Uttlesford District Council rejects tax deduction
A FINAL effort to reduce the burden imposed on taxpayers has been described as imprudent budgeting and rejected by councillors. At a full meeting of Uttlesford District Council last Thursday, members of the Liberal Democrat party proposed a reduced coun
A FINAL effort to reduce the burden imposed on taxpayers has been described as "imprudent budgeting" and rejected by councillors.
At a full meeting of Uttlesford District Council last Thursday, members of the Liberal Democrat party proposed a reduced council tax rise of 1.2 per cent instead of 2.9 per cent.
Group leader for the Lib Dems, Cllr Peter Wilcock, said: "It is vital that the council keep its expenditure under control, and by proposing to reduce this year's budget by �80,000 it would help the hard pressed tax payer too.
"The council is expecting to save at least �1 million this year from savings and unbudgeted income. We thought it was only right to share this with the council tax payer.
You may also want to watch:
"It is a shame that the Conservative administration would not accept our sensible amendment."
Leader of the council, Cllr Jim Ketteridge, slammed the amendment saying: "We cannot and will not take risks that could lead to the sort of situation we faced three years ago, we all saw the outcome of unfettered spending and imprudent budgeting. We must not go back there."
Most Read
- 1 Two Covid swab kit sites open in Uttlesford
- 2 Anti flooding solutions being created for outside Newport
- 3 Widespread flooding leads to busiest day for Essex firefighters
- 4 Rape victim urges others to be brave and tell Essex Police
- 5 Man dies in 'unexplained' house fire
- 6 Residents, the RAF and Stansted Airport react to sonic boom
- 7 Fire Service door to door visits after fatal fire
- 8 What it was like travelling abroad during Covid
- 9 MasterChef winner Chef Webb's lockdown recipe
- 10 Essex County Council to discuss council tax increase of up to £40
He added that the progress the council had made in restoring financial stability over the past two years was "remarkable".
"The budget we are setting provides for reserves at a level we are advised by our Section 151 Officer is a minimum safe level for the contingencies that may arise," he said.