Corby council tax rise voted through

Members met at the Corby Cube last night (Thursday) to agree a 1.9 per cent of their portion of the council tax bill.

The authority’s share makes up only 12 per cent of total council tax bill - with the bulk being charged by the county council, which has yet to make a final decision on its budget.

The remaining precept goes to the police and parish councils.

Northamptonshire County Council is proposing a 3.95 per cent increase in its portion of the bill and the police want to raise their amount by 1.99 per cent.

If those figures are given the final go-ahead next week, it means the average band D household in Corby will see its council tax bill rise from £1,446.13 to £1,495.71.

At last night’s meeting, council leader Councillor Tom Beattie said: “Continued central government funding cuts continue to place strain on local government finances.

“We know that there’s a storm brewing in local government finance but we don’t yet know if we will get it right in the eye or if we will catch the edge of it.

“We have no chance but to protect ourselves which means we have an increase in council tax for the first time in six years.

“It’ll be an increase of about six pence per week for our share of the balance.”

The opposition Conservative group on the council offered an amendment to the proposed budget which provided an extra £25,000 for PCSO funding, a contribution to reserves of £11,000 and an extra £100,000 in three years for tourism.

The government had previously offered a series of grants to councils who froze their tax bills but the incentive ended this year.