Council Tax Still One Of Lowest In Lancashire
Extra services - including a reopened St Annes pool, extra cash for shopfronts, money for car park improvements and extra support for tourism and the economy - were pledged when Fylde Council’s Cabinet met to make Council Tax recommendations.
Statement of Accounts
Last night’s [17th February 2010] recommendations will go to Full Council on 1 March. The proposals will mean that Fylde Council will retain its position of charging one of the lowest Council Tax bills in Lancashire.
Key points include a freeze on councillor allowances, suspension of car park charges at Christmas, money to promote Fylde in the build up to the Open Golf championship in 2012 and a revamp for the area’s crematorium and cemetery chapel.
Fylde Council’s share of the Council Tax bill will increase by 4.9 per cent to £186.29. The total bill, however, include precepts from Lancashire County Council, Lancashire Police Authority and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service – and the overall Council Tax bill will be just 1 per cent higher. The bill is sent to homes by Fylde Council on behalf of all these organisations.
Councillor John Coombes, Fylde Council leader, said: “We have always delivered one of the lowest Council Tax bills in Lancashire – and we have done so again.
“We have gone through every line of spending to deliver value for money. It has been a very tough year – yet bills will rise by just 17 pence per week for a band D house.
“For that 17 pence extra, people will see the St Annes pool reopened, money to improve Kirkham shopfronts, free car parking in the run-up to Christmas and a host of other changes to improve life in Fylde.
“We are providing first-class services for less per week than it costs to have your shopping delivered by supermarkets.”
Fylde Council efficiency gains have included a restructure to reduce senior management costs and reduced vehicle leasing costs. An extra £200,000 is being “levered in” this year from the North West Efficiency and Improvement Partnership for installation on in-cab technology in waste collection/recycling vehicles.
Councillors also propose to change the council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy so that bills from April 2011 rise by a less-than-inflation 2.5 per cent.
Service commitments include:
• £610,000 budgeted for the disabled facilities programme;
• £797,000 to improve the crematorium and chapel;
• £12,000 for footway lighting schemes;
• £72,000 to improve Kirkham shop fronts;
• £30,000 for car park improvements;
• Suspension of car-parking charges in the run-up to Christmas;
• £35,000 for promotion activities leading to, and during, the 2012 Open Golf. It is expected to fund various marketing activities, including a marquee to encourage people to visit nearby towns and villages.
• £30,000 to boost the visitor economy through events and tourism support for things such as the summer proms concert and the Battle of Britain anniversary weekend.
• Agreement to include funding for CCTV cameras in Kirkham and St Annes for future years.
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