Hampshire council tax freeze likely (From This is Hampshire)

You should pay the same for Hampshire County Council

11:51am Friday 11th January 2013 in News

YOU should end up paying the same amount for Hampshire County Council from April - that's the claim from bosses in Winchester.

Council leader Ken Thornber said the £100m budget cuts over the past two years had put the local authority in “a very strong position” to cope with reduced Government funding in two years’ time.

The county council is planning to freeze council tax in 2013-14 in return for a £5.3m Government grant, which is equivalent to a one per cent increase in council tax.

Plans are going to be put forward in the coming days on how the freeze can be achieved with the minimum effect on frontline services or local Government jobs.

Budget recommendations for each Cabinet portfolio area will be presented to executive members and will be reviewed by select committees before submission to the county council’s Cabinet, which meets on February 8.

Final recommendations will be made to the full county council on February 21. If the Hampshire tax is frozen, the charge from the county council as its part of the total council tax bill for a Band D home, would be £1,037.88.

Cllr Thornber, said: “Our early action has helped protect front line resources and we have met our savings target of £100million in two years. These savings, plus the money we set aside to cushion Hampshire residents from the impact of the huge grant losses we knew were coming, stand us in good stead to tackle the tough times ahead.”