Households to face council tax rise across Central Beds
Fay Barrett
Central Bedfordshire Council will raise council tax at the start of the new financial year. - Credit: Archant
Households in Central Bedfordshire will face a rise in council tax in the spring.
At a meeting on Monday last week, Central Bedfordshire Council agreed the 1.95 per cent rise for the 2021-22 tax year.
For a Band D property, tax will increase by £1.48 per week. Of this, 90p goes towards social care, while 58p will cover other services.
The rise in tax will help provide an extra £128 million - which will be spent on schools, health, roads and infrastructure.
Councillor Richard Wenham acknowledged the toll the pandemic has taken on local services, stating that "demands have been very high and are only likely to increase’’.
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He said the rise in costs ‘’recognises the pressures we face in key areas such as public health, social care and children’s services’’ and that "there is also a clear focus on economic recovery and supporting job creation’’.
“We’ll be spending more in these areas, notwithstanding budget pressures,’’ he said.
Cllr Richard Wenham. - Credit: Central Bedfordshire Council
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A total investment of £402million has been proposed for the full range of council services. These include helping the most vulnerable within society, such as children, the elderly, disabled and vulnerable adults.
It will also go towards services used by the whole community - such as refuse and recycling, roads, leisure, libraries, parks and countryside services.
The council plans to deliver a further £10.7 million of efficiency measures by reducing spending on council offices and printing.
Travel costs will be cut by capitalising on homeworking, which has been a central feature of the pandemic.
Councillor Wenham said: "We propose a budget that is sensible and realistic - driving down our operating costs so that we can focus on what is most important to our communities."
A consultation on the budget is now live and will remain open until 5pm on Wednesday, January 27.
Have your say by completing the online survey at www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/budget2021, or for those who would prefer to fill in a paper copy of the survey, please call the council on 0300 300 8000.
