Clare Body

North Herts Council agreed to impose the biggest council tax rise in Herts at its meeting on 7th February. The Council voted for a rise of 4.5%, meaning that the rise will be more than in any other district in the County. Both Labour and Conservative Councillors voted down a Liberal Democrat proposal that would have reduced the rise to 3.8%.

Liberal Democrat leader Steve Jarvis said, “North Herts has been increasing its council tax faster than the surrounding districts for several years, whilst cutting support for services like dial-a-ride and local buses. The Audit Commission says that the council is high cost, but the Conservatives who run the council say this is wrong. I suspect local people who pay more than most of the rest of Herts for fewer services know who they believe.”

The Liberal Democrat proposal would have scrapped a restructuring of the council’s Environmental Health department which will increase costs by nearly £60,000 a year without any improvement in services.