Conservatives set lowest ever County tax rise

“We said in June we planned to keep council tax low… it’s been a challenge but we’ve done it”

Staffordshire people will see a below inflation rise of 1.9% meaning the lowest increase since the current council tax system started in 1993.

And when that’s confirmed at full County Council shortly, it will mean Staffordshire people will be paying the second lowest council tax of any county council in the whole country from April.

The increase is a bit of a contrast to the previous Labour Administration who over their 28 years in power set the highest ever rise a few years ago at 15% and have struggled to keep it much below 5% apart from last year when a last minute alternative budget from us forced them to do a U-turn during the actual Budget Debate.

We tried really hard to get it down to just 1% but decided, rightly in my view, that we have to support social services for adults. It’s the County Department I’m responsible for and we will have enormous challenges ahead because of a fast increasing elderly population in Staffordshire as well as the need to clear up the mess I inherited after Labour’s Changing Lives.

So, not bad after 7 months in control and plans are developing throughout the County to improve efficiencies and cut out bureacracy and waste.

Easily said I know but there’s real confidence that we’ll do it.

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