Pledge to cut Ipswich borough council tax by 1%

Ipswich Borough Council has pledged to cut its part of the council tax bill for residents by 1%.

The Conservative/Liberal Democrat-controlled council has outlined a budget which will see a package of £2m worth of cuts over the next year.

Ipswich council makes up 20% of the council tax bill, with the remaining amount being charged by Suffolk County Council and Suffolk Police Authority.

The cuts planned include appointing a chief executive on a lower salary.

Unveiling his budget proposals, council leader John Carnall said the borough had been "sensibly chipping away" at its budget for many years and that continuing this programme by slashing senior management costs and working with a variety of partners would mean "more for less" for council tax-payers.

Over the next 12 months, £2.1m will be cut through a number of measures which include:

• Not replacing one corporate director and a head of service (£172,000 savings per year)

• Appointing a chief executive on a lower salary (£30,000 savings)

• Permanently removing a number of vacant posts across the council

• Letting a small part of the Corn Exchange to a private company.

Mr Carnall said: "Despite the tough economic climate and the 16.1% cut in the council's government grant I am delighted that these will be the first cuts in council tax ever made by this council and that they will be delivered without any significant cuts in front-line services."

The borough council will use just over half of its reserves (£2.4m) over the next two years to ensure the delivery of services was not interrupted, he added.

The budget proposals will be debated at a meeting of the full council on 23 February.