This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/7130320.stm
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| English council grant figures due | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Councils in England are expected to receive an increase in funding from central government of 1% above inflation over the next three years. | Councils in England are expected to receive an increase in funding from central government of 1% above inflation over the next three years. |
| The Local Government Association says this is not enough to prevent council tax rises being higher than last year. | The Local Government Association says this is not enough to prevent council tax rises being higher than last year. |
| It claims increases in social care and waste disposal costs are hitting local authorities hard. | It claims increases in social care and waste disposal costs are hitting local authorities hard. |
| But the government said the settlement was adequate and that it would "not hesitate" to cap "excessive" spending. | But the government said the settlement was adequate and that it would "not hesitate" to cap "excessive" spending. |
| Elderly care | Elderly care |
| Whitehall is keen to keep council tax rises substantially below 5% - last year's increase was just over 4% on average. | Whitehall is keen to keep council tax rises substantially below 5% - last year's increase was just over 4% on average. |
| Local Government Minister John Healey told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We will not hesitate to use our capping powers to protect council tax payers, if we're looking at excessive rises in council tax as a result of the decisions that councils make." | Local Government Minister John Healey told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We will not hesitate to use our capping powers to protect council tax payers, if we're looking at excessive rises in council tax as a result of the decisions that councils make." |
| But the LGA argues that there are pressures on budgets, with some councils having to ration care for the elderly so that only those whose needs are substantial or critical will get help. | But the LGA argues that there are pressures on budgets, with some councils having to ration care for the elderly so that only those whose needs are substantial or critical will get help. |
| It also cites the increasing cost of waste disposal, with landfill tax rising sharply in the next three years. | It also cites the increasing cost of waste disposal, with landfill tax rising sharply in the next three years. |
| LGA chairman Simon Milton told Today: "My predictions is that council taxes will on average go up higher than last year. | LGA chairman Simon Milton told Today: "My predictions is that council taxes will on average go up higher than last year. |
| "Last year was just over 4%. This year it will be probably around 4.5% on average. | "Last year was just over 4%. This year it will be probably around 4.5% on average. |
| "That will mask variation in some parts of the country there will be lower increases." | "That will mask variation in some parts of the country there will be lower increases." |
| Harrow Council, in north-west London, says it has had to "tighten" its social care provision because of financial presures. | |
| Leader Chris Mote said: "This was not a decision that the council wanted to take but we were forced to take action in response to the need of balancing the budgets and consistently low government grants." | |
| Shadow local government minister Alistair Burt said: "Since 1997, council taxes have doubled. Now I fear that Gordon Brown is engineering three more years of inflation-busting hikes. | Shadow local government minister Alistair Burt said: "Since 1997, council taxes have doubled. Now I fear that Gordon Brown is engineering three more years of inflation-busting hikes. |
| "These rises will hit families hard, and pensioners the hardest, especially given expected rises in energy bills and the higher cost of mortgages as fixed rates expire." | "These rises will hit families hard, and pensioners the hardest, especially given expected rises in energy bills and the higher cost of mortgages as fixed rates expire." |