Householders in Walsall will pay 2.94 per cent more in council tax – the lowest rise in the Black Country, according to councillors.
But opposition groups claim that while the rise is among the lowest in the region, taxpayers face the highest bills.
More than half of the borough’s properties fall into Band A and people will pay £948.94 compared to £921.85 last year – a rise of £27.90.
For Band B the bill will be £1,107.11, Band C is £1,265.26, Band D £1,423.42, Band E £1,739.74, Band F £2,056.05, Band G £2,372.36 and Band H £2,846.84. For Band B and D, the national average, the bill has risen by £40.52.
The figures, which include precepts for the fire and civil defence authority, and the police, were approved by the Tory controlled council last night along with the corporate plan, the annual treasury management, capital programme and corporate revenue budget plan.
Councillor Al Griffiths, for finance, said: “We’ve succeeded in our aim of making the proposed rise 2.9 per cent - that amounts to just 6p a day for almost half of residents.”
4 Comments
How about a reduction or a freeze?
Interesting to see that this is the lowest in the area. Services from the council are also probably the lowest in the area. For instance I can no longer go the library after work because it is closed. I cannot go swimmnig in my local pool after 4.30 at the weekend. It is closed. I cannot use my local authority gym after 4.30 at the weekend. It is closed. Pavements are in poor condition and brown bins are full and not due for emptying for at least two weeks (the first empty of the year). I have been waiting 14 months for a recycling box to be delivered. The flag ship park is falling down. The list could go on and on. More money probably won’t mean better services - maybe council decision makers living in the town that they work in may help them to see the misery that they impose on us mere residents.
Sorry Cllr Griffiths - any rise at all does not represent value for money. All the council needs to do is to light the streets; empty the bins; clean the roads; educate children and provide care for the elderly. Everything else needs to stop. Do not get involved in business ventures - leave it to the experts.
A 2.9% rise is good news. It could have been up to 5%. I just wonder what the council is not going to do. The extra 2% would have raised an extra £1.7 million pounds - a lot of money and Walsall does need a lot of investment.
AMAZING FOR AN AREA THAT AT PRESENT LOOKS LIKE A BUILDING SITE !!!