Tax rise double blow
HORLEY residents face a double blow after Surrey County Council and Horley Town Council announced plans to increase their share of council tax.
Surrey approved a 2.99 per cent increase in council tax yesterday, meaning Band B residents will pay an extra 64p a week, or £34 a year.
The council said it was saving the county from a £70 million financial black hole by declining the Government’s offer of a one-off grant to freeze for 2012/13.
Meanwhile Horley Town Council announced a 50p annual rise for Band D ratepayers, which it said was well below the rate of inflation.
Surrey County Council leader David Hodge said: “For some councils, it is a good offer but it’s not right for Surrey. The freeze would be a short-term gain for long-term pain.
“It would create a financial black hole of £70m in just five years, equivalent to wiping out Surrey’s road maintenance budget for more than two years.
“It is vital we make decisions in the long term interest of Surrey and we therefore have no choice but to recommend the council decline the Government’s offer.”
He said the move would allow the council to increase road maintenance funding by more than 100 per cent.
So far 19 councils in England have rejected the council tax freeze offer with 152 accepting it.
Cllr Dr Richard Olliver, vice chairman of Horley Town Council, said: “The town council is very aware that in the current recession everyone is feeling the pressures on their finances. We have endeavoured to make as many savings as we can within town budgets and will try to find more savings through the coming year.
“Over the last three years we have increased the band D household contribution by only 21p. This has been achieved by using some of our reserves. These are now running low as a result. Prudence dictates that we must ensure that we have enough reserves to ensure that the services that we run for the residents are adequately financed.”
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Weather for Crawley
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 26 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 13 C to 25 C
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Wind direction: North west
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