Cheshire East Council is set to raise its Council Tax by 3.75%, which represents the first increase in five years.
The Council says this is necessary in order to invest in vital frontline services for residents and that a substantial part of the tax rise will be used to boost services for the vulnerable, elderly and young.
The Council Tax will increase from £1,216.34 to £1,261.95 for a Band D property, which equates to an extra £45.61 per year or 88p per week.
The authority wishes to re-assure its 370,000 residents that its economy remains strong and vital front-line services will continue to be protected despite the toughest financial challenges the Council has faced in its seven-year history.
Councillor Peter Groves, Cabinet member in charge of finance, said: "This Council is proud to have maintained a zero tax increase for five years. It is to be regretted that our excellent record has come to an end.
"This increase is required due to the change in national policy to shift the burden of funding from central to local taxation.
"Strong leadership and sound financial management have helped to offset higher costs but in time we will have to become even more resourceful in the way we deliver services, achieve our economies and minimise any future rate rises.
"The public sector must play its part to help reduce the high level of national debt and Cheshire East has responded to the challenge through a strategy of innovation and creativity with a relentless pursuit of greater efficiency and productivity."
A cut of more than £16m in government grant in 2016-17 alone, which is far more than anticipated, has placed substantial strains on the authority's purse strings.
Cllr David Brown, Deputy Leader of Cheshire East Council, said: "I congratulate our finance team on developing a robust budget in very challenging circumstances.
"This Council has never faced this situation before but, due to the effective way we have delivered services in recent years, we are in a far stronger position than many other authorities.
"I hope our residents will understand our position and recognise that, as a Council, we continue to deliver excellent value for money.
"While our increase is 3.75 per cent, some local authorities are increasing their council tax by 3.99 per cent with the prospect of the same level of increase each year for five years."
Comments
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George Osborne stealthily allowed councils to increase rates by up to 4% and hey presto, CE duly oblige .For the Councillor to say their 3.75% is an achievement is akin to their claim they "saved" us £200k on the Lyme Green fiasco.
Still "The public sector must play its part to help reduce the high level of national debt". Obviously, this part doesn't stretch to reducing their golden pensions though. 30% of council tax now goes straight to pay for council workers pensions. This gets paid before anything else as for some strange reason this is their No1 obligation. Close down hospitals, kick the elderly onto the street in fact do anything except cut the over inflated pensions they awarded themselves.
So we pay more and more tax, leaving us with ever less to save for our own retirements and elderly care.
Oh and don't think a buy-to-let property will provide for your old age either. Osborne wants to wallop you there too. That is unless Cherie Blair stops him on Human Rights grounds (oh the irony).
Sorry George and your chums at CE, you have lost my vote. When you want to stop being Gordon Brown MKII, you may get it back again.
Half of the year we all work for the government, ie 50% of our income goes to the state.
A focus on GDP ignores the necessity to balance our books, trade profitably and pay off our debts. Year in year out the government keeps quiet. No strategy. So plans to export more and import less that are working.
Therefore retail will continue to suck in imports and create jobs to sell them to a large fraction of the population employed by the state. Who wins? Us or China?