Tonight Eastleigh Borough Council has agreed a budget that will limit Council Tax increases for its services to just 2.8% keeping its below-inflation promise to residents. Since 2004, the Council has maintained a policy that will, until at least 2009, keep any Council Tax increase to 1% below the December figure for retail price increases excluding mortgage interest payments.
Dundee Liberal Democrats have today (Monday 26th February) welcomed Fairtrade Fortnight and reaffirmed their commitment to keeping Dundee a Fairtrade City.
Ministerial cars drove the equivalent of 114 times round the earth last year, the Lib Dems have revealed. Figures compiled by the party from parliamentary answers show that cars carrying government ministers and their staff drove a total of 2.8 million miles in 2005, an increase of more than 20% on the previous year.
Rochdale MP Paul Rowen is making a plea for anyone who served in the forces before 1969 to get in touch with him. They may be eligible for the HM Armed Forces Veteran's Badge which was recently extended to include all men and women who served in the armed forces until December 31, 1969. Government figures show that there are at least 5 Million veterans nationally who have not claimed what is rightly theirs. Working out the average this means that there could be 7,300 veterans in Rochdale who have not claimed their badge.
Well, after a healthy debate at the Annual Meeting of the Budget Council, I am delighted to announce that this Council are enforcing the lowest Council Tax increase for a decade. Your Council Tax will rise by 3.9% - this is lower than last year when Labour and the Tories were in coalition. Interestingly enough it was only weeks ago that Labour were calling the Liberal Democrats 'irresponsible' for keeping Council Tax low. Labour were proposing a 4.9% increase through the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee and are now made to look hypocritical through their headline seeking attempts.
Councillor Keith Swift, the Portfolio Holder for Townships and Corporate Management has welcomed the Council's decision to pass the budget and bring in a 'People's Champion' Department that will champion resident's concerns and deal with disputes that residents will have with the Council.
