MP urges council to freeze council tax using £6M underspend

Simon Danczuk MP

Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk has warned his Labour party colleagues who control Rochdale Council not to raise council tax - they are planning a huge 3.5% hike.

With the Council showing an underspend this financial year of around £6 Million, Mr Danczuk has urged them to use this to fund a council tax freeze.

The government has also promised grants to councils that freeze council tax but Rochdale Council leader Colin Lambert refuses to listen to the outraged residents of the borough and is risking government penalties next year as a result.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has warned that authorities who sanction big rises in bills had to explain it to local people and those who refuse will pay the consequences: "We will take into consideration anybody cheating their taxpayers. Anybody using loopholes will lose out next year," he said.

With Councillor Lambert's cabinet soon to give the final nod to the huge increase, Mr Danczuk said: "I am concerned that we may be punished further if proposals to put up council tax this year go ahead.

In a letter to all Labour councillors he added: "I really think you should not fall into the trap of putting short term gain ahead of long term pain."

Councillor Lambert stands accused of hypocrisy having said a similar rise in 2009, before he took over as council leader, was "outrageous in the current economic climate".

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/127/council-watch/77166/council-tax-will-rise-by-35pc-after-labour-councillors-vote-against-no-increase