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| Council tax increases kept 'low' | Council tax increases kept 'low' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Council tax bills in England are set to go up by an average of 3.9% - the lowest rise for 14 years, says the public accountancy institute, Cipfa. | Council tax bills in England are set to go up by an average of 3.9% - the lowest rise for 14 years, says the public accountancy institute, Cipfa. |
| Cipfa's survey for BBC Radio 4's Today programme and the Times newspaper showed average bills for a Band D home will go up by £52 a year to £1,370. | Cipfa's survey for BBC Radio 4's Today programme and the Times newspaper showed average bills for a Band D home will go up by £52 a year to £1,370. |
| The government had said it wanted council tax rises substantially below 5% - and most councils complied. | The government had said it wanted council tax rises substantially below 5% - and most councils complied. |
| Wakefield, Derby, Leicester and Slough face the steepest rises at around 5%. | |
| Police costs | Police costs |
| Much of the rise in council tax bills is due to sharp increases in the costs of policing, including the employment of more Community Support Officers. | Much of the rise in council tax bills is due to sharp increases in the costs of policing, including the employment of more Community Support Officers. |
| In Lincolnshire the police precept has soared by 79%, adding £100 to the average council tax bill. | In Lincolnshire the police precept has soared by 79%, adding £100 to the average council tax bill. |
| By cutting waste, councils could save as much as £1.5 billion John HealeyLocal Government Minister Table of proposed chargesHow council tax has risen | By cutting waste, councils could save as much as £1.5 billion John HealeyLocal Government Minister Table of proposed chargesHow council tax has risen |
| But the BBC's local government correspondent John Andrew said the government would be pleased that its policy of capping council tax rises had been largely successful. | But the BBC's local government correspondent John Andrew said the government would be pleased that its policy of capping council tax rises had been largely successful. |
| He said councils had been motivated by capping and by local political pressure into becoming much more efficient, but the government was seeking greater economies in the future. | He said councils had been motivated by capping and by local political pressure into becoming much more efficient, but the government was seeking greater economies in the future. |
| Local Government Minister John Healey said there was no excuse for excessive council tax increases. He said the government would continue to use its capping powers to protect the public. | Local Government Minister John Healey said there was no excuse for excessive council tax increases. He said the government would continue to use its capping powers to protect the public. |
| Keeping council tax down has been made harder by several government departments shifting extra costs on to councils Simon MiltonLocal Government Association | Keeping council tax down has been made harder by several government departments shifting extra costs on to councils Simon MiltonLocal Government Association |
| "By cutting waste, councils could save as much as £1.5bn, which could be used to invest in local services or reduce pressure on council tax bills", Mr Healey said. | "By cutting waste, councils could save as much as £1.5bn, which could be used to invest in local services or reduce pressure on council tax bills", Mr Healey said. |
| Central government funding for local authorities will increase by £900m. Mr Healey called this "a fair and affordable settlement" which had helped keep council tax bills down. | Central government funding for local authorities will increase by £900m. Mr Healey called this "a fair and affordable settlement" which had helped keep council tax bills down. |
| But the Local Government Association criticised the government grant settlement as the worst for 10 years, and warned it could lead to cuts in local services. | But the Local Government Association criticised the government grant settlement as the worst for 10 years, and warned it could lead to cuts in local services. |
| "Keeping council tax down has been made harder by several government departments shifting extra costs on to councils, whilst limiting funding from central government to a real terms 1% increase", LGA Chairman Sir Simon Milton said. | "Keeping council tax down has been made harder by several government departments shifting extra costs on to councils, whilst limiting funding from central government to a real terms 1% increase", LGA Chairman Sir Simon Milton said. |
| The government has no solution to the unfairness of council tax Joe HarrisNational Pensioners Convention | The government has no solution to the unfairness of council tax Joe HarrisNational Pensioners Convention |
| He said the there would be "difficult decisions to make locally." | He said the there would be "difficult decisions to make locally." |
| The National Pensioners Convention said that even at below 5%, this year's council tax bills would still "bring more misery to millions of pensioners". | The National Pensioners Convention said that even at below 5%, this year's council tax bills would still "bring more misery to millions of pensioners". |
| General Secretary Joe Harris said the average Band D bill of £1,374 represented about a third of pensioners' spending, and came on top of rising food and fuel bills. | General Secretary Joe Harris said the average Band D bill of £1,374 represented about a third of pensioners' spending, and came on top of rising food and fuel bills. |
| "The government has no solution to the unfairness of council tax, apart from asking pensioners to claim discredited means-tested benefits", Mr Harris said. | "The government has no solution to the unfairness of council tax, apart from asking pensioners to claim discredited means-tested benefits", Mr Harris said. |
| "We urgently need complete reform of the system that takes account of the ability to pay." | "We urgently need complete reform of the system that takes account of the ability to pay." |
| The Conservative Party agreed that the problem for council tax payers was the combination of increased bills with rising gas, water and electricity costs. | The Conservative Party agreed that the problem for council tax payers was the combination of increased bills with rising gas, water and electricity costs. |
| Shadow local government secretary Eric Pickles said it would be the most vulnerable who would suffer the most, including the elderly and other people on fixed incomes. | Shadow local government secretary Eric Pickles said it would be the most vulnerable who would suffer the most, including the elderly and other people on fixed incomes. |
| "It is shocking that council tax has doubled in 10 years of this Labour government", Mr Pickles said. | "It is shocking that council tax has doubled in 10 years of this Labour government", Mr Pickles said. |
| Return to story | Return to story |
| Will this new council tax rise affect you? Should council tax be replaced with a new form of tax? If you have any information you would like to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below: | Will this new council tax rise affect you? Should council tax be replaced with a new form of tax? If you have any information you would like to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below: |