Knowsley faces challenges as council tax goes up 4%

Mar 5 2008 by Alan Weston, Liverpool Daily Post

COUNCIL tax bills in Knowsley will rise by 4% after the authority set a budget of £422m yesterday.

It means those living in Band A properties – who make up the majority of residents – will see their total annual bill for 2008/09 increase to £882.80, or by 56p a week.

The authority said the budget had been set against the background of tough financial challenges, with a government funding increase of 2%, while costs had increased by more than 9%.

However, council leaders said the budget meant they would be putting an extra £70m in to key projects, without cutting services or closing facilities.

Funding of £2.5m has been set aside for Knowsley’s wide-ranging education reforms, with the setting-up of seven new learning centres across the borough by 2010. An extra £1m will be used to help young people improve their Maths and English.

More than £500,000 will also be ploughed into looking at ways to redevelop Kirkby town centre.

The Neighbourhood Warden Service will be permanently funded with a new investment of £1.6m.

Knowsley council leader, Cllr Ron Round, said: “We are delighted to once again set a budget which keeps council tax increases to a minimum while maintaining quality services and investing in the future of the borough.

“We remain committed to improving people’s lives and transforming the neighbourhoods in which they live.

“That is why we have invested £45m to improve buildings, roads and facilities across the borough, over £18m in key services including social care, education, anti-social behaviour, waste and recycling.

“In addition we are investing an additional £9.4m in key initiatives to tackle worklessness, improving attainment, the environment and crime reduction.

Cllr Norman Keats, Knowsley’s cabinet member for finance, added: “This budget has been achieved by identifying over £7.3m efficiency savings across the council, which have been reinvested in priority services.”

alanweston