Low tax rise agreed (From Warrington Guardian)

Low tax rise agreed

CHESHIRE County Council's Tory administration has voted to increase the area's Council Tax by 2.7 per cent - one of England's lowest rises.

The rise equals Cheshire's lowest yet - set in 1994 - and is the equivalent of 46p a week more on a Band D Council Tax bill.

Finance executive member Gretta Cousins said: "Any council budget is a compromise between the competing needs of service users and taxpayers.

"Even relatively small increases can cause hardship, particularly for the elderly and those on fixed incomes."

County Council Leader Paul Findlow: "Our budget has struck the right balance between maintaining excellent services and the consideration of people's ability to pay."

But Labour leader Derek Bateman said the low Council Tax rise had been achieved through 'selling the family silver and damaging assets'.

Clr Bateman said: "It is a laudable aim to manage and control expenditure so that people are not overburdened. But it is a foolish and dishonest policy to set a tax so low you have to sell the family silver and damage assets in order to do it."

Meanwhile the Lib Dems said the Tory's figure was too low.

Leader Sue Proctor said: "The Conservatives have gone too far this time. I think this budget is an attempt to buy votes."

Cheshire's estimated Band D Council Tax bill for 2005/6 will be £911.62.