Brentwood News
New budget is "significant win" for Brentwood tax payers
3:59pm Wednesday 22nd February 2012
BRENTWOOD tax payers are set to have more money in their pockets and benefit from improved services.
Brentwood Council has approved its budget and made the bold move to do more with less.
It will reduce council tax by 2.1 per cent in the 2012/13 financial year, which could be one of the lowest reductions in the country.
The decision, which will come into effect in April, will save the average Band D household £3.67 a year.
Councillor Louise McKinlay, leader of the council, said it had been a challenge but she was “proud” of what had been achieved.
“We have demonstrated cuts in budget don’t have to equal cuts in services,” she said.
“At the start of the process in June I wanted to work towards zero per cent council tax as a worse case scenario, with no raiding of reserves.
“Then at the end of January I wanted to find another £100,000 to make sure it could be done. It went right up to the wire but we found it through efficiencies and savings made from running costs of the council.
“But the pressure will not ease up, any penny spent will be as cost effective as possible.”
Even members of the council's opposition could not vote against the Tory administration’s proposals.
Lib Dem leader David Kendall said it would be “stupid to put political dogma in front of what is best for Brentwood residents”.
However, he criticised Mrs McKinlay for leaking proposals to the press before councillors were made aware of the late changes to the budget.
Brentwood's only Labour councillor, Mike Le Surf, was the only member of the council to reject the budget.
Although he approved of the council tax reduction, along with other money saving measures within what Shenfield councillor Peter Baker hailed as “a Paul Daniels budget”, he could not support it.
“I say no to running Brentwood Council as a business where the ends justify the means and no to the direction of travel the budget is taking us - it’s stability that Brentwood needs,” he said.
As well as the reduction in council tax, the budget also outlines plans to plough an extra £350,000 into the council's “frontline services”.
Mrs McKinlay added: "It's getting the balance right between delivering quality frontline services based on residents' priorities, making sure it's sustainable and it's giving more value for money - it's a significant win for residents."