Council tax frozen for sixth consecutive year

Residents will see council tax frozen for the sixth consecutive year after the move was approved by councillors last night.

Meeting at Barking Town Hall, councillors also supported a discount of up to £1,000 for business owners whose property is worth up to £50,000.

The council has had to factor in a £11.2 million drop in government funding in 2014/15 along with a further drop of £19.2 million in 2015/16, but has decided to use its reserves to offset the gap in its finances.

It will receive a grant of £545,000 for freezing council tax, which will help keep tax for a band D property at £1,016.40 in Barking and Dagenham.

Although savings of £7.749m have been approved for 2014/15 alone, tough times are likely to be ahead.

A report by Kathy Freeman, group manager for corporate finance, states funding changes including the introduction of the Care Bill and Children and Families Bill, plus the abolition of the local welfare provision scheme in 2015/16 could result in a worst-possible scenario of a £39m gap in funding.

Better news is available to business owners who can receive a discount of up to £1,000 on their business rates if their property is worth up to £50,000.

For more news about the council budget, pick up a copy of next week’s Barking and Dagenham Post.