DCLG says Rochdale is 'disingenuous' on 3.5% council tax rise
Date published: 08 January 2013
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has accused Rochdale Borough Council of being ‘disingenuous and wrong’ for claiming the authority could increase council tax levels by 3.5% without the need to hold a local referendum.
The council believes it has spotted a loophole. This threshold doesn't apply to precepts or levies which the council does not directly control and therefore plans to use the Localism Act to exclude hikes to waste and transport bills from the headline rate of council tax increases.
The unelected Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority is planning a 19% increase in its levy, and the unelected Transport for Greater Manchester a 5.8% increase. The decisions are made by (mostly Labour) councillors appointed from the local authorities that constitute their membership. A satisfactory arrangement for the councillors who are paid an array of special responsibility allowances to sit on the assorted committees.
In response, a DCLG spokesman said: "It is disingenuous and wrong for any council to say they can hike basic council tax above two per cent without triggering a referendum."
In 2009, before Labour took control of the Council, Councillor Colin Lambert, commenting on the then Lib Dem council's proposed 3.7% council tax rise, said: "Their council tax rise of 3.7% is outrageous in the current economic climate." Despite the worsening economic climate, Councillor Lambert, now the leader of the council, appears to have changed his tune.
Comments
He may have survived so far but surely it's time this idiot resigned?
Who created this loophole? When the local authority uses loopholes, it causes a flurry of complaint. Yet when businesses, members of parliament, or some other type of loophole is used by the banks, it is accepted without any hue and cry. It must be our nature to complain about one loophole because it directly affects us. However, I was under the impression that we all must pull together. If this loophole can be closed then so can all the others.
On behalf of his Heywood and Middleton constituents, and for future reference, perhaps Jim Dobbin would let us know whether he is in agreement with RMBC's proposed rate increase.
How much did it cost the Council to discover this loophole?!
Have Your Say
So much for honour among councillors!
More like pigs around the same trough!
By keithatrochdale @ 09/01/2013 02:35:10