Tax freeze rubber stamped for District Council bill

The freeze, agreed at last nights Full Council meeting, means there will be no increase in Selby District Council's precept when the new tax year begins in April. This will leave leaving their share of the Council Tax pie unchanged at £162 for a Band D property, as in 2014.

Instead of a rise, the Council will accept a £49,000 grant from Central Government, a figure that is roughly equivalent to a rise of 1%. 

Taking money from the Whitehall is no magic bullet however, the grant would effectively halve the amount of additional money coming into Council coffers when compared against a 1.99% rise that had originally been muted as recently as December. This means the Council will have to look to additional 'efficiencies' and opportunities to boost income if it is to be able to balance the district's books.

Leader of the Council, Cllr Mark Crane, said, “There is no change for Council Tax this year because we have worked hard to get ahead (and stay ahead) of funding cuts. We’ve been able to divert resources into major projects to stimulate the district’s economic growth and, importantly, improve the lives of our residents.”

Councillor Cliff Lunn, Lead Member of the Executive for Finance and Resources added, “Long-term projects like our Programme for Growth, among others, have invested in the things that matter to the district – supporting businesses, jobs growth and improving leisure services: including rebuilding the Leisure Centre.”

Although it’s Selby District Council's name at the top of your Council Tax bill, the bill is actually shared amongst a host of organisations – all of whom set their own precept and can impact on your annual bill.

The lion's share of the bill goes to the County Council where it is used to fund services including road maintenance and education. They recently voted to increase their precept by 1.99% a similar figure to the rise imposed by Police and Crime Commissioner, Julia Mulligan.