Lib Dems propose lower Council Tax for West Berks

8.14.57pm GMT Wed 3rd Mar 2010

A lower Council Tax rise of just 1.5% for West Berkshire residents is proposed today by the Liberal Democrat Group. Shadow Finance spokesperson, Councillor David Rendel, commented, "Every penny in peoples' pockets counts in these dark financial times. The West Berkshire Council Liberal Democrats are proud to be putting forward a robust set of proposals. If these are approved, people will have to pay less council tax than if the Conservative proposal for a 1.9% increase is put in place.

We will also reverse some critical cuts made by the Conservatives to Youth Services, we will invest in two more schools advisors to halt the appalling rise in the number of West Berkshire Schools going into Special Measures and we will invest in more rural bus services and two extra Neighbourhood Wardens. All these proposals will make real differences to residents' lives, but we will be charging them less than the Conservatives to do it!"

Lib Dem Group Leader Jeff Brooks welcomed the Liberal Democrat budget amendment as a real alternative to Tory cuts and taxes. He added "Year after year the Lib Dems have proposed a lower council tax than the Conservatives. We have shown that lower taxes can be combined with investing in key services to improve peoples' lives. In the light of recent severe weather, we will be putting aside money to buy more grit supplies, grit bins and lease a storage depot for the grit to avoid a repetition of this year's gritting fiasco, where West Berkshire Council had to rely on Hampshire to bail them out with extra grit."