HOUSEHOLDERS will be even worse hit this year than last, when council tax bills with above- inflation increases from both Surrey County Council and Waverley Borough Council fall on doormats in the coming weeks. Surrey will be asking for an extra 4.8 per cent and Waverley – which pegged its increase to below inflation in the election year of 2007 – has indicated its rise will be 4.4 per cent. The councils together account for 85 per cent of the overall bill, with Surrey demanding the lion's share. They will jointly add £1.05 a week to the tax paid on the average band D property in Waverley, and double that for the most expensive, band H. In addition, there are tax rises yet to be announced from the police authority and town and parish councils, while Waverley's Council tenants also face the prospect of a 4.4 per cent rise in average rents. Waverley's executive agreed to recommend its 4.4 per cent increase last week. "For householders this would equate to an increase of 12 pence a week, which is less than £6.40 per year for an average band D property," Waverley pointed out. The borough council is setting its budget against the background of only receiving £59,000 extra in government revenue support grant this year – an increase of only one percent. Mike Band, Waverley's portfolio holder for finance, said: "We have worked hard on this present budget to find savings and to reduce the amount of money we take out of reserves by £350,000 – which is over half-way towards our total target of £600,000. "This increase in council tax reflects the work that we are putting in to keep Waverley's financial future sustainable." Borough councillor David Inman, however, observed that for retired people in particular, council tax was a large factor in their finances and the council should aim for lower increases in future years. Surrey County Council, which announced its 4.8 per cent rise on the same day, likewise blamed a minimal grant increase from the government – at £2.8 million, a cut in real terms when put alongside the £28.4 million cost of service costs and demand pressures in the county. The council claims the Government gives Surrey residents £205 funding per person for vital services, against the national average of £595 The band D equivalent for the county council's portion of the council tax bill is £1,058 – an increase of 93p a week. Council leader Nick Skellett said: "This is a council tax increase which has its origins in Whitehall and not in Surrey. We went to see the local government minister in December to confront him with our concerns and our arguments do not appear to have been listened to. "Once again the Government has failed to give us enough money to meet the needs of Surrey people." The county council stated that "as a recognised national leader in making savings", it has identified £30 million of efficiencies in the next financial year. It also trumpeted increased spending of £16.3 million in funding for adults services, an extra £9.1m for children's services, £3 million more for waste management improvements plus more money for highways maintenance and investment in Surrey's road. Liberal Democrat county councillors, however, claimed it would have been possible to limit the rise to 4.5 per cent. "This Tory budget is bad news for Surrey – the council tax increase is too high yet money is piling up in the council's coffers. "Little is on offer for service improvement such as the youth service or to improve the county's deteriorating school buildings or roads," said Lib Dem leader Hazel Watson.
