Derbyshire Dales: Council tax precept to be frozen again

For the fifth year running, Derbyshire Dales District Council plans freeze its share of council tax bills.

The proposal – subject to agreement by councillors on March 5 – bucks the trend in Derbyshire, where both the county council and police have announced near two per cent increases for 2015/16.

The district council collects council tax on behalf of all local authorities but only spends 12 per cent.

The freeze means the authority would be aiming to provide services to residents at an average cost of 50p a day.

Services provided by the district council include affordable housing, business support, leisure centres and health initiatives, waste and recycling collections, parks maintenance, street cleaning and leading on crime prevention initiatives.

The authority faces a half a million pound (13.8 per cent) grant cut in 2015/16 from central Government, which comes on top of grant reductions of a 10.8 per cent last year and 15.6 per cent in 2013/14.

The district council plans to claim the one per cent equivalent Council Tax increase incentive offered by central Government to local councils that freeze charges - and continue to identify savings through a comprehensive review of all its services.

The council will give a presentation on the council tax freeze at community forums in Matlock on February 9 and in Bakewell on February 16.

For more, visit www.derbyshiredales.gov.uk/communityforums