l Providing affordable housing for local people

l Bringing new employment into the borough

l Increased support to help Congleton Voluntary Services.

Borough council leader Clr Roland Domleo said: "Two per cent of the rise will go towards providing the estimated £80,000 required to staff the new liquor licensing.

"The 3.9 per cent increase would have been even lower if the Government had not done this."

The council's budget includes provision for a new Greenscape manager, devoted to upgrading landscape maintenance and grass cutting.

The council is going to upgrade all major car parks at a cost of £200,000 this year and potentially £100,000 next year.

A joint initiative with Dane Housing is set to renovate and refurbish properties to provide affordable housing for local people.

Resources director Donald Lowe said: "This budget continues to protect the borough council's secure financial position and will help it to continue to develop the quality services it provides well into the future."

jdriscoll@guardiangrp.co.uk