Ealing: Lowest Council Tax Rise for 10 Years

1.9% increase announced for 2007/8

Ealing Council announced its intention last night to increase Ealing’s element of the council tax bills in the borough by 1.9%.

The below inflation rise for the forthcoming financial year (2007/08) will be the lowest Ealing residents have faced for more than 10 years.

It is also likely to be among the very lowest rises across London.

This will be matched with around £10 million of investment for measures to fulfill the council’s three priorities – cleaner streets, safer communities and value for money services. These measures will include better street cleaning, tougher envirocrime enforcement and more council officers on the ground stamping out anti-social behaviour.

Council Leader Jason Stacey said: “We are going to keep the council tax rise to its lowest for more than 10 years, and also pump millions into fulfilling our three priorities. We will have a budget completely focused on the needs of our residents and will improve the quality of everyone’s lives in the borough.”

As well as the extra millions of investment and the low council tax rise, the council will make more than £17 million of savings by working more smartly and efficiently.

Councillor Stacey added: “We have got to this stage through prudent management of our finances. It is also important to note that we were among the group of local authorities across the country which were given the least funding from central government. People who live and work in the borough can be totally confident that Ealing Council is in a very strong financial position and fit for the purpose of delivering high quality services.”

The announcement about the council’s intention for its 2007/08 budget was made at a meeting of the full council last night (Tuesday 23 January). The budget will finally be agreed at another meeting of the full council on 6 March.

Neighbouring Borough Hammersmith and Fulham announced recently that council tax bills would be reduced for the first time in over a decade as the council proposes a 3% cut in tax.

The final council tax rise for Ealing residents will be higher than 1.9% because of the charges residents pay through the bill for the Mayor of London and the Greater London Authority. The Mayor has not yet set his budget for next year.

January 7, 2009