Essex County Council set to hike up council tax for Harlow residents
News / Sun 12th Feb 2023 at 07:48am
ESSEX County Council’s plans not to hike its share of council tax by the maximum amount has been criticised as “embedding a weakness” into its future finances.
Essex County Council has voted to increased its share of council tax increase by 3.5 per cent.
This includes a 1.5 per cent council tax increase, plus a further two per cent ring-fenced to adult social care. For an average Band D property household, the Essex County Council element of Council Tax will increase by £49.05 next year, or 94p per week.
Currently the county council Band D Council Tax bill stands at £1,401.12, which was an increase of £60.21, or 4.49 per cent, on the previous year’s bill.
But the rise in April comes against a backdrop of an increasingly widening budget gap for the council – expected to be £19m in 2024/25 rising to £75m by 2026/27, before further tax rises.
The Lib Dems had proposed to increase the proposed council tax increase from 3.5 per cent to the full 4.99 per cent possible, generating additional income of some £11.6m in 2023/24.
This, with an additional £10m funded through borrowing will enable a total of £21.6m to be made available in 2023/24 in services across the council’s responsibilities.
Councillor David King, deputy leader of the Lib Dem group, said at full council today, February 8: “The Conservative administration approach is not viable for the longer term. You have embedded a weakness into the future budgets that will leave a challenge for those who follow you.
“You are undermining the future finances of the council. That is not wisdom in my view.”
Councillor Chris Whitbread, cabinet member for finance, said: “We have made very carefully made decisions based on the information we have and this is the right budget we are putting forward for Essex today.
“Not too much and not to little because we know we need to fulfill those essential services people care about.”
He added: “What I would say to Councillor King is you are very clear you are happy to raise taxes against the people of Essex and you are very clear you are prepared to borrow over the top amount for Essex and that is very dangerous for the future.”
There are four representatives from Harlow on Essex County Council: Councillors Clive Souter, Mike Hardware, Mike Garnett and Eddie Johnson.
Full breakdown of Essex County Council’s share of council tax from April by band
Band A 966.78
Band B 1,127.91
Band C 1,289.04
Band D 1,450.17
Band E 1,772.43
Band F 2,094.69
Band G 2,416.95
Band H 2,900.34
Neil Francis Rickards
2023-02-12 09:06:02
As if Fuil IE Gas Electric Diesal food water Ect was not enough ALL GOING UP my council Tax is going up 229.10 a year the Concervitive goverment and council give a little bit to you in one hand and take it away with the other, started work at 15 now 85 managed to save a bit Never claimed anything at all always worked + 2 years national Service STILL paying income tax its getting to the stage my pound will not strech much further. Paid my N/H Stamp so much for free health care and income tax to get the lowest goverment pention going in the EU as was.
Nostradamus
2023-02-12 09:52:00
Meanwhile ex government ministers and friends get nice little earners like Chair of the BBC, £100,000 jobs in industries for which they were either getting contracts, befriending or lobbying when in office, cashing in by spouting on the after dinner circuit or appearing in The Jungle. That's Great Britain in decline, many pensioners have to keep working well into their 70s and millions can't afford to live despite being in full time employment.
Luke Burton
2023-02-12 15:26:59
...and what is it that we get from ECC after paying all of this money? Zilch. Social care is screwed, crime is rampant in Harlow, and the roads look like a Royal Artillery training ground.
Luke Burton
2023-02-12 15:28:20
I should add that I've no issue with taxation - but I'd like to see high quality, taxpayer-focused services in return.
Pauline S
2023-02-12 20:14:17
Could I suggest E C C is paying too many of its staff way above the average wage. I understand comparently recently there was an increase of 16% in the number earing over £100,000 pa
Jerry
2023-02-12 20:29:12
Pauline S you are right not only are there 'managers" being paid more than the Prime Minister they also enjoy private health insurance and luxury cars. I done a FOI request on the cost to the taxpayer of cars and private heath insurance and it runs into millions of pounds every year. The words snout and trough come to mind !
Tomcat
2023-02-12 20:30:33
Here we are still paying way over the odds for the Services ECC supply to Harlow! I do wonder how the hell is certain Harlow Councillors still on the ECC Board when clearly they have sold their own town down the road. Year in and year out the pack of cards are shuffled and these councillors are still in their roles at ECC. Why don't their local communities just vote them out at the local elections as they clearly aren't fit for purpose! Harlow should be their major concern not Essex County Council and of course their massive attendance allowances and wages!
Adam
2023-02-13 09:32:25
Look at the number of people in ECC who make more then 50k donthe same for harlow as well. It is outrageous council staff are doing very well out of taxes and worse they are failing to deliver. We need a national cap on wages for public sector. Most if them add little value at all Councillors should not be paid either
David
2023-02-13 18:38:31
I was lead to belive and in fact I actually read that harlow residents would have council tax frozen for the next two yrs but rents would be rising, did anybody else hear of this??
Ally
2023-02-15 02:58:11
David, yes I read that too only a few days ago!. I’ve just been trying to find the article but seems to have vanished.
Stan
2023-02-22 18:59:08
Neither main party seems to be able to solve our ratepayers top problems, namely potholes and damaged road signs. All four Harlow County Councillors are also HDC Councillors, so get good expenses from both sources. They appear to just sit back & hope the problems will blow over. Don't they care about the bad reputation that is gaining ground? We must be fools to vote for them. None of the four appear to care about our concerns.
11 Comments for Essex County Council set to hike up council tax for Harlow residents: