Borough council agrees to increase tax by 2.1%

County to increase its share of tax by 4% from April this year

TAXPAYERS in Hinckley and Bosworth will continue to enjoy some of the lowest council tax rates in the country.

The increase in the borough’s council tax charge for 2020/21 will be limited to 2.1 per cent, following a decision of the full council at its budget-setting meeting.

This less-than-inflation increase means the average council tax will rise by £2.78 for the year. The average Band D council tax (including the Special

Expense Area) will be £134.87 for borough council services in 2020/2021, rising to £190.77 when parish precept charges are added.

Charges will also be levied by Leicestershire County Council (£1343.73), the police and crime commissioner (£233.23) and the fire authority (£67.96).

Council leader Stuart Bray (Liberal Democrat) said: “We promised to keep council tax below inflation and we have.

“Since May we have kept a number of our promises such as stopping the sale of the cinema, introducing the “free after three” scheme on three of the council’s car parks, set a date for the return of proms in the park and are introducing the first EV charging points in town.

“We aim to maintain the high quality level of services the council provides as well as taking action to tackle climate change locally.”

Lord Willy Bach, police and crime commissioner, set out in his budget plans to recruit an additional 100 officers using council tax funds, in addition to 89 paid for from Government cash as part of a national pot to enlist 20,000 more officers.

The boost to numbers means the force will have 2,104 police by the end of 2021.

Residents can pay their bill annually, half-yearly or monthly. In a full year, the monthly instalments will normally be paid over a ten-month period from April to January.

However, residents can also opt to pay their council tax over 12 instalments if they prefer.

Hinckley and Bosworth remains one of the lowest charging councils and for 2019/20 had the 14th lowest council tax out of the 201 district councils in the country.

Council tax across the county is to increase by on average four per cent, with each household paying an extra £50 a year and raising about £12 million overall.

Councillor Richard Allen (Conservative), leader of the opposition on the council, said he would have preferred to see an average £5 per capita increase.

He said: “As a [Conservative] group, we were pretty much of a consensus that there were some missed opportunities, but we are glad they are continuing some of our projects, such as the heritage trail and the crematorium.”

The borough council changed hands in May 2019, with the Liberal Democrats winning back their majority from the Conservatives.

Councillor Keith Lynch, executive member for Finance, said: “During our previous term in office, in the earlier years of austerity we froze the borough council tax for several years.

“When we came back into office in May of last year, we did so with a promise to limit any increase to below the rate of inflation and the increase of 2.1 per cent reflects that promise.”