Harlow Council tax to be frozen for another year


HARLOW Council's Administration is proposing to freeze its share of Council tax for the next year as part of the Council's budget proposals, it announced Wednesday 26 January 2011.

It means that for the average Band C Council Tax payer will continue to pay £223.60 a year, just £4.30 a week for Harlow Council's services in 2011.

The Administration's proposals will be considered at next week's Executive Committee meeting on 3 February 2011 along with an updated Medium-Term Financial Strategy for years 2011/12 to 2015/16.

The Administration is proposing to make approximately £2.1 million of savings, the majority of which is due to the Government spending settlement announced in December 2010.

One of the largest single contributions to the proposed savings programme will come from Harlow Council staff themselves. They are being consulted over a reduction in the working week to generate savings of approximately £100,000 per year and they will not get a pay rise.

Once again the Council has tried very hard to minimize the impact of the cuts in expenditure required on service users.  Regrettably, however, the Council has announced that it is looking to further reduce its head count by six posts. This is in addition to 14 jobs already under threat.  

Cllr Andrew Johnson, the Leader of Harlow Council, said: "This budget process has been incredibly tough. Throughout we have tried to trim our costs to focus on Council priorities and to protect the front line services that people depend on.

"We know it is financially tough for our residents so we are pleased to be able to propose another year of freezing our share of the Council Tax. 

 "The Council has vowed wherever possible to protect those services which we know our residents regard as a priority:  keeping the streets clean, a renewed town centre, community safety and regular doorstep recycling services. In addition Harlow Council will continue to fund a number of discretionary services - ones that Council is not legally obliged to provide - because we know they are popular with our residents.  They are: the Playhouse, Pets' Corner, Parndon Wood Nature Reserve, paddling pools, Harlow Skatepark, Sam's Place, Café Youth, the annual bonfire night event and a museum service.

Key points of the budget include:

  • A proposed reduction in staff hours plus a lower rate of car mileage allowance will jointly save £140,000
  • The closure of public toilets at the Stow, Bush Fair and School Lane with alternative facilities provided by local shops and businesses will save £146,300.  The toilets at Pets' Corner will remain open.    
  • The first hour of parking in neighbourhood shopping centres to remain free to support retailers and only a 5p increase per hour thereafter.
  • Raising new revenue by increased charges for advice to planning applicants (bringing in an estimated £50,000).
  • Cutting expenditure on communications by £15,000 (due to the success of the education programme around recycling).
  • Closing Saturday mornings and a 3/4 hour reduction in Contact Harlow's weekday opening hours will save £65,000.
  • Closure of neighbourhood bringbank sites for recycling which are now underused following the success of the doorstep recycling and waste collections. This will save £16,000.
  • Ceasing of quarterly household textile collections to save £25,000. Many charities offer the same service and these materials can be recycled at the Riverway recycling site.
  • Over £ 870,000 of efficiency savings, mainly from back office services which won't affect the front-line.

Cllr Johnson added: "There were no easy choices to make in developing this budget; every service area has been the subject of fundamental review.  We also need to be clear that there are further large savings to be made over the next three years to enable the Council to meet the Coalition Government's reductions in the Council's grant to respond to the national deficit reduction.

"But despite the unprecedented financial climate, I believe we have left our core services in place and we are ready to press on with the task of renewing Harlow and bringing fresh investment to the town." 

The Council is meanwhile pressing on with proposals to save further sums through joint working with other Councils.  It is already working with Uttlesford Council to share some back office functions and is exploring opportunities for sharing services with other councils. 

*For every £1 collected in Council Tax, Harlow Council retains 16p and the rest is divided between the Fire and Rescue Service, Police and the County Council.  All three have yet to determine their Council Tax requirements.  Essex County Council meets to approve its budget on 22 February 2011.  Harlow Council is proposing to accept the Coalition Government's support to enable it to freeze Council Tax for 2011/12.  The final decision will be taken by a full Council meeting of Harlow Council on Feb 10.

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