RESIDENTS of Studley and Alcester have beeen hit by another increase in council tax after Stratford district council approved a two per cent rise in its charges on Monday (February 27).
This is the second time in seven years the district council has agreed to increase its share of the council tax to help cover the continuing fall in Government funding.
It means the amount residents will be asked to pay for district services will be £135.71 for a band D property to £135.71. By comparison, Redditch residents pay £227.21.
This means that all the services provided by Stratford cost £2.61 a week for a Band D household including recycling and waste collection, planning, street sweeping, housing, housing benefits, leisure services and children’s play areas.
The council tax from Stratford-on-Avon District Council for residents for each of the valuation bands is:
A – £90.47; B – £105.55; C – £120.63; D – £135.71; E – £165.87; F – £196.03; G – £226.18; H – £271.42.
Also announced at the council meeting was budget provision to:
* Guarantee the future of the Shakespeare Birthday Celebrations, including new partnership with Fuzhou City, China
* Strengthen the CCTV service
* Restructure the Planning Development Management team
* Strengthening the Licensing team
* Provide additional housing advice posts to support those who need it most
* Cover bed and breakfast costs and provide additional temporary accommodation
* Replace ‘old’ ICT hardware and renew out of date licences
Council leader Councillor Chris Saint said: “This budget has been set against a background of immediate and potential change in our revenue stream and we need to look at the longer term situation to create a sustainable way forward.
“Due to our sound financial management, we have been rewarded with certainty in our settlement for the next four years and know by 2020 that it will be reduced to zero. We are suffering a downward adjustment of New Homes Bonus to help fund Adult Social Care.
“Our budget consultations have shown specific areas where the public would like to see service provision increased and this budget reflects those priorities in CCTV and housing services. Another area for increased service provision is our planning service, which is currently receiving the second highest number of planning applications in the country. The extra budgeted income from planning fees will allow us to recruit nine new posts.”
The amount the district council charges council tax payers will increase by two per cent which is lower than the 3.7 per cent allowed by Government.
Around 77 per cent of residents’ council tax bill goes to Warwickshire County Council for services such as highways and education. 11 per cent goes to the police, three per cent to parish councils, with the remaining eight per cent for district council services.
The county council’s share will increase by £49.86 to £1,298.88 and the police share will be frozen at £191.98.
Including the county council and police share of the council tax, the average amount payable for a band D property in Stratford District will be £1,684.92.
By comparison the total amount paid in council tax in neighbouring Redditch on a band D property is £1,651.65.
