An inflation ‘busting’ draft budget has been revealed and although no rise in costs is a welcome rise Blackburn with Darwen Council is due to set its council tax below the level of inflation for the third year running.
The proposed increase of 1.90% means that the average band D council tax bill per household in the borough for 2010/11 will be £1,266.85 – a rise of just over 45p a week on 2009/10
Councillors are due to set the charge at a meeting of the Finance Committee on March 1. The Council’s budget for the year will also be agreed.
Councillor Colin Rigby, executive member for Resources at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “We know people are facing a lot of pressure on their finances. This is the same for the Council. We have seen a huge rise in demand for our services yet face less money coming in.
“We have kept the promise we made in 2007 to keep the rise below inflation. We have worked hard to keep rises to a minimum over the past few years at the same time recognising that the Council has a key role to play in the current difficult economics times. Council tax is essential to protect services and we continue with efforts to improve our two towns. I’m pleased that most of the people who shared their views with us as we prepared the draft budget agreed on this.”
As part of the process for producing the 2010/11 council tax bills, new council tax accounts are being set up for anybody living in the five wards of Darwen that make up the new Darwen Town Council. The changes are needed because, like parish councils, the town council runs separately to Blackburn with Darwen Council and sets its own budget.
The extra charge for people covered by the Darwen Town Council has been set at £14 for an average band D household.
Further information, including advice for anybody struggling to pay, will be issued with bills once the budget and council tax has been set.
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