Camden News: Cllr Theo Blackwell | £50 Tax Rebate

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Camden News - by RICHARD OSLEY
Published: 26 February 2009

Cllr Theo Blackwell

Labour council tax rebate proposal branded ‘a stunt’

THE Town Hall should hand a £50 council tax rebate to all residents in its credit crunch budget.
This is the call from Labour councillors who spent this week arguing that the council has not done enough to lift the borough during the
economic gloom.
After the Liberal Democrat and Conservative coalition running Camden agreed to freeze council tax for two years, Labour said finance chiefs could go further by handing back money a £50 “recession payment”.
Finance spokesman Councillor Theo Blackwell said: “Our budget is the only proposal to put money back into people’s pockets.”
His party’s alternative budget plan involves dipping into Camden’s £80 million savings bank – known as the reserves.
It has been caricature by Cllr Blackwell as “a pile of taxpayer gold” hoarded by the coalition.
He said by using some of the reserves, hikes to meals on wheels and parking permits could be reversed – as well as offering the rebates.
Cllr Blackwell added: “Our £50 recession plan comes from money we have been over-taxed on by the Lib Dems and only we will give it back to the people who need it most. It equates to a substantial cut in council tax.”
The Labour party is also suggesting Camden could stop £300,000 of bonuses to chief council officers for a year to help balance the books.
The coalition vowed to “lift spirits” last week with its pledges to leave council tax frozen and the establishment of a £6million economic recovery fund, set aside to help residents and businesses. The freeze will be paid for by cutting the council’s communications budget and stopping street cleaning in residential roads at weekends.
Conservative leader Councillor Andrew Marshall said: “The rebate is a stunt. Labour has no credibility on keeping council tax low in Camden – did they freeze it once during their 40 years in power?
“They’ve not done any of the hard work finding efficiency savings and our proposals already reduce reserves to the lower end of the range. They’re taking extra risks.”
Council treasurer Lib Dem councillor Ralph Scott added: “This is a gimmick. They are giving with one hand but taking away with another – and next year when there wouldn’t be a rebate, residents are stuck with a higher bill. We have been rightly cautious about our approach to the reserves.”
The budget is due to be discussed at full council on Monday night at the Town Hall from 7pm.

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