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Inflation busting council tax increase confirmed
Date published: 25 February 2010
Council tax is to increase by almost 4% following the decision at a special budget meeting last night (Wednesday 24 February) by the Liberal Democrat controlled Rochdale Borough Council to increase the tax by well over twice the national average and the second highest amount in Greater Manchester.
Band D householders will face council tax bills of £1,483 a year, up from £1,426 last year.
Finance portfolio holder Councillor Greg Couzens tried to defend the huge rise by pointing to predictions of a rise in inflation but his pleas were falling on deaf ears.
Councillor Couzens was soundly criticised when he declared the Lib Dems had reduced council tax, Conservative Group leader Councillor Ashley Dearnley, backed by Labour Group Leader Councillor Colin Lambert, robustly explaining that a lower level of increase was not a reduction in council tax.
Councillor Couzens also found himself in the firing line for claiming that all other Local Authorities setting a lower council tax increase were doing so as "purely an election stunt", a remark that Conservative councillor Ann Metcalfe described as "incorrect and arrogant".
Councillor Couzens remained adamant that "this is the most prudent budget ever". He added: "The budget makes the financial position more sustainable over the long term."
The main objective of Labour's alternative budget was to keep the intermediate care homes that are to close open, but even though four Lib Dems, Jean Ashworth, Rosemary Jones, Peter Clegg and Barbara Todd abstained, the amendment was voted down by the Liberal Democrats.
Labour also attacked Councillor Couzens for "closing intermediate care homes" whilst refusing to cull the 19 strong council media team and "stop publication" of the council propaganda magazine, Local Matters. Councillor Lambert said: "It is a disgrace that fripperies are being preserved whilst much needed frontline services are being cut."
The Conservatives, who proposed an alternative budget which would lead to a council tax increase of just 2.9%, also wanted the media team cutting and the publication of Local Matters magazine to stop.
Comments
How can this council claim that this budget, which cuts care for the elderly and vulnerable, is moral when the same budget maintains a PR service that serves not just to spin but also to create Saturday jobs for soap stars at tax-payers' expense?
We know where this Authority's priorities are; power and clinging to power rather than the service of the poor, needy and vulnerable.
Why did only four Lib Dem councillors abstain? Surely the rest have consciences too?
This is an absolute disgrace. This increase will create more poverty in the borough. Does Cllr Couzens not realise that the majority of people in Rochdale on low wages simply cannot afford it? Our front line services have been cut anyway, which includes youth worker posts frozen.
I agree this media paper [Local Matters] is a waste of our money. How many go straight in the re-cycling bin without being read?
An election stunt my eye. DISGRACEFUL and HYPOCRITICAL.
I see that we have four Councillors who abstained from voting. Surely if you are elected to represent the electorate then if you disagree you should vote that way. Alternatively, if you agree, then a yes vote.
I thought that abstentions were for an individual's conscience and mainly on religous grounds. I suppose money is a religion to some.
For god sake will people make sure they vote and get this Liberal Democrat council OUT.
Look at how Rochdale has perished under their regime. Its been a years of utter incompetence.
Phantom jobs, employee "lift salary allowances", closed care homes, disgraceful roads, write offs, Three Owls closed. Need I go on?
Then we have stories of them selling land for £1. Utter stupidity.
I'm absolutely disgusted.
The final nail in the coffin for decent people living AND PAYING in Rochdale. These scum are laughing at us as the rest of the country enjoys much smaller increases. Will the last resident to leave please turn the light off.
Will people please, please, please stop voting these idiots in. This is the worst town in the country (don't kid yourselves it's not) and the honest hard working (small majority now) of the people are being asked to pay for the incompetence of the clowns in charge. I'd leave if I didn't think I'd kill myself falling down a pot hole on the way out.
I am fortunate in that I receive a small company pension. I was recently told that as the RPI in September 2009 was a negative figure (-1.4%), I will not receive an increase this year.
Council Tax in the Borough of Rochdale is set to rise by close to 4 per cent this year, despite inflation at virtually zero per cent.
Just exactly what is Jim Dobbin MP doing for us locally?
It simply beggars belief. This council has had 12 full months to plan for this year's budget. They know we are in recession. They know we had zero inflation last year when they should have renogotiated some deals. They know that the average salary in this borough is amongst the lowest in the UK - almost a third lower than our neighbours Bury. People can't afford 4%.
Where was the planning?
The Chancellor buried in his pre-budget report his intention to raise an extra £1bn from council tax next year.
I would be more impressed if Lambert spent his time haranguing and harassing his boss, Dobbin, over the inequality of the tax and not spouting off for party
political points.
So how come this Lib Dem Council is raising the amount by far higher than the average, while cutting services?
With this kind of money the media luvvies on the council must be speaking to the agents of "A list" celebs as we speak - whilst they abandon the elderly.
No wonder our "men of the cloth" are forced to speak out for the defenceless!
What a cop out abstaining on the vote about keeping the care homes open.
Th average rise of 1.6% – the LOWEST increase since council tax began in 1993. The increase would represent a real-terms CUT of 2.1%. For councils OUTSIDE London, the average increase is 1.9%.
The increase means that the average council tax bill per household will be £1,194 in 2010/11 – a rise of just 36p a week on 2009.
EXCEPT it appears in Rochdale!
WHY is this RMBC?
Dearie, dearie me, is anyone going to vote Lib Dem in the forthcoming local election? More fool you if you do, because this is the condesending way in which they have treated RMBC employees through pay and grading too. Like it or lump it attitude.
If you've got any sense you'll make sure you vote against the Lib Dems.
What are the people of Rochdale going to do when it comes to the elections in May? Seriously you can't vote this bunch of idiots back in. We need a change if we are to get out of the mess they have led us into.
How can someone whose only business acumen is as a hairdresser really be given such responsibility for our town's budget?
Is there any law that can be used against the Council and certain people, i.e. the smug Gregory "I'm raking it in" Couzens, to bring down the increase of 4%?
This is expected at a hairdressers. Fancy frontage and cuts in the back.
Me and my family will be voting tactically. I don't care who gets in as long as the Lib Dems are OUT.
You know things are dire when you have to resort to things like that.
Pathetic.
At least Robin Hood wore a mask.
Is the increase to pay for the Minstry of Propaganda?
Have Your Say
'Council tax bills in England are to rise this April by an average of 1.6%, putting the nation on course for the LOWEST overall increase since the property tax was introduced in 1993, according to figures released by the Local Government Association'
Answers please Cllr Couzens.
And yes correct Cllr Lambert its is a disgrace;: our old, vulnerable and homeless are having services shut around them whilst RMBC pays utility bills on derelict Council offices!
By Streetshack @ 25/02/2010 07:07:46