Most tax bills frozen by councils across Herts

Council tax bills across South West Hertfordshire will largely remain at current levels after a raft of precept freezes. Three Rivers District Council (TRDC) and Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) both agreed yesterday to retain their current precept as budgets were set for the year ahead. This comes a month after Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner David Lloyd announced a freeze on the policing share of the council tax bill for the fifth year in a row. Abbots Langley Parish Council has also stopped increases on its precept, meaning that Band D property owners in the village will continue to pay £1464.76 a year. Currently Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) takes 77p of every pound, while 20p is split between district councils and policing in Hertfordshire. Three per cent of the council tax bill goes to parish councils. Chorleywood Parish Council has already announced that it will raise its precept by £7.36 a year for each Band D property, in order to cover costs of work to the War Memorial Hall. Croxley Green Parish councillors agreed to raise Band D rates from £46.52 to £47.62 per year, with its full precept income to stand at £257,978. Speaking at TRDC’s budget meeting on February 25, Abbots Langley district councillor Matthew Bedford welcomed the district council precept freeze. He said: “In spite of the difficult situation with government cuts Three Rivers continues to invest in the community and sports facilities. With the freeze the district council’s precept is actually lower than what it was in 2006-07, when it stood at £156.63.” HCC’s Derrick Ashley, cabinet member for resources and transformation, echoed Cllr Bedford’s sentiments. He said: “Our prudent financial management has allowed us to freeze council tax at 2009 levels, while continuing to invest in services that are essential to supporting Hertfordshire’s residents and economy. He added: “This is despite the difficult economic situation, national reductions in public sector spending and increasing pressures on our budget from inflation, as well as the cost of meeting the many needs of Hertfordshire’s growing population.” The Three Rivers Lib Dem budget was passed through on February with 33 votes for and ten abstentions. It included a proposal to review every service the council provides, a process which is forecasted to save the council £1.2m in 2016/17.