WITH the news that councils across the country are set to increase Council Tax again this year, Harlow Council has announced that it is proposing to freeze its share of the Council Tax bill for the fourth year running.

The Council Tax freeze is part of the Harlow Council’s budget proposals for 2025 to 2026 which will be announced tomorrow. The proposals will go to Cabinet on 13 February and are set for approval at Full Council on 27 February.

The Council Tax freeze will be achieved against a backdrop of a 21% cut in Harlow’s core funding from the Government and significantly increased National Insurance contributions. Harlow are set to be the only council in the country which will have frozen its Council Tax for the last four years.

The council says its budget, which will be announced tomorrow, will “fully fund all of our missions and priorities to transform our town”.

Commenting on the announcement, Councillor Dan Swords, Leader of Harlow Council, said:

“Once again, our Council Tax freeze will buck the national trend. We’ve heard the news today that councils up and down the country will be increasing their share of Council Tax bills this year, whereas in Harlow we are proposing to freeze our share for the fourth year in a row.

“We have driven significant efficiencies in the council’s spending and massively increased our revenue from prudent investments like the Harvey Centre. The decisions we have taken mean we can now deliver our missions in earnest and transform our town once and for all. I know that residents will not underestimate just how challenging it is to balance the council’s budget and freeze council tax, whilst investing hundreds of millions to transform our town – but that is what we are doing.

“Under our plan this year residents will not pay a single penny more for Harlow Council services with our share of the bill remaining at the same level as it was in 2021. It means that the average Council Taxpayer in Harlow (Band C) will continue to just pay £4.93 a week for the vast range of services we provide. Performance of those services continues to improve month on month as well.”

Councillor James Leppard, Cabinet Member for Finance, added:

“This is the fourth year in a row that we are set to freeze our Council Tax bill for residents. We are set to be the only council in the country that has done this for these four years. Against a backdrop of significantly rising costs including National Insurance and reduced Government funding, we are setting a budget which fully funds our six missions and every pledge the council has made.

“Today the news is littered with stories of councils increasing their Council Tax bills and some by over 5%. We are bucking that trend yet again and investing more in our services – not cutting them.

“The budget we will announce tomorrow paves the way for a brighter future for our town and one that residents do not pay more for.”

Around 13p of every £1 collected in Council Tax in the town pays directly for Harlow Council services with the rest paying for services provided by Essex County Council, Essex Police and Essex Fire & Rescue Service. The county council, Essex Police and the Fire Service are all once again proposing increases to their share of Council Tax this year.

As per previous articles, Harlow Labour will be commenting when they have had an opportunity to scrutinise budget in full.