Salisbury referendum rejects large council tax rises

The council hired 48 counters who took just 30 minutes to count the votes

A referendum in Salisbury has voted against large council tax rises, although the turnout was very low.

Only 4% of voters in the Wiltshire city took part in Thursday's poll. It took a team of 48 counters just half an hour to count the figures.

A large majority backed a proposal to limit future city council tax rises to 5%, but the vote is not binding.

The "parish poll" was arranged after Salisbury councillors backed a 44% rise in their part of the council tax.

For a Band D house, that meant an increase from £233 to £335.

On the ballot paper residents were asked if they agreed that the city council's future tax rises should be limited to 5%.

This was not a normal vote.

There were no poll cards sent out, people could not vote by post or proxy, and the two polling stations were only open for five hours.

Salisbury mayor Tom Corbin said the poll would not change anything that had happened in the past

When the ballot boxes were opened at Salisbury's Guildhall afterwards, it did not take the teams of counters long.

Some 992 voted yes to limiting council tax rises, 206 voted no, with 4 ballot papers rejected.

That was a turnout of 3.92% of the city's electorate of 30,663.

The joint Labour, Liberal Democrat and Independent administration had not wanted the vote.

"This unnecessary poll has sadly cost Salisbury taxpayers thousands of pounds and the extremely low turnout speaks for itself," said councillor Annie Riddle.

Her administration is not bound by the advisory referendum, but it will have consequences.

It was run by election officials from Wiltshire Council; they will send their bill to Salisbury.