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Councillors Approve Council Tax for 2010/11

Councillors in Poole have agreed a 2.9 per cent increase in council tax for 2010/11.

Poole's budget for the coming year was approved at a meeting of the full council on Thursday 18 February 2010.

The decision means the annual charge for a Band D property in Poole will be £1,209.60 from April 2010, excluding precepts for local police and fire services. These charges are set separately by the Dorset police and fire authorities.

The rise in council tax is equivalent to an increase of less than 66p a week on a Band D property for council services.

At the same meeting, councillors agreed to a zero per cent rise in all members' allowances for the next 12 months in the support of the budget.

Councillor Brian Leverett, Leader of the Council, said: "Thanks mainly to planned efficiencies and those delivered in recent years we have been able to set the lowest percentage increase since Poole became a unitary authority in 1997. We remain determined to keep rises to a minimum in future years."  

There will be significant pressures on the council's budget in 2010/12. While incomes to the council such as planning fees have been hit by the recession, there has been a rise in demand for services such as adult and children's social care.

Borough of Poole will receive a 1.5 per cent grant increase from the Government, compared to an increase in the national average for all unitary authorities of three per cent for the same period.