Westminster freezes council tax ... again

2009/2010 Conservative Westminster Council Tax: £687.62 (no change)

2009/2010 Labour-passed Islington Council Tax: £1,271.73 (+2.5%)

2009/2010 LibDem Richmond-upon-Thames Council Tax: £1,287.39 (+3.5%)

We're very pleased to report that at a full council meeting last week Westminster Council voted to freeze its share of the council tax for the second year running.

As local Councillors we always fight hard for council tax to be kept as low as possible because we know that you can spend your money better than the state can. And, for the first time, the Mayor's precept has also been frozen - thanks to Boris and proving, after eight years of huge rises under Livingstone, that taxes don't always have to rise. That's the reason why Conservative Councils really do cost you less.

The average band D property in Maida Vale will pay, as last year, £681.62.

We're very proud to be able to freeze the tax burden on local residents in Maida Vale - every little helps!

Alastair, Jan and Lee

Westminster to freeze council tax ... again

We're a bit early this year, but a few weeks ago, we announced that the Council was again freezing its share of the council tax for financial year 2009/2010. That's the second 0% increase in a row.

Coupled with Boris's announcement that he is also freezing his share of the council tax that means Maida Vale residents will pay the same amount as last year - a total freeze which hasn't happened at all in the last decade - and has only been made possible by a Conservative Mayor and a Conservative Council.

As councillors, we know that you are being taxed too much already and so we are determined - in whatever small way we can - to help you.

Lee

Westminster freezes its share of the council tax (if only Ken could do the same)

2008/2009 Conservative Westminster Council Tax: £687.02 (+0.9% due to Mayor)

2008/2009 Labour Lambeth Council Tax: £1,235.11 (+4.0%)

2008/2009 Liberal Democrat Islington Council Tax: £1,248.23 (+2.4%)

Over the last couple of weeks the council tax bills for 2008/2009 have been dropping through letterboxes across Maida Vale. And the really good news is that the share of that bill taken by Westminster Council has been frozen, thanks to the votes of Conservative Councillors, for the upcoming year (remaining at £377.80 for a Band D property). Yet again, every single Labour Councillor voted against the freeze.

As local councillors we wanted to freeze the council tax because we are acutely aware of how people's budgets are coming under tremendous pressure from rises in the price of food, energy, the cost of living and, unjustifiably, from the rising tax burden imposed by Gordon Brown.

Overall, council tax in Westminster this year will rise by 0.9% to £687.02 (Band D property) - the rise solely down to the Mayor who, in his wisdom, is taking an extra £6.02 a year from hardworking families and individuals.

Westminster council tax remains the second lowest in the country - and, as your local councillors, we are working hard to keep it that way.

Lee

Aaah, there must be an election coming ...

Ken has his hand in your pocket again

Our useless Mayor published his budget proposals today and he is yet again trying to take more of your money - his share of the council tax in 08/09 will rise by 2.4% to £311.17 for an average Band D property. That's another £7.29 being taken from the pockets of hard-working Westminster taxpayers by a Mayor who just doesn't seem to get that people are being taxed too much.

Since Ken took office in 2000 the Mayoral precept has increased by 253%.

Still, at least it's lower than his 5.3% rise last year (or the 13.3% rise the year before that). Of course that couldn't possibly be a cynical ploy just three months before an election he might just lose ...

Time's up Ken.

Lee

Eighteen Ways to Improve Westminster

In last week's Council Meeting, Sir Simon Milton, the leader of Westminster Council, outlined the plans for the second year of our One City programme, which seeks to improve the lives of Westminster residents. He outlined 18 separate initiatives which the Council will work on over the next year:

• improving secondary school attainment
• a new learning and achievement strategy for Westminster's schools
• improving opportunities for older residents through the Every Older Person Matters programme
• launching a new temporary-to-permanent housing scheme to boost home ownership
• launching a Local Employment Initiative
• bidding for a new Construction Training Centre to be based at Paddington Green
• making Westminster an exemplar green authority through our Go Green initiative
• exempting all green vehicles (not just electric) from resident's permit charges
• continued spending on local high streets
• receiving and actioning the planning application from the proposed Victoria Interchange
• developing Westminster's first ever noise strategy
• supporting a Family Drug and Alcohol Court to support early intervention
• targeting crime and disorder around the Prince of Wales junction on the Harrow Road
• improving parking and the range of parking services available online
• launching a Wireless Innovation Competition
• strengthening the role of ward councillors at neighbourhood level
• recruiting 4,700 additional volunteers by March 2009
• launching further engagement programmes with local residents

Further details can be found here.

Westminster Conservatives are committed to putting forward a positive, pragmatic vision for Westminster for the next four years and beyond. We would welcome your support in achieving these aims.

Please do get in touch if you have any comments on the proposed initiatives launched last week.

Alastair, Jan and Lee

Westminster: Council Tax

2007/2008 Conservative Westminster Council Tax: £681.68

2007/2008 Labour Lambeth Council Tax: £1187.23

2007/2008 LibDem Islington Council Tax: £1219.40

At the annual council tax meeting last night, Conservative Councillors voted for a minimum increase in Westminster's share of the Council Tax paid by local residents. From April, average Band D council taxpayers will pay £377.80 to Westminster (a rise below the current inflation rate of 2.7%).

During the election last year, Westminster Conservatives committed themselves to council tax rises at no more than 2% each year to 2010. We're very pleased to be able to deliver on our promise.

Every single Labour Councillor present last night voted against the proposal.

Including the Mayor's cut of council tax, total Band D bills will be £681.68 for 2007/2008. Ken Livingstone is now taking almost half of the council tax you pay (£303.88 out of £681.68).

Lee

Labour's Not Listening (No.3 in a series)

Last week, the government announced how much money it would give to local councils in 2007/2008 to run their services. While we were very glad for an increase in the money we are due to receive, Westminster residents remain desperately short-changed by Labour.

How? Well Labour is currently changing the distribution formulas for local government, with the result that more money is going out of London. When the final effects of the formula changes are felt, Westminster will see reductions in children's social services (a 40% reduction in underlying resources per child) and a 25% cut in services to rough sleepers and those with mental health needs.

Tax, spend and still fail. Not good enough, Gordon.

Lee

Labour's Not Listening (No.2 in a series)

Last week, the government announced how much money it would give to local councils in 2007/2008 to run their services. While we were very glad for the increased amount of money, Westminster residents remain desperately short-changed by Labour.

How? Well since Labour introduced its new Licensing Act last year, Westminster council taxpayers have contributed the equivalent of £42 per band D property to fund the costs of administration.

Not good enough, Tony.

Lee

Labour's Not Listening (No. 1 in a series)

On Tuesday, the government announced how much money it would give to local councils in 2007/2008 to run their services.

Firstly, we'll give the government some credit: Westminster's grant will increase by 4.6% next year. That might at least partially offset the ever-increasing burden which Labour steathily places on local councils in an effort to avoid raising income tax.

Despite the increase, however, Westminster remains desperately short-changed by the Labour government. Over the next few days we'll highlight a number of areas where you - local council tax payers - are having to pay for Blair's incompetent and inefficient nanny state.

Lee