Local News

Redcar and Cleveland’s Labour Group is to call for a two year Council Tax freeze at the council’s budget setting meeting on the 3rd March.

Labour is also be proposing to review the 20% council tax burden placed on the council’s poorest working age council tax payers.

Labour Group Leader, Sue Jeffrey, said today: “Times are still tough for Redcar & Cleveland residents. Energy bills are sky-high, childcare costs are rocketing and wages remain stubbornly low. We want to help bring down the cost of living for residents so Labour in Redcar and Cleveland have pledged to freeze council tax bills for at least the next two years.

“Unlike the Independent-Lib Dem coalition now running Redcar and Cleveland Council we won’t be financing our plans by a cash grab from reserves. We are proposing a balanced programme of spending for the next two years supported by careful monitoring of the council budget and the ongoing use of efficiency measures to continue to reshape council services. This will deliver benefits for the council tax payer and protect the council services residents rely on in their community.”

“Since the coalition government welfare reforms abolished Council Tax Benefit in 2013 everyone of working age has had to pay a minimum contribution of 20% to their Council Tax regardless of their financial circumstances. We will also be calling for the council, to review this position which means that the very poorest in our borough have to pay a fifth of the council tax on their property, regardless of the fact that they are often the most vulnerable.”

In response to the Independent-Lib Dem coalition proposal to reduce Council Tax by 1% for one year Sue commented: "Whatever the Independent-Lib Dem coalition may be promising no one has forgotten their past record. When they last ran the Council they raised Council Tax by 22% and massively hiked up councillor allowances. Nationally they have put up VAT to 20% which has had a huge impact on the spending power of local people.”