Council tax set to increase in Pendle as borough faces 'stark position'

A pre-budget report states that Pendle Council is facing "a stark position" after many years of tight financial control and austerity which saw the level of central Government funding reducing whilst also capping council tax increases.

Increasing council tax by 1.99% will give rise to a Band D charge from £276.01 to £281.50, an increase of £5.49.

Over 60% of Pendle homes are in Band A for which the equivalent increase would be £3.60 giving rise to a Band A charge of £187.67, up from £184.01 in this year. 33.

If this increase is not agreed then the council will have to identify and implement additional savings for equivalent amounts.

As such, if councillors were minded to approve no increase in council tax for 2021/22 at tomorrow's meeting, then the loss of income from council tax would be £131,000 for next year in isolation and £393,000 cumulatively over the a three year period increasing the level of savings required by the equivalent amount.

However, it is believed all parties agree on the 1.99% increase.

Other options being considered include increased cemetery fees by 50% for non-residents; increased Garden Waste charge based on an increase of £2 annually for both 2022/23 and 2023/24; reduction in mechanical street sweeping; rduction in manual street sweeping; revised verge maintenance arrangements.

The total impact of these changes will be to reduce the net expenditure budget down by £0.073m in 2022/23.

However, Whitefield and Walverden Labour councillors said they were opposed to street cleaning cuts imposed by the ruling Conservative group on Pendle Council.

Coun. Ruby Anwar said: “I joined the council 12 months ago and campaigned for additional funding to work with local residents and keep our streets clean. Only a few months ago the Conservatives cut the budget for street cleaning and the effects of this can be seen. I believe that the council should prioritise front line services and not cut them.

Coun. Faraz Ahmad added: “ I know many local people are concerned about the effects of climate change and this is why the Labour group budget proposal includes enhancing the climate change budget for work which needs doing now.

"It is the case that as a result of decisions by the government, many people I talk to are really struggling with the cost of living crisis but Pendle Conservatives seem oblivious to this and are silent."

And deputy leader of the Labour group Coun. Asjad Mahmood said he shocked at the Conservative groups budget proposal to take £5000,000 of cuts from the council next year, which he said was in addition to the millions already cut by the conservative government.

"Clearly, there is only one agenda on the table from Pendle Conservatives, that’s to cuts vital front-line services at a time when our residents need them most." he added.