Cllr John Blundell, Deputy Leader of the Conservative group on Coventry Council, has today (Friday 8th February 2013) urged the ruling Labour group not to raise Council Tax in Coventry after Birmingham and Warwickshire announced their bills would be frozen this year.
Late last year the Labour Group announced that it was planning to ignore the offer of government funding to help freeze bills for local taxpayers and instead seek 2% extra from local taxpayers, nearly £30 extra on an average Band D property. Yet this week Birmingham City Council has announced it will freeze Council Tax and local Conservatives are arguing there is now no excuse for Coventry not to do the same.
Commenting Cllr John Blundell said: “As the cost of living continues to rise a freeze in Council Tax for the last two years has helped local families. Following Warwickshire and Birmingham announcing their decisions not to increase Council Tax, I am calling on the Labour Party in Coventry to do the same. In the pre-budget report they put in a 2% rise and chose to ignore the Government’s offer of a grant equivalent to a 1% increase in Council Tax.
“Warwickshire and Birmingham are facing similar choices to Coventry, yet have already announced plans to freeze their Council Tax bills. If Council Tax rises in Coventry it will be the sole responsibility of local Labour Councillors. We will be putting forward an alternative budget with no increase for 2013/14 on February 26th 2013 and hope they will do the same.”