Ipswich proposes Suffolk's lowest Council Tax increase of 2.2%

11.30.00pm GMT Tue 14th Feb 2006

At tonight's Executive Committee of Ipswich Borough Council, the joint LibDem & Conservative Administration voted for the lowest Council Tax increase in Suffolk - at just 2.2%.

"Under the last years of the Labour Administration annual increases were as high as 11.9%. Such increases cannot be sustained when people have so many other pressures on their personal budgets, and rising numbers of pensioners are on small fixed incomes, yet are ineligible for rebates."

The joint Administration remains committed to continued investment in improving services. "We are expanding the concessionary fares programme for pensioners and strengthening the HEARS Service, to benefit the most vulnerable people in our society. At the same time, we are able to do all this, and keep council tax increases low, through efficiency savings, improved procurement and better budgetary control.

Cllr Richard Atkins, Leader of the LibDem Group commented "Tonight, Ipswich Labour threw away the opportunity to celebrate the lowest Council Tax rise ever."

"The LibDem/Conservative joint administration has shown that it is possible to have low Council Tax increases and improved services. Labour's attitude tonight shows that they would throw it all away just to make a cheap political point - you can't trust Labour on tax."

In the last financial year, 2005/6, the Council Tax increase under the joint Administration was 2.4%.