The proposals to increase Swale’s share of council tax are being put to the council’s Cabinet next week (Wednesday, 6th February), before a final decision is made at full Council on 20 February.
If approved, band D households will pay £174.42 a year to the council, a rise of £4.59 (2.7%). Most properties (63.7%) in Swale are in bands A-C meaning they will pay even less than this.
The funding the council receives from central government has fallen from £1.95m in 2016/17 to £113,000 in 2019/20. By 2020/21, this will have reduced to nothing.
Cllr Duncan Dewar-Whalley, cabinet member for finance at the council, said:
“We have worked hard to make sure the loss of funding from central government hasn’t led to any reduction in the delivery of our frontline services.
This has not been easy, and difficult decisions have had to be made, so we are proposing a modest increase in council tax so we can continue to invest in the services that are important to local people.
This means that a typical band D property will be paying just £3.35 a week for the services we provide, and almost two-thirds of local households will pay less than that.
I think most people would be more than happy paying that just to have their bins taken away, let alone for things like the budgeted for improvements for parks and leisure facilities.
It also covers the delivery of the everyday services that people might take for granted – street cleaning, environmental health, homelessness, planning and many more.
I’m pleased that the firm financial foundations we have put in place mean we are able to protect these vital services that make a real impact on the lives of people across the borough.”
Charges for Swale Borough Council services are only one element of the final council tax bill residents receive.
Householders’ council tax bills also include charges for Kent County Council, Kent Police and Crime Commissioner, Kent & Medway Fire and Rescue Service, and parish or town councils where these exist. These are set by the respective organisations, and are collected on their behalf by Swale.
The cabinet meeting discussing the proposals is on Wednesday, 6th February and the report can be viewed on the council’s website: www.swale.gov.uk
For more information about council tax, visit: www.swale.gov.uk/council-tax
Swale Borough Council
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