BREAKING NEWS: Will council tax increase or not?!
Public consultation will end on Thursday, December 1, 2017, which is tomorrow. Most likely we will have to pay more for Council Tax. As you can see, the needs of our society are greater, and the Council tax increase could help to seal the budget hole. The result will be available on December 13, 2017.
City councilors are preparing for another council tax increase, which is paid by residents of the city and allocated to local services. According to the first assumptions of next year's budget, the tax is expected to increase by 5%. The office wants to deal with the 19 million deficit in the city's cash register and the rising costs of social welfare.
The increase in payments, if implemented, will initially be debated after the 4th December 2017 public consultation and debated at the City Council on 13th December 2017, will become the second annual council tax increase in Peterborough.
Peterborough City Council, led by the Conservatives, plans to allocate a 3% increase, or nearly £2 million, to financing urban social welfare. Other budgetary targets will allow officials to save nearly £3 million, but still face a deficit of £15.7 million.
The question of the homeless in Peterborough continues to be questioned. The number of families requiring temporary accommodation in our city has increased by 200% in the last two years. This means that officials now need at least £1.6 m to tackle homelessness, finding the right solutions and stopping people from staying at nearby Bed & Breakfasts. It is estimated that in the next four years this figure will rise to £5.7 m.
Councilor John Holdich recently announced and warned against the effects of the withdrawal of 80% of key government funding.
"[...] I have said it many times and I will repeat again: We are not financed adequately by the government. The 2018/2019 budget is the biggest challenge for us today [...]" - commented board member Holdich.
However, despite the expected turbulence, the office wants to remain on track to realize its key priorities, including: creating new places in schools, investing in transport and urban development, and attracting investors.
The first part of the budget proposal for 2018/2019 can be commented by visiting www.peterborough.gov.uk/budget.
