Helen Eales

North Norfolk Tory tax-cut dreams stalled by “horrendous” economic state

by Alex Hurrell, Reporter Thursday, September 15, 2011
10:00 AM

North Norfolk’s new Tory-run administration is planning to freeze rather than cut council tax over the next two years because of “horrendous” national and international economic conditions.

The Conservatives swept to power in May’s district council elections on a manifesto which included a pledge to seek a cut in council tax.

But after four months in control, council leader Helen Eales said the Conservatives would have to wait for greater economic stability before they could actually reduce the levy.

“Our ideal would be to reduce council tax but it’s probably not going to happen at the moment,” she said.

“We have taken over in an economic climate which couldn’t be worse - there are horrendous problems out there - and we are waiting until there is more stability.”

Low rates meant the interest on council investments had been cut by a third and the Tories did not want to risk damaging the district’s finances and having to slash services.

A freeze would see a householder in the average council-tax band D continuing to pay £138.87, representing North Norfolk District Council’s (NNDC) 9.2pc portion of the overall £1,510.28 charge. Tory-controlled Norfolk County Council is also intending to freeze its element of council tax for two years.

Mrs Eales said NNDC Conservatives were working intensively on detailed plans to honour their manifesto pledges but meanwhile they were operating within the 2011-2012 budget set by the previous Liberal Democrat administration.

Residents will get a first look at the Tories’ proposals for the next four years when the party’s forward planning statement is released early next month.

Creating new job opportunities across north Norfolk remained a key priority, Mrs Eales added.

So far cost-cutting has led to the loss of abut 12 jobs within NNDC, not all through compulsory redundancy, but Mrs Eales said these had all been agreed under the former administration.

Building more affordable homes with enough supporting infrastructure, helping the local economy and protecting the coast and countryside were also among the Tories’ promises and Mrs Eales said next month’s statement would explain how they hoped to achieve those goals during 2012-3013 and beyond.

She said all NNDC departments had been asked to look for 10pc worth of savings and the results would be fed into the Conservatives’ revised budget, due to go before the full council in December.

“That doesn’t necessarily mean we will be making 10pc reductions across the board,” she said. “There may be cases where services need a boost. We want to be as positive as we possibly can, using efficiencies and sharing services where possible.”

The Conservatives went from trailing the Lib-Dems by 12 seats to having a majority of 10 after the spring elections.

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9 comments

You can't expect anyone to take a politician seriously when they borrow money on the world markets to give it away in foreign aid, or carry on fighting futile wars that anybody with a sense of history realise are a complete waste of money and resources. None of these cuts would be necessary if the economy was run properly,but as long as you keep voting for failed poltical parties this is what you will get.

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Harry Rabinowitz

Friday, September 16, 2011
@MERRY DANCER. you have posted your blog but you havent really come up with a good argument why british taxes should not be used to save british jobs first and foremost. In fact you have come up with no argument at all

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running bear

Friday, September 16, 2011
Let's have a look a saving money this way. District Councils,as other councils now take on a whole range of unnecessary tasks. At the next election why not publish a list of ALL the positions and posts held and EXACTLY what they do and for how much (it is our money) and then we can tick those we would like to keep paying for. On average we will only keep those we deem to be of use and those left can give up the extra 'officers day' they enjoy after every Bank Holiday and get back to work loke the rest of us.

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sensibletrousers

Thursday, September 15, 2011
Pleased to see the Tories are finally back on the planet and "get" the concept of the "international economy". After 18 months of tediously rolling out the line about "the 'mess' we inherited from the last government", I hope this new found understanding will lead to acknowledgement that Labour did not the cause the recessions of the USA, France, Germany, Iceland, Spain, Greece, Italy etc etc... ...And while they're at it perhaps they might acknowledge that they inherited an economy with a phenominally good AAA credit rating that was growing again with rising employment - and because of their arrogance refusing to listen to the best economists they have turned us back into danger.

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Sam Rushworth

Thursday, September 15, 2011
RB, you are without doubt the most tedious poster on this site. Everything is the fault of immigrants according to you. You would probably blame not being able to get a parking space or stubbing your toe on the pavement on immigrants. Stick to posting on the BNP website in future you odious clown.

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robotsthatcare

Thursday, September 15, 2011
running bear - the moment you have to resort to blaming immigration or asylum seekers then you have lost any credibility that you may have had with your argument. Immigration is not the problem...the current economic crisis is far, far more complex and I imagine you are unable to cope with such intellectually challenging explanations...hence your recourse to the easy option of blaming asylum seekers etc.

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merrydancer

Thursday, September 15, 2011
I guess one person's "dream" is another person's nightmare.

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Jono Read

Thursday, September 15, 2011
Perhaps the people in the private sector should write to their mps asking why more people in the overpensioned and better paid public sector haven't lost their jobs, considering the public sector is unviable in their present situation and estimates show, overstaffed? Just a personal opinion

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NorthCity

Thursday, September 15, 2011
the one hundred and eleven thousand public service workers who have lost their jobs over the last three months should write to their local coalition mps and ask why the goverment have axed their jobs when they are still spending billions on asylum and immigration

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running bear

Thursday, September 15, 2011