Labour and Conservatives agree, Liberal Democrats oppose rise
Ealing council tax bills will go up in April after the authority agreed to pass on a 2% social care levy to residents.
The Conservatives voted alongside the ruling Labour group to the rise, but the Liberal Democrats opposed the increase arguing the government - not the council - should be paying.
The 2% precept will pay for services such as home care for older and disabled residents, dementia support services and protecting people from abuse.
The council say reductions to its main government grant, increased demand for services and rising costs have meant they have had to find £168million worth of savings since 2010.
Around 80% have already been achieved, and the remainder will all have to be delivered by 2020. It's expected that the authority's main government grant will be reduced by a further £24.9million over next four years.
Council leader, Councillor Julian Bell, said: “We’ve continued to freeze council tax for as long as possible because we understand the financial pressures our residents face, especially the lowest paid.
“Despite extensive and sustained cuts to our government funding we have been successfully growing our way out of austerity. We have avoided putting up council tax, which many other boroughs have had to do, and have been investing substantially in social care.
“We remain committed to freezing core council tax for as long as possible.”
Councillor Yvonne Johnson, cabinet member for finance, performance and customer services, said:
“Social care is in crisis across the country and we need a national funding solution. Instead, the burden has been laid at the feet of local authorities as the government cuts funding and assumes we’ll pick up the tab.''
Conservative Leader of the Opposition, Cllr Gregory Stafford, said:
“Morally, supporting Labour's 2% social care tax was the right thing to do even though it was a result of their bad planning, bad financial management and bad leadership.
''The looming issues in social care was always on the cards with a growing ageing population. For Labour to be so unprepared by that growth in demand beggars belief.''
The Liberal Democrats voted against the rise arguing that the government should be paying for social care, not the council. They also say there has been a general lack of transparency over finances. Councillor Andrew Steed said, '''We have no explanation for the £30 million hole that has opened up in the finances. This funding gap is being met by raiding the reserves and raising Council Tax. Itis not acceptable to residents of Ealing that within the past year such a loss of financial control should occur.
'' We are calling for much greater scrutiny of what has happened with the Labour Finance Lead and Officers providing a better explanation at a meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. If Council members are still not satisfied, then Labour’s Councillor Johnson should step down.''
The proposals were agreed at a meeting of the full council on Tuesday, 21 February when the budget was set for 2017/18.
A 2% increase in the council tax band D charge is £21.20 per year and which will generate £2.3million. It is the equivalent of an extra 41pence per week on the average Band D council tax payment.
Also included in residents’ council tax bills is a precept to the Greater London Authority to help pay for policing, with the Mayor’s share of council tax bills due to rise to £280.02 for Band D taxpayers, an increase of £4.02 per year – which is less than eight pence per week.
23 February 2017