Council tax frozen again

St Albans City and District Council is set to freeze its component of the District’s Council Tax for the eighth year in a row.

To prevent a rise, savings in excess of £700,000 have been identified from the Council’s Budget for next year.

Details of the Council’s finances were given to a meeting of its Cabinet on Tuesday 22 December.

Cabinet agreed a Budget for 2016/21 as well as a Corporate Plan, setting out priority projects for the next five years.

These include the conversion of the Town Hall into a Museum and Art Gallery and the redevelopment of the former Museum site in Hatfield Road.

In addition, two issues have emerged in recent months with financial implications for the Council.

The Council expects to continue supporting residents affected by the sinkhole in Fontmell Close, St Albans. It is also committed to settling ten Syrian refugees a year in the District.

The Budget, Corporate Plan and recommendation on Council Tax will now go to a meeting of the full Council on 26 January 2016 for approval.

Councillor Alec Campbell, Portfolio Holder for Resources for St Albans City and District Council, said: “I am pleased we are able to freeze the Council Tax precept for the eighth year in succession.

“A lot of hard work has gone on behind the scenes to make savings while investing in improvements to customer services and planning.

“We are managing to run high-quality frontline public services and deliver on a range of major projects without making any rise in the precept.”

Council Tax also includes precepts from Hertfordshire County Council, the Parish and Town Councils and the County’s Crime Commissioner.

Papers for the Cabinet meeting are available on:  http://stalbans.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=117&MId=7832

A webcast of the meeting is also available to watch: http://www.stalbans.public-i.tv/core/portal/home

Councillor contact:

Cllr Alec Campbell, Portfolio Holder for Resources, St Albans City and District Council. 

Tel: 01727 760750 Email: Cllr.A.Campbell@stalbans.gov.uk

Contact for the media:

John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer, St Albans City District Council

Tel: 01727 296130 

E-mail: john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk