Council tax likely to go up by 3.2%, says leader

The joint administration in charge of Huntingdonshire District Council is proposing a 3.21% council tax increase

A council due to start charging residents for their garden waste collection hopes to increase council tax by the maximum allowed, its leader said.

Huntingdonshire District Council has proposed an increase of 3.21% for the next financial year. Residents on the lowest incomes will not be expected to pay anything under its council tax support scheme.

It has already agreed plans to introduce a £57.50 garden waste bin annual charge from April.

Council leader Sarah Conboy said it would be "unwise to make short term populist decisions at the risk of being financially unstable in the next four to five years".

'Difficult landscape'

Ms Conboy, a Liberal Democrat, leads a joint administration run by the Liberal Democrats, Labour, Independent and Green Party.

She said: "We are in a good position, but it has not been an easy position to maintain because of the financial pressures that come from central government funding and the inevitable slow growth demand for services."

She said some councils in the country had issued Section 114 notices, effectively declaring themselves bankrupt.

In this "difficult landscape", the district council had been able to set a balanced budget and had a “sound” medium term financial strategy, she added.

Liberal Democrat Brett Mickleburgh, executive councillor for finance and resources, said inflation played a big part in the council’s decision to increase its share of council tax by the maximum amount allowed. Any more, and government rules say it will have to call a referendum.

Jonathan Gray, leader of the Conservative opposition, they would be "examining the details to see the value for money and practical implications for Huntingdonshire residents".

"We remain completely opposed to their green bin tax... which - for an inferior service - is adding a further 35% in Huntingdon District Council costs to residents," he added.

The increase and proposed budget will be scrutinised by councillors on 31 January and final approval needs to be made by the full council on 21 February.

Council tax bills are made up of contributions towards Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, the county council, town and parish councils and the police and fire services.