Council tax freeze in Gloucester

COUNCIL tax is set to be frozen for people in Gloucester for the second year running after the city's Conservative leadership backed the plan.

The cabinet has agreed to accept a Government cash windfall to keep rates pegged (£1,470 a year for average Band D households).

Residents in Quedgeley will pay a few extra pounds each month to their parish council.

The Government will pay the Gloucester City Council £176,000 compensation for holding rates down.

The deal, which is subject to agreement by full council on February 23, came as the budget for 2012/13 was approved. Councillor Paul James, (Con, Longlevens) leader of the council, said: "This shows we have listened to what our residents are saying." The last time council tax went up was in 2010, when the authority opted for a 2.5 per cent increase.

Since then the Government has been handing town halls money in return for a freeze, although there is no obligation to agree to it.

Reduced

The overall budget for the next year includes fresh cuts of around £1.2 million – on top of the £3.5million of savings in the current financial year.

That includes £180,000 put aside in case the authority ends up with reduced car parking income when they lower some parking charges to £1 an hour from April.

The bulk of the reductions will be made through back office savings, the council said. After 75 jobs were shed this year, from a workforce of around 400, there are no suggestions of further job losses.

Coun Debbie Llewellyn (Con, Quedgeley Fieldcourt), cabinet member for finance, said: "We are managing to reduce the budget, while protecting frontline services, by looking at what can do to reduce spending behind the scenes."

During consultations over the 2012/3 budget, 450 residents returned questionnaires. One in three said the current parking charges were too high. And 39 per cent said they wanted the current £36 charge for green garden waste collections to be reduced, although councillors decided it will remain the same.

Lisa Harrison, 40, of Denmark Road, said: "It's a shame it won't come down – it's a good service though."