News
Council tax increase cut
Walsall Council’s proposed 4.5% increase in council tax has been reduced to 4.26% just days before cabinet meet to ratify an austerity budget. However, the increase for Walsall householders is still well above the current rate of inflation which stands at 1.9% with interest rates remaining unchanged.
Neighbouring local authorities have proposed smaller increases. South Staffordshire has set 3%, Dudley 2% and Wolverhampton no increase at all. This leaves Walsall residents with the highest council tax rate in the region.
Needing to save £11.2million this year, the draft budget proposes massive cuts in social care, the closure of Willenhall Leisure Centre and a reduction in council services brought about by the disappearance of 79 council jobs through the “deletion” of vacant posts. However, the council have managed to allocate £1million for improvements to offices in at the Civic Centre, audio visual equipment at the Council House and an undisclosed sum for the refurbishment of the Conservative ruling group accommodation.
The 0.24% reduction in council tax increase is the result of the council collecting more tax than expected. The rest of the draft budget proposals remain unchanged.