Council Tax: Is it excessive to ask – Where’s all the money gone?

The last item on the agenda to go before full council, today, the 22 February is, Report number A/22/31

The last recommendations in the report states:

To determine that the District Council’s basic amount of council tax for 2023/24 is not excessive in accordance with principles approved under Section 52ZB of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

The actual wording in the act, states:

A billing authority must determine whether its relevant basic amount of council tax for a financial year is excessive.

A major precepting authority must determine whether its relevant basic amount of council tax for a financial year is excessive.

A local precepting authority must determine whether its relevant basic amount of council tax for a financial year is excessive.

All layers of local government covered, from parish to county.

Cllrs have a duty, by law, to determine, whether council tax increases are  excessive.

In a cost of living crisis, is the twentieth proposed rise in Council Tax by Folkestone & Hythe District Council, led by Councillr David Monk (Con), just another kick in the balls?

Folkestone & Hythe District Council have had, the highest Council Tax, of any Council in Kent, for the last nineteen years.

Is that excessive?

If, at the full council meeting, held today, the recommended Council Tax increase is voted through, that will make our Council, the Council with the highest Council Tax in Kent for the 20th year in a row.

 Is that excessive?

From 2004/05 to 2023/24 – Twenty Years

Is that excessive?

The number of households in receipt of Council Tax Reduction, as of March 2022 was 9,553, which is equivalent to 18%, of the 53,300 households in the district.

The number of households claiming CTR,  has fallen from 10,113 in April 21, when 19% of the district needed to claim the reduction.

No doubt, Cllr Monk, the Leader of the Council, since 2013, will say something similar to

“We have done everything we can to keep our council tax increase as low as possible.”

Which he said as Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, in Feb 2009.

To put things into perspective, Dartford’s population has grown 20%, between 2011 and 2021, yet they have had a freeze on their Council Tax, for the last two years. Our population, on the other hand, has seen a 1.7% population growth over the same period, yet we’ve continusiously had, the highest Council Tax of any council in Kent for all ten years.

Is the proposed increase excessive?

In 2022, we proposed solutions to lower residents Council Tax, not once, but twice.

Lets not forget – the number of Discretionary Housing Payments; which provide financial support to help with rent or housing costs, has fallen year on year since 2019/20.

And this, during a cost of living crisis. The evidence shows a tighten of the fiscal tap, for those who, no doubt, need it most. Another kick in the balls.

We know the Council has suffered a number of financial irregularities over the last few years.

How have the sums “lost“, played out in Council Tax determination calculations.  What percentage increase has the lost sum added to the equation?

Is the proposed Council Tax rise excessive

due to the lost £5m on Princes Parade?

The £2.6m on the Premier Roofing Contract & Cliff Carpentry & Interior contracts.

the £1.5m they spent without compliant contracts.

or the following:

Here’s a developer who received duplicate payments

And the reason for all this is, there is NO Leadership.

Will our 30 elected Cllrs challenge the proposed rise in Council Tax, and determine it excessive?

It’s doable 

A large part of the twentieth proposed Council Tax increase, is due to the financial irregularities highlighted by The Shepway Vox Team, amiably assisted by Cllr Laura Davison (Lab), Cllr Jim Martin (Green) & Cllr Lesley Whybrow (Green).

We ask:  Where’s all the money gone?

Will our 30 elected Cllrs do their duty to determine, after reasonable discussion and debate, that this proposed Council Tax rise, the twentieth in a row, is excessive?

We leave you to ponder that.

The Shepway Vox Team

The Velvet Voices of Voxatiousness

Where’s all the money gone? By Joe & Friends.