COUNCIL tax will be frozen in Salford next year. There will be no increase in the annual bill for residents in the city and no cuts to front line services, according to council leader John Merry.
There may be a small increase in payments because of the police and fire authority levies, but the amount going to the council will remain unchanged.
The council tax for Band D homes in the city will be £1,523.29 and the average council tax bill across the city will be £1,015.67, an increase of 36 pence on last year’s figure.
The freeze will be paid for through the council’s ongoing efficiency programme, which will see changes in the way council services, like bin collections, are paid for by the authority.
There will also be cuts in office space and administration bills.
There will be around 380 job cuts at the council, which currently employs around 11,000 people, but Cllr Merry and Bill Hinds, the council finance spokesman, stressed there would be no compulsory redundancies.
Cllr John Merry, leader of the council, said: "Residents will have faced a tough few months with the recession and I have always said the council would do what it could to offer real assistance.
"Not asking for more council tax than we have to has always been our starting point when we draw up our budget proposals. This year we are in a position where we can share with residents the savings we’ve made and I’m sure every little helps."
He added: "At the end of the day we are conscious of the suffering that Salford people have had to endure over the past year."
In 2008, the council announced a major efficiency drive aimed at saving £20m in three years.
The recent regeneration of Broughton, Ordsall and Salford Quays has also widened the council tax base by around 1,000 homes.
Cllr Hinds said: "The council is much more efficient today than it was even two years ago and this is why we are able to pass on the savings to residents. On top of our efficiency drive we have improved our council tax collection rate which gives our residents much better value for their money.
"I can reassure residents that frontline services or the overall quality of services will not be affected by the savings we are making."
The plan to freeze council tax was approved by cabinet on Tuesday and will have to be approved by full council next month.
The money the council receives from central government is likely to drop next year, which could impact next year’s council tax figures.
Cllr Merry said: "No matter what government is elected, we will probably have to deal with a lower settlement.
"But we will try to ensure that we get the best deal for the city’s residents."
Showing comments 1 to 9 and replies | View All
MisterSalford, Salford, Gtr Manchester (28/01/2010 at 21:55)
New homes in Broughton? Is he living in the real world? or even his own ward?!
What about the 40% decrease in the population after Cllr Merry bulldozed so many perfectly good homes to make way for the stalled private and completely unaffordable "Countryside Properties" development off Great Clowes Street?
No cuts in Public Services?
How does that explain the announcement cutting of up to 5% of the City Council's workforce? Surely something has to give way due to the loss of so many staff, no doubt the most front-line and lowest paid.
Disgraceful when you glance at the "Corporate Jobs" page on their website which is still advertising salaries for senior positions in excess of £80k, not to mention paying deputy headteachers at primary schools on £52k.
Dave Sherwood, Irlam (29/01/2010 at 10:18)
Ronnie Silver (29/01/2010 at 10:26)
Chris R, Irlam (29/01/2010 at 14:21)
Malcolm Amersham (29/01/2010 at 18:20)
wolftone, salford (29/01/2010 at 20:29)
Incidently, the charge quoted is for a Band D property-not Band B
Ray OfSunshine (30/01/2010 at 09:46)
if it's not a) going to raise the living conditions, in the broadest sense, of local
people and b) redistribute power and wealth?
By aping the policies of the Tory/Lib Dem reactionaries, Labour in Salford is digging
its own grave!
After May there needs to be a Left Revolt.
Schwyz (30/01/2010 at 17:28)
As regards the freeze I agree it is happening all over...................
MisterSalford, Salford, Gtr Manchester (02/02/2010 at 14:40)
I know plenty of "bottom of the ladder" primary school teachers who work just as hard as any senior staff yet are on £16k-£21k at the most. Is is appalling that anyone who works in the public sector, regardless of their seniority is paid more than DOUBLE, if not more the average salary for other staff working in the same organisation.
Rather than cutting jobs of those of the lowest salaries, why not make the salaries of these fat-cats.