Witney News - West Oxfordshire council tax set to be frozen

West Oxfordshire council tax set to be frozen

West Oxfordshire District Council has announced plans to freeze council tax for the second year running.

The District Council has indicated that it will, once again, take up the Government’s offer to part-fund a council tax freeze from 2012/13.

This decision means that West Oxfordshire looks set to continue to have the second lowest council tax of all shire district councils in England and the lowest of all five district councils in Oxfordshire.

Cllr Barry Norton, Leader of West Oxfordshire District Council, said: “Freezing council tax for another year is good news for council taxpayers and all West Oxfordshire residents. It will especially ease the burden for those on lower incomes and affected by the current difficult economic times.

“Providing value for money services is the council’s main priority and we are pleased to be able to do this, particularly during these times of great financial pressure. All this is being achieved alongside a programme of efficiency savings and without any major cutbacks to our frontline services. We welcome the one-off government grant which together with our efficiency savings helps us to provide a sustainable freeze in Council Tax for a further year.”

Cllr Simon Hoare, Cabinet Member for Resources said, “We are delighted to be proposing a second year of council tax freeze. At a time of economic difficulty it’s right that we try to help the residents of our district where we can. A freeze, even of the second lowest district council tax in the country, will, we hope, be welcomed.”

The £81.63 annual charge at Band D equates to just over £1.50 per household per week for all services provided by the District Council, from affordable housing, planning, waste and recycling services, to leisure centres.

West Oxfordshire’s current (2011/12) share of the total Council Tax bill represents only 5.5% of the total. The bulk of the bill, 80%, is payable to Oxfordshire County Council for a range of services including Education, Social Services and Highways Services amongst others.