Ribble Valley and Chorley councils freeze council tax (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Ribble Valley and Chorley councils freeze council tax

8:00pm Saturday 16th February 2013 in News

RIBBLE Valley and Chorley have joined other East Lancashire boroughs in seeking to freeze their council tax.

Key meetings at both authorities this week confirmed their intention peg their “rates” on local households.

They join Lancashire county, Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle and Rossendale boroughs in freezing council tax subject to confirmation at special budget meetings next month.

Lancashire’s new police commissioner Clive Grunshaw intends to add two per cent to his portion of the household bill for public services but the fire authority is seeking to peg their “precept”.

Ribble Valley borough’’s Tory leader Michael Ranson said he was delighted to be able to freeze council tax without cuts in jobs or services for the fourth year running despite an eight per cent reduction in Government grants.

The council’s 2013/14 budget means Ribble Valley Borough Council's share of the council tax on a Band D property will remain at £140.69 out of £1,450 plus, the lowest in Lancashire and one of the lowest in the country.

Coun Ranson said: "Like all other local authorities, Ribble Valley has seen a significant reduction in financial support from the government.

"There have been announcements from some neighbouring authorities concerning substantial redundancies, but our budget proposals for the coming year do not envisage any compulsory redundancies or reduction in services, while maintaining support for charitable and voluntary organisations.

"We have frozen our share of the council tax, despite being given the go-ahead by the Government to increase it by 3.6 per cent.”

Labour Chorley is also to freeze it’s £158.39 council tax portion of a total £1515 for a Band D property, and has found an extra £2.8 million to invest in services.

Deputy Leader Peter Wilson said:“Despite being hit tremendously hard by large cuts in our grant funding from the Government we are looking to invest almost £3 million more in our local community while not asking for a penny more in council tax.”

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