Council tax to increase by 3.6%

Cabinet member for Finance, Councillor Allen Brett

Council tax bills in Rochdale are set to increase by 3.6 per cent - this equates to £56 a year for a band D property.

The council’s Cabinet recommended the increase, which has to be approved by a special Budget Council next Wednesday.

Council Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Allen Brett says the cut in government funding is to blame for the increase.

He said: “George Osbourne’s proposed council tax increase was 4%. We listened but concluded that it is unfair, and that 4% is too high.

"Rochdale is suffering with all the funding cuts, but despite this, we’ve managed to get it down, with the council, fire service and police combined, it is actually 3.64%. “We know it isn’t much, but we have managed to get it down a bit.

"We have to remember that is lower than the proposed 4%, despite the cuts and despite the cuts to funding and also the £1.4 million lost from the public health grant”. 

Lib Dem leader, Councillor Andy Kelly said: "Any increase in council tax is a cause for real concern. People are hard pressed enough in this borough and I would like to hear the arguments for and against this decision.

"I feel that a root and branch review of all council funding should be looked at. At a time when our borough is looking to be at the heart of the Northern Powerhouse, we need to be cleverer on how we spend council tax and look at more joint authority working.

"There are plenty of ways that this council spends our money that needs further scrutiny. A recent example of this was the £872,000 that the Council has spent meeting compensation claims or the five newly-created assistant directors who would will be earning big bucks. I will be making these points loud and clear at the meeting later this month.”

Leader of the Conservative group, Councillor Ashley Dearnley confirmed that the Conservative party will be “putting together” their own "alternative proposals".