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Maldon District Council increase council tax for third year running

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MALDON District Council has confirmed an increase to its council tax charges for the third year in a row.

The authority has upped the charges in 2015/2016 by 1.5 per cent, up to £178.88 for a Band D property, but short of the two per cent rate that would have required a referendum.

The increase was confirmed by the Finance and Corporate Services Committee on Tuesday last week and rubber-stamped at the full council meeting on Thursday.

Fiona Marshall, chief executive of Maldon District Council, said: "The council has seen its Government grant reduced again this year by 15.5 per cent, which continues to make it challenging to balance the budget and provide effective local services to people in the district.

"The council's medium term financial strategy shows that there is an estimated budget gap for 2016/17 of over £500,000, despite the council making significant savings across several areas of its budget including reducing senior management costs."

Last year the council chose to increase charges by 1.85 per cent, the equivalent of £3.20 extra a year for a Band D property.

And in April 2013, it upped council tax by 1.99 per cent.

Tax was frozen the year previous.

A council tax increase of 1.5 per cent equates to an additional charge of £2.64 per annum for a band D property.

The parliamentary under-secretary of state for communities and local government, Kris Hopkins MP, said: "Any council proposing an increase of two per cent or more will need to allow local people the opportunity to improve or veto the increase in a referendum."

The council would have received financial assistance from the Government if they would have increased by less than one per cent.

Ms Marshall added: "The recommendation of the Finance and Corporate Services Committee to council will generate £61,000 per annum, which will help to balance the budget for 2015/16 and will go some way to protecting future services."

Council tax is collected by the council and then distributed accordingly to Essex County Council, Maldon District Council, Essex Police, parish councils and Essex Fire Service. It will come into force from April this year.

Maldon District Council increase council tax for third year running


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