TACKLING THE COST OF LIVING
Everyone, by law, has to pay their Council Tax. And yes, money is needed to pay for our local services, but we’re keen to diversify where the Council income comes from, and therefore reduce our reliance on taxing you to make the ‘wheels go round’. That’s why, for example, we created a local housing company to build new Council Houses and to earn income. This year c£1.2m will come from Milverton Homes to help fund our £19m general fund budget to run the Council. That’s also why we’re selling Riverside House and moving our HQ, saving hundreds of thousands of pounds a year in operating costs, and unlocking the capital to reinvest into new community facilities.
All parties supported the Cost of Living motion calling on the Council to address the financial hardship being faced by our residents, but when a real choice came, the Liberal Democrats and Greens voted to increase a tax everyone must pay, adding more strain on family budgets, rather than putting the needs of our hard pressed residents first.
By applying sound Conservative financial principles, once again this year the average band D household pays £3.40 a week for services such as waste and recycling collections, street cleaning, maintenance of parks and public spaces, environmental health, licensing, planning and community protection.