Barking and Dagenham council tax has been frozen for another year

Council tax in Barking and Dagenham will be frozen for the fourth year running, it was agreed last night.

The council tax for 2012/13 is to remain at the current level, councillors voted at an assembly meeting at Barking Town Hall.

Welcoming the announcement, Cllr Rocky Gill, cabinet member for finance said: “We know that many of our residents are facing tough times and we are determined to continue to support them in what is a very challenging time.

“The council is facing unprecedented financial pressures as the coalition government continues to cut our grants but we are determined to limit the impact of these cuts on our residents.

“We have listened to the views of our residents in setting our budget for 2012/13 and this freeze, the fourth year in a row demonstrates our continued commitment to helping local people through tough times.”

Barking and Dagenham has one of the lowest council tax levels in outer London.

But Cllr Gill warned: “It is the fourth year in a row we have been able to do this, but given the scale of cuts we face from the government, it will be increasingly difficult to deliver such a freeze without a knock-on effect on some of our services.”