Blaenau Gwent rise could see tax among highest in Wales (From South Wales Argus)
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Blaenau Gwent rise could see tax among highest in Wales
10:20am Tuesday 19th February 2013 in Gwent news
Blaenau Gwent rise could see tax among highest in Wales
BLAENAU Gwent council is proposing a 4.6 per cent council tax increase, the highest in Gwent, to help address its £3.9 million budget deficit.
If approved, the rate residents pay in Blaenau Gwent will become one of the highest rates in Wales.
Residents in Band D houses would see their council tax go up by £57.62, from £1,252.74 to £1,310 before the police precept and community council charges.
Blaenau Gwent council had been considering an increase to 3.6 per cent or 4.1 per cent, but the Executive has recommended a rise to the maximum 4.6 per cent.
The proposed council tax increase would see residents in Band A houses paying an extra 68p a week, or an extra £35.36 a year, while residents in Band B would pay an extra 76p a week, or an extra £39.52 a year.
Around 85 per cent of houses in Blaenau Gwent are in Band A or B.
For 2013/14, Newport City Council has proposed a council tax rise of 3.5 per cent, Caerphilly a rise of 2.35 per cent and Torfaen by 3.35 per cent, while Monmouthshire County Council is freezing council tax.
The council could also reduce funding to the school library service, cut library services and close the Market Hall Cinema in Brynmawr, making a combined saving of £123,000.
The news comes after more than a hundred people held a protest on the weekend to campaign against the possible closure.
Leader of the council Hedley McCarthy said: “I think we all know making these decisions is going to be extremely difficult.
“We have met with Brynmawr Town Council twice, and I have contacted the secretary of ‘Save Our Cinema’ to arrange a meeting about discussing alternative service delivery.
“We have consulted with trade unions, two joint scrutiny committees and the public through our online consultation form.
“These are hard choices to make, but in choosing to protect education and front line social services, it is necessary.”
The final budget for 2013/14 will be debated and voted on at a full council meeting on March 6.
Comments(7)
Cwmderi
says...
12:48pm Tue 19 Feb 13
Council Tax averages are usually presented under Band D as an average
The long suffering council tax payers of Blaenau Gwent are already paying more than almost any other council in the whole of Wales.
It is reported that Band D is now going from £1,252.74 up to £1,310. an increase of £57.62 (should be £57.26). This is before Community tax and the Police precept is added to their bills.
There is a very strong pattern that appears when you study the level of council tax across Wales which shows that the poorer the area is, the more likely they are to have higher council taxes and the more likely they are to be Labour run.
It is clearly time for councils like Blaenau Gwent to merge with one of its neighbouring authourities. The same should also be considered by Monmouthshire, Newport, Torfaen, Merthyr, etc. Thereby saving substantial amounts of council taxpayers money by removing senior mamagement job duplications.
On the inside
says...
3:46pm Tue 19 Feb 13
Cwmderi wrote:Cwmderi I agree with everything you say. There are too many small local authorities in Wales. I would have thought reducing from 22 to say 8 or 9 was about right (Gwent?).
Insider; Council Tax averages are usually presented under Band D as an average The long suffering council tax payers of Blaenau Gwent are already paying more than almost any other council in the whole of Wales. It is reported that Band D is now going from £1,252.74 up to £1,310. an increase of £57.62 (should be £57.26). This is before Community tax and the Police precept is added to their bills. There is a very strong pattern that appears when you study the level of council tax across Wales which shows that the poorer the area is, the more likely they are to have higher council taxes and the more likely they are to be Labour run. It is clearly time for councils like Blaenau Gwent to merge with one of its neighbouring authourities. The same should also be considered by Monmouthshire, Newport, Torfaen, Merthyr, etc. Thereby saving substantial amounts of council taxpayers money by removing senior mamagement job duplications.
On the council tax we are not disagreeing. Band D is NOT the middle or average of anything and the vast majority of properties are in bands A&B. Also the average houshold has much closer to 2 adult occupants so the bill is for both of them. My figures, and yours, are correct.
As for the proposition that poorer areas need more services and therefore need more income I can only agree.
Does not have to be adversarial all the time does it!
Bilbo Biggins
says...
4:40pm Tue 19 Feb 13
Bingo!
The old saying that Labour could put up a donkey and still win in Wales. You got a whole bunch of them there. You keep voting for them. They keep failing you. We all pay the consequences.
On the inside
says...
5:28pm Tue 19 Feb 13
Bilbo Biggins wrote:Do try and keep up. Labour has NEVER had an overall majority in the Senedd.
Let me guess.......Labour council?? Bingo! The old saying that Labour could put up a donkey and still win in Wales. You got a whole bunch of them there. You keep voting for them. They keep failing you. We all pay the consequences.
blackandamber
says...
7:19pm Tue 19 Feb 13
Bilbo Biggins
says...
11:45am Wed 20 Feb 13
On the inside wrote:Labour run council??? Oh do try and keep up dear. I thought I'd chuck in the dear just to out condescend you.
Bilbo Biggins wrote: Let me guess.......Labour council?? Bingo! The old saying that Labour could put up a donkey and still win in Wales. You got a whole bunch of them there. You keep voting for them. They keep failing you. We all pay the consequences.Do try and keep up. Labour has NEVER had an overall majority in the Senedd.
Plus Labour has been the major party in any Assembly "government" since it's creation. Who mentioned anything about outright majority. All that proves is that they'll get into bed with anyone.
2011: Labour minority
2007: Labour & Plaid
2003: Labour minority
1999: Labour & Lib Dems
What was your point?
On the inside says...
11:23am Tue 19 Feb 13