Lib Dem Southwark Agrees Below Inflation Council Tax Rise For Second Year Running

2.09.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 25th Feb 2005

For the second year running, Southwark residents will benefit from a below inflation council tax rise. Council Assembly last night agreed a Lib Dem budget of £28 million new revenue money funded by a 1.9% increase in council tax (excluding the Mayor's precept). Estimates suggest that the rise will be one of the lowest in London.

The Liberal Democrat budget includes:

· Expansion of existing Street Warden schemes to ensure borough coverage

· Additional kerbside recycling collections, including plastics, and a brand new innovative service for high-rise properties.

· An increase in refuse collections

· More assistance for local business, including BME business

The budget also includes over £240 million for capital schemes as follows:

· £0.25m for a new cash incentive scheme for tenants

· £25m for improvements to school buildings

· £3m for community councils to spend on 'cleaner, greener safer' projects

· £4m towards new road repairs

· £21m towards a new waste site on the Old Kent Road

· Almost £0.5m for Dulwich and Peckham Rye Parks

Cllr Lorraine Zuleta, Executive Member for Resources, said: "For the second year running, residents will benefit from a below-inflation council tax rise. And yet we're still pumping money into the services that residents want. This budget will deliver more wardens, more doorstep recycling, more refuse collection and more investment in parks."

Southwark Council Leader, Councillor Nick Stanton, said: "Yet again the Lib Dems have proved that you can have low council tax and improved services. There is something in this budget for everyone. "

Notes:

1. The new Band D council tax (excluding the Mayor's precept) will be £844.14 (currently £829.21) - representing just a 28p a week increase;

2. The Mayor's precept was increased by 5.5% this year - bringing the total precept increase since 2000 to 107%

3. The overall revenue budget has increased from £407.5 to £435.9 million;