Council Tax to increase by 4.99%

Council leader Richard Farnell says the council tax increase has been forced by government cuts

Rochdale Council Cabinet has recommended a 4.99 per cent increase in Council Tax for 2017/18.

A council budget meeting to consider the recommendation will be held on Wednesday 1 March.

Council Leader Richard Farnell said: “The Council Tax rise is a Tory Rise.

“Labour's policy is to keep Council Tax as low as possible - and even freeze it if we can, but we have been forced to raise it by just under five per cent as a result of drastic Tory government cuts to Rochdale.

“Our Support Grant has gone down £10M this year - a huge 25% cut and one of the biggest reductions in the country. Even with the council tax rise, we have still had to cut spending on services by £16M this year and £22M next year as withdrawal of government funding bites hard and we are faced with increased costs and demand for our services.

“The government has also told all councils to raise council tax by an extra three per cent to help pay for growing bills for looking after the elderly. This is a national funding crisis and should be met by the government. It is wrong they are passing the buck to councils. Even so, a three per cent rise doesn't even cover the increase in the living wage for care staff.

“We are also using £7M of balances to keep services running and lessen the impact on the council tax payers.

“Rochdale has had to cut spending on services by a massive £200million since the Tories came to power. The cuts are biting deeper and deeper each year affecting everyday and essential services we provide.

“The government is treating Rochdale extremely unfairly. Hard pressed areas like ours are facing massive cuts while well-heeled Tory councils in the south have been let off lightly.

“It has meant poorer services we desperately need and council tax increases we cannot afford.

“It's about time we had a fair deal for Rochdale from this government.”