Thursday 10th January 2008

Oxfordshire County Council Conservatives

Lower Council Tax rise delivers election promises

Oxfordshire County Council’s Conservative cabinet will be proposing a rise in the rate of Council Tax for next year (2008/9) of 3.875%. This will be the third successive year in which the Conservative-run Council has been able to bring down the rise in the Council Tax.

Last year, the Conservatives were able to meet their original target of a 4% rise two years ahead of schedule. This further cut delivers its election promise to continue the downward pressure on Council Tax wherever possible throughout the life of this council.

It is expected that once again the Council will have delivered the lowest rise of any shire county in the South East.

This comes despite both a financial settlement from government which for the next three years will see increases in grant funding significantly below the rate of inflation and attempts by government to hide cuts in funding by reclassifying them as permissions to borrow rather than grants which would put the cost of servicing the borrowing on the Oxfordshire taxpayer for years to come.

Cllr Charles Shouler, the cabinet member for finance, said:

“In common with the rest of the South East of England we have received a miserly amount of money from central government.

"We are able to cope with this partly because of the excellent financial planning and management we have employed (which continues to draw praise from our regulators) and also because of the efficiencies and savings we have been able to make following the successful programme of changes we have introduced in the way we operate.

“This has meant that unlike some other councils we have not had to make swingeing cuts to services and have been able to invest for the long-term in areas such as adult social care.

“This budget represents a good balance act between the rate of council tax and money for services and continues to deliver value for money."