Cannock tax bills to rise

As taken from Cannock Chase Council Press Release.

Council Tax payers in the Cannock Chase District will be paying an extra 2.2 per cent in 2010-11 after Cannock Chase Council set its budget at a meeting of Full Council on Wednesday 3^rd March.

Cannock Chase Council’s budget for 2010-11 results in an increase of 2.8 per cent. This is an increase of £4.44 for the average household, or 8½ pence per week.

With the Council Tax rises from Staffordshire County Council, Staffordshire Police Authority and Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire Fire Authority, this gives a Council Tax rise for Cannock Chase District residents of 2.2 per cent

The 2010-11 budget contains a number of growth measures, including:

• Extra support for families and businesses to counter the effects of the recession, and a Workforce Development Strategy to provide extra training for local people

• New blue wheeled bins to replace the current boxes for dry recyclables.

• Funding to identify a site for a new cemetery in Cannock, with capital funding identified to deliver this in 2012-13.

The anticipated severe cuts in funding from central government from 2011 have been taken into account in setting the Council’s three-year financial plan.

A number of savings have been identified for 2010-11, including:

• Reducing the Council’s Arts Development programme
• Reviewing the Shopmobility contract
• A self-funded Council magazine for residents through advertising
• Ending the Dial-a-Ride concessionary travel scheme.

The budget also provided for increased environmental enforcement work. The Council is committed to a clean and safe environment and a larger enforcement team will have a direct impact on flytipping and littering in the District.