Fighting to keep your Council Tax down

11.28.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sun 29th Mar 2009

I am also a member of Bucks and Milton Keynes Fire Authority which is controlled by the Conservative Party. Their proposal was that there increase should be 4.99%. As I could not see any extra services for Milton Keynes and the rural areas I voted against the proposal. The Conservative Councillor who represents Milton Keynes was not present, therefore we lost the vote and the Conservative Fire Authority precept will yet again be high with a poor service.

As usual the Annual Milton Keynes Council Budget has taken a great deal of time for me and other councillors as well as many council staff. My personal commitment at the election in 2007 was that I would never vote for a council tax increase above pensioner's inflation. This year pensioner's inflation was around 5%.

Because of the credit crunch that has been devastating for our area the Liberal Democrat administration moved a budget which included a 3.9% council tax increase.

In looking after the interests of my village residents, I went through the budget again and managed to keep front line services to the present high standard and still make a further cut in council tax. At the Council Meeting I moved an amendment to the budget that the council tax should be 3.5%. This was passed by council with the Conservatives voting against. I was furious that the Conservative amendment on the budget included cutting the Building Schools of The Future Fund which is a fund set aside for to build new schools. If this fund was cut as proposed by the Conservatives then the chance of getting a new Newport Pagnell Ousedale Campus would have been thrown away. Luckily the irresponsibility of the Conservative budget did not get through.

I am a member of Astwood and Hardmead Parish Council and proposed a 0% increase in council tax rise this was passed unanimously. We made a saving by pulling out of the Bucks Playing Field Association which after some enquiries we found out that they sent us a newsletter and nothing else!!

I am also a member of Bucks and Milton Keynes Fire Authority which is controlled by the Conservative Party. Their proposal was that there increase should be 4.99%. As I could not see any extra services for Milton Keynes and the rural areas I voted against the proposal. The Conservative Councillor who represents Milton Keynes was not present, therefore we lost the vote and the Conservative Fire Authority precept will yet again be high with a poor service.