No cuts to services and no tax rises, council promises

At Warwick District Council’s executive committee meeting on Wednesday, members discussed the authority’s budget for the next financial year.

Cllr Andrew Mobbs (Con, Kenilworth Park Hill) who is responsible for policy on finance, outlined the ‘headline’ information regarding the report drawing attention to a nought per cent increase in council tax which for an average band D property would mean a rate of £146.86 and equates to households paying £2.82 per week to maintain services.

Cllr Mobbs said: “This is a very boring budget in that it is dull and repititious but we should be thankful for every year it can be this way and build on our success for another year.

“The maintenance of services, no cuts scenario and no increase in council tax is testament to the sound approach this council and its officers have achieved since 2007 when control of this council changed.”

The council must make further savings of £340,000 from April and a council tax rise of 3.45 per cent is predicted for the next budget.

But Cllr Mobbs said savings projects such as Fit for the Future would achieve the saving.

Council leader Michael Doody (Con, Radford Semele) congratulated the council on its ongoing sound financial management against the background of a £2.13 million reduction from its revenue support grant during the current financial year and the next.

The cost of the council’s operations are expected to be reduced from what was £17 million in the past two financial years to £16 million this time round.

New service proposals include a £25 increase in travel tokens for eligible Shrewley residents, a £50 allocation per each eligible resident in the new parish of Burton Green and an allocation of up to £2,000 towards Diamond Jubilee celebrations for each of the district’s seven community forums.