A DOUBLE-FIGURE council tax increase is facing South Lakeland, Furness and Eden residents, writes Councty Council Reporter Beth Broomby.

This week Cumbria county councillors backed plans to raise council tax by 12 per cent in the coming financial year - despite the results of a consultation in which residents overwhelmingly opted for the lowest of three council tax options of ten, 12 or 14 per cent.

Meanwhile, South Lakeland District Council is considering 11 per cent more to cover recycling, rising pension costs and basic services, while the Cumbria Constabulary has warned of a possible 20 per cent tax increase.

The combined effect may be to bring average band D bills in South Lakeland to more than £1,153 in 2003/4 a rise of £118 on last year's figure of £1,035.

Despite the rises, council services such as road maintenance and public toilets look set to be cut.

Around 2,000 people responded to a questionnaire by CCC, which takes the lion's share of council tax for big budget services such as education and social services. Around half of them were triggered by newspaper and internet adverts, including responses from 137 Westmorland Gazette readers.

Half were from a pre-selected citizens' panel. Both groups said they would prefer the lowest offered tax rise of ten per cent, despite warnings this would mean a £5.5 million cut in road maintenance.

Cumbria Police Authority has yet to make a formal announcement about its budget needs but Chief Constable Colin Baxter has already warned that a 20 per cent rise could be on the cards.

Purse string-holders at CCC and SLDC have claimed shrinking Government grants, coupled with pressing new responsibilities, have left them little option but to raise tax rates to a figure which is above many monthly pay packets in South Lakeland.

Cuts to CCC highways maintenance budgets to the tune of £2.7 million mean pothole patching, street-lighting, verge and gully maintenance will all have to be scaled down while SLDC has been pilloried for closing public toilets due to budget pressures.

The district council is also struggling to hit Government recycling targets and is being forced to find funds from council tax-payers after missing out on a national recycling grant.

See the News Focus section for more details.

February 7, 2003 09:00