Council tax hike will be first by Warwick District Council after five years of freezes

The cost for services such as bin collections and recycling will go up across Warwick District from April.
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Warwick District Council last week agreed to raise its precept for council tax by 1.99 per cent having frozen increases for five years.

This would fall just short of the two percent permitted for the council and will mean a rise of around £2.92 for an average Band D household.

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While district council chairman Cllr Michael Doody was in charge as leader of the authority it had freezes to its council tax demand.

At a council meeting last week Cllr Doody asked current leader Cllr Andrew Mobbs if the rise was now necessary.

Cllr Mobbs said: “The clear answer is yes.

“We have to give credit to officers and the administration for these years of zero increases but we used to get a revenue support grant of £11 million and by 2020 that will be zero.

“We have to make a change in our philosophy to continue to provide good services and to maintain them.

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“We have to ensure we do not fall off a financial cliff where other authorities could.”

Warwickshire County Council, which charges the largest portion of the tax, approved a rise of just under four per cent - also the highest it can go - this month.

It would mean a rise of about £45.12 across the year for a Band D household.

And Police and Crime Commissioner Ron Ball has received backing for a 1.99 per cent rise to help pay for policing and front line services.