Croydon is set to see lowest council tax rise in the borough's history this year.
Band D - used as a benchmark - will rise by around £1 a month from April (£12.22 for the year).
This has apparently been funded by slashing Council budgets by nearly £16m, and £1.7m of actual cuts. Some £150m is earmarked for projects such as modernising Fairfield Halls (£1m), large scale repairs of roads and highways (£30m), investment in primary schools to cope with an increase in demand for spaces (£22m). Other major projects include regeneration of Waddon Leisure Centre - including provision of a new pool - (£11m), and investment in refurbishing and building council houses (£27m).
Labour opposition has however claimed that the 0.8% increase figure is not a true representation, and it's closer to 1.07% as it didn't include the CT that goes towards the Greater London Authority, police and fire service. There is also heavy criticism for 'wasting money' in projects such as the building of new council headquarters for £450m.
We'd like to hear your opinion of these figures - found in more detail at croydon.gov.uk - so have your say and email us at croydon@thebestof.co.uk.
Katrina
Thank you for reading thebestof Croydon Blog. If you are LOCAL to the London Borough of Croydon and VOCAL - we'd love to hear from you. Come and blog with us: email croydon@thebestof.co.uk
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Katrina Monroe is a freelance writer and photographer with The Little White Studio.
