In the Council’s published draft budget they propose that Cheltenham Borough’s share of Council Tax should be frozen at £187.12 a year for Band D taxpayers (as it has been since April 2010). Coupled with this, charges for car parking will also be frozen apart from Councillor’s parking permits which are to be increased in line with inflation.
The Council itself is anticipating a huge cut of 13.6% in the formula funding it receives from Government in 2014/15. This amounts to a cut of £844,000
Councillor John Rawson, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance, made the following comment:
“I am delighted that we have found enough efficiency savings for us to freeze tax for another year, because I know many of our residents are still having a tough time making ends meet. I am particularly pleased that we have done this without cutting services and without introducing above-inflation increases in charges.”
The Council’s Cabinet will meet on 17th December for approval of the draft budget and it will be available on the Council’s website www.cheltenham.gov.uk from 18th December. Local residents, businesses and organisations are able to make comments until 24th January, 2014. The final version of the budget will go to the full Council for formal approval on 14th February, 2014.
