Council Tax Rise ReducedAs a result of the much-publicised meeting between The Leader and Deputy Leader of Medway Council and the Local Government Minister Nick Raynsford, held on 17th February, both sides have agreed to look at what can be done to improve the situation, which looked like necessitating a Council Tax rise of some 15·7% just to stand still.
On the Medway Council side of this, the Cabinet today agreed to a number of admittedly painful measures that go against the grain, but—as various Cabinet members conceded at the meeting—were agreed as we have been given no choice in practice.
The effect of these cuts (for that is what they are) will be to reduce the projected Council Tax rise by almost 3%, bringing it down to not much more than last year's rise at 12·8%. To do this, a range of savings have been identified that total just under £2½ million.
Meanwhile, the Minister is looking at what can be done from the parliamentary side, and our leaders will meet him for s second time this Wednesday morning to find out what the Minister proposes. There will be further news once the outcome of that meeting is known, also after the special Budget Meeting of the Council on Monday 8th March 2004.