‘Maintain our status as having the lowest council tax outside London’?
Today RBWM has the lowest Council Tax outside London – and is on the verge of declaring bankruptcy. In my opinion this is the direct result of a local Conservative policy to keep Council Tax low and implemented for many years.
According to the CIPFA Report (Table 2) RBWM Council Tax Average Band D = £1,683.78 per year as compared with Slough (£2,186.63) and Reading (£2,367.47).
At the RBWM Council Meeting on 20 November 2024 the Conservative opposition appear to have conveniently forgotten about their policy and its impacts on RBWM finances. For the record I have republished both sides of an official Conservative election leaflet dated May 2023 that clearly confirms the policy at the top of their ‘ten point plan’ on the back page.
‘Maintain our status as having the lowest council tax outside London’
Is this policy something to be proud of – or maybe not?
A copy of the CIPFA Review document including the Council Tax figures can be found here from page 49 onwards
P.S. – Double the Council Tax increase? If today – RBWM Council Tax Band D = £1,683 and Reading = £2,367 – then applying an annual increase of 10% and 5% respectively – it will take about 8 years for RBWM to achieve Reading Council Tax levels – at about £3,300.