County's final budget sets 1% council tax rise

Feb 14 2008 by Brian Daniel and Adrian Pearson, The Journal

COUNTY chiefs have fixed their final budget ahead of changes to local government.

Northumberland County Council yesterday agreed its spending plans for the period until next April when it will be replaced by a single unitary authority.

They arrived at a budget of just under £400m. To fund this and following a reduction in settlement from central government, bosses agreed a 1% increase in council tax, of £1,122.05 per Band D property, the equivalent of a 15p per week rise.

It comes as Sunderland council leaders agreed yesterday to consider a below inflation tax rise of just 3.35%.

Expenditure of £4m was agreed on adult social care in Northumberland, while money was also allocated to safeguard bus services in the Tyne Valley.

The council also set aside money for waste and recycling facilities and delivery of the authority’s Putting the Learner First schools improvement programme.

Members also voted to delegate a budget of £3.8m to the body which is overseeing the change to unitary government. However the leading Labour group came under fire for failing to scrap charges for transport to schools and colleges for over 16s.

It has instead opted to reduce the annual fee from £360 to £200.

The Conservative Independent group and the Liberal Democrats both insisted they would have made such transport free.

Coun Pat Scott, Liberal Democrat for Bamburgh, said: “Scrapping the post-16 transport charges is an investment in the future of young people. It is an investment for them, it is an investment for these communities.

“If we did scrap these charges it would show our young people that we really did want them to stay on in education.” But council leader Peter Hillman insisted scrapping the charges would not be appropriate.

The Conservative Independent group also insisted it would have made a new school for Alnwick a priority.

However, Coun Jim Wright, executive member for children’s services, pointed out that the project is in the authority’s medium term budget plans and has already been identified as a priority.

Coun Hillman had earlier told the meeting at Morpeth’s County Hall that the budget had been agreed upon following extensive consultation. He said the tax increase was below both inflation and the average council tax rise of 4%.

In Sunderland council leader Bob Symonds, said: “I’m delighted to be proposing the Revenue Budget for 2008/2009 to the city council.

“This latest budget continues to build on the excellent track record which the council has achieved over recent years and contains some important new investments and initiatives to address the priorities which local people have told us are important to them.”

Councillors in Tynedale have announced a below inflation tax increase, which should see residents slightly better off.

Michael Walton, Leader of Tynedale Council, said: “I am pleased that we have been able to set the council tax increase at 1.5%, a level which is below inflation but still realistic and responsible.”

Blyth Council is hoping to freeze council tax for the fourth time in six years.