Approved by Bolton Council: A hike in council tax, millions of pounds of cuts and hundreds of job losses
10:28pm Wednesday 20th February 2013 in News
MILLIONS of pounds of council cuts have been approved by town hall chiefs tonight - but the taxpayer will have to pay more for less as a controversial council tax hike is also agreed.
Despite Conservative and Liberal Democrat opposition, Bolton Council's ruling Labour group passed next year's budget, which includes more than £40 million of cuts as well as a 3.5 per cent increase in council tax.
The move will also result in more than 500 council jobs being axed.
Bolton Council will now lose out on government grants of £2 million because it rejected the prime minister's offer to local authorities that did not increase council tax.
Following the rise, residents in band D properties will now pay £1,459.24 per year compared to £1,409.83 last year.
They will also pay an additional police precept of £149.33, and £57.64 for fire.
There was a large-scale protest outside Bolton Town Hall by union members before the meeting, and the police had to be called to deal with disruption by members of the public inside the council chamber, delaying proceedings by more than an hour.
Bolton Council leader Cllr Cliff Morris said: “This budget will have a big impact on local services, local people and local jobs — it is impossible to cut further, on top of the 60 million we have already saved, without having a very serious impact.”
Comments(12)
BWFC71
says...
10:55pm Wed 20 Feb 13
There again a pay-cut wouldn't affect Morris that much considering his income is over £150,000/annum between all his 3 jobs (of which his job with the Health care sector of AGMA being approximately £70,000/annum)!!!
Boltontoday
says...
11:59pm Wed 20 Feb 13
temujin
says...
4:58am Thu 21 Feb 13
1. Sharing delivery of services with other councils - there's growing evidence of the savings this can produce;
2. Cutting down on central corporate charges - very high in Bolton's case;
3. Using part of reserves - recommended for consideration by the Audit Commission.
Why not?
ianfrank
says...
8:10am Thu 21 Feb 13
Old Boltonian
says...
8:52am Thu 21 Feb 13
temujin
says...
8:54am Thu 21 Feb 13
Why aren't we entitled to a referendum?
Council should clarify.
BWFC71
says...
9:21am Thu 21 Feb 13
temujin wrote:Because of precepts towards the Police and Fire.
Increase exceeds 2%.
Why aren't we entitled to a referendum?
Council should clarify.
Basically its an opt-out and as such a referendum is not required.
BWFC71
says...
9:22am Thu 21 Feb 13
WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER, unless you work in politics!!!!
stantheman133
says...
3:34pm Thu 21 Feb 13
Councillor Morris should take a hike.
judyben
says...
4:53pm Thu 21 Feb 13
temujin
says...
6:50pm Thu 21 Feb 13
BWFC71 wrote:"The government had put a cap on council tax rises of two per cent, meaning that any increase higher than that would trigger a town referendum.
temujin wrote:Because of precepts towards the Police and Fire.
Increase exceeds 2%.
Why aren't we entitled to a referendum?
Council should clarify.
Basically its an opt-out and as such a referendum is not required.
But the council has calculated its rise excluding waste and transport levies and fire and police precepts, meaning its figure is technically 1.2 per cent.
Inclusion of the levies and precepts brings the figure up to 3.5 per cent."
The DCLG say this is cheating. Are they saying it's contrary to the law? If so, they should publish their legal opinion so that challenges can be mounted.
Ikillgobbykids says...
10:49pm Wed 20 Feb 13