Council tax charge to be frozen for those living across Leamington, Warwick and Kenilworth area

Warwick District Council has frozen its council tax charge for the coming year - one of just a handful to keep their portion of the bill the same as for 2021/22.

With the support of the Labour and the Whitnash Residents Association groups, the measures were approved at the full council meeting yesterday (Wednesday) at Warwick Shire Hall.

A Liberal Democrat amendment, which was supported by the Greens, called for a £5 increase on an average band D property but this was defeated.

Council leader Cllr Andrew Day (Con, Bishop’s Tachbrook) said that finances were in a good place after extra government funding for green projects had been secured.

“We have more than adequate reserves to ensure that we protect our services,” he said.

“The action we take tonight by not increasing our council tax says to our residents ‘we’re with you’. We understand the tough choices families have to make every single day and will have to make for some years to come as we come out of a pandemic, economic crisis, war in Ukraine and everything else that gets thrown at us.

“Even though we have worked hard this year and saved over £3m in the running of this council and we have much more work in the year ahead, I would encourage us to just be brave and recognise that we can go and win money for our environment plans which we have done - £9.7m of it this year and we can do it again if we actually work together.”

Labour group leader Cllr Jonathan Nicholls (Lab, Leamington Clarendon) supported the zero increase stance.

He said: “In supporting the budget and freezing the council tax, I and my group are doing what we feel is the right thing for the residents of the district in response to the extraordinarily difficult circumstances we find ourselves in.

“We know that there are future risks ahead for the council but it is our job to use what financial reserves we have to cushion those most unable to help themselves.

“Not putting up council tax by 2.8 per cent may not amount to much for some but it is a strong signal that we have listened and that we care.”

In support of his call for a tax increase, Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Alan Boad (Lib Dem, Leamington Lillington) said the £282,000 raised over the year would be put into the reserves to kickstart a programme of insulation of properties in the private sector.

He said: “We have to look longer term - £282,000 per annum lost forever. We will be facing financial difficulties when the savings we have to find go up to £1m a year when we know the cost of contracts are increasing and that our costs are rising. Yet we are prepared to throw away £282,000 per year.”

All eight Green Party councillors voted against the proposal. Green Party Councillor Will Roberts said: "The council is facing one of its toughest budgets this year with the cost-of-living crisis and an inflation rate at its highest for 30 years.

"The impacts of Covid on the council's revenue and, yet again central government failing to deliver much needed funding to local authorities, means that some tough decisions have to be made.

“The council itself will see rising costs over the next year with inflation expected to hit seven per cent, according to the Bank of England. The Conservatives have failed to take a long-term view on council finances.

Without this increase of 9p per week per Band D property, the council would be out of pocket by £282,000 annually, hampering council efforts to help the poorest in society."