Scarborough Council to vote on tax rates
Decision on whether to freeze council tax share for 12 months
Council tax payers will finally find out tomorrow how much they will be forking out for the next 12 months.
At i ts f ull council meeting Scarbroough Council will become the last of the billing authorities to set its rates for the coming financial year.
The options open to councillors are to freeze its share once again or to implement a 1.94 per cent rise – the highest amount it could raise its level by without triggering a local referendum is 1.99 per cent.
The authority’s cabinet has previously indicated that it will suggest councillors vote in favour of freezing the tax for next year, but it will be up to the full council to decide.
Speaking i n December when the council’s budget was being set, its director of Business Support Nick Edwards said that a freeze in the borough’s share of the council tax was the most likely outcome going forward.
He said: “Given that at the moment it appears that the c hoice would be between freezing our share of the tax or i ncreasing t he amount paid by 1.94 per cent we would recommend that a freeze be the option that s hould be taken.”
People in the borough are already facing being hit in the pocket after North Yorkshire County Council, which accounts for more than 60 per cent of people’s council tax precept, North Yorkshire Police, the Fire Authority and the town and parish councils all decided to increase their share of the tax.
Conservative-run North Yorkshire County Council’s decision came despite a plea from the Government for authorities not to raise tax levels this year. This is the second year running the county has defied Central Government when setting its precept.
A spokesman for North Yorkshire County Council s ai d: “The c ouncil t ax i ncrease will produce income of around £4.8 million to set against a budget requirement of £363 million. Even with the tax increase, the council will need to take more £1.6 million from its reserves while implementing savings of around £22 million in the next financial year.”