Council Tax Leaflet 2004/05

Dear Resident,

Your Council Tax pays for the day-to-day services provided by the Borough, these include:

• Streetcare and community wardens
• Rubbish collection
• Parks and open spaces
• Leisure facilities
• Local planning
• Grants to voluntary and community organisations
• Licensing

We will continue to invest in community priorities which, for the next three years, will see a greater focus on providing: affordable homes; clean, safe streets; and support for learning and skills opportunities.

Our services to the community come from four main sources of income:

• Your council tax
• Government grants
• Income from our property
• The interest we earn on our investments

Government Grant has increased by only 2.2% and the Council's costs have risen by more than this. As a result we have made a small increase of 2.5% in the Borough’s share of council tax this year to safeguard your services.  This matches the rate of inflation and amounts to an increase of just over 4 pence a week for a Band D council taxpayer, or £2.19 for the whole year.

This means that someone living in an unparished Band D property will pay £89.84, just over £1.72 a week.

Our key priorities for the next three years are:

• Making the best use of our resources to meet community priorities within a stable budget.
• Providing people with affordable decent homes within planned sustainable communities.
• Achieving a safe, clean and sustainable built and natural environment for residents, businesses and visitors across the Borough.
• Improving opportunities in learning and skills, and continuing to support individual development, community organisations and local businesses.

If you wish to find out in more detail how your money is spent, please read on.

The Council is responsible for collecting Council Tax on behalf of itself, as well as the County Council, the Parishes, the Police Authority and Fire and Rescue Authority.  The Borough's tax represents only about 8% of the total amount.

Your total bill is made up as follows (Band D equivalent):

The County Council, Police Authority and Fire and Rescue Authority have separate leaflets explaining their budgets.

Previously the Council Tax for Hampshire County services included an amount for the Fire Authority.

People living in Basingstoke will pay £89.84 Council Tax at Band D for Borough Services. Those who live in rural areas may pay an additional sum to cover the services provided by their town or parish council.

The Borough Council has agreed to pay a grant of up to £1000 to parish councils.  Any parish council needing more than this can raise the extra from the Council Tax.  The following table lists those parishes that have taken advantage of this.  It also shows their requirement for 2004/2005 and the equivalent Band D charge.

All homes within the Borough are placed within eight broad valuation groupings, which initially determine the level of Council Tax each household will pay.  These  valuation bands, and the specific properties that fall within them, are decided by the Government Valuation Office Agency.  They are based on the price that the property would have acheived if it had been sold on 1 April 1991.

The following shows the proportion of Council Tax other bands pay compared to Band D

The Borough Council Tax has increased by 2.5% from £87.65 to £89.84 per annum for Band D properties, an increase of £2.19.

The changes in the Budget Requirement from 2003/2004 are as follows:

(per Band D payer in the Borough)

In addition to the day to day (revenue) expenditure of the Borough, a very significant investment for the future is being made in the form of capital expenditure. 

The following table shows planned expenditure on the major schemes included in the Council's Capital Programme for 2004/2005.  In addition to this a further £13 million is planned in future years.  This spending will create new facilities, or improve existing ones, for the people of Basingstoke.