Hampshire’s part of the council tax will not go up, but jobs will bear brunt
COUNCIL tax is set to be frozen for the third year running by Hampshire County Council – but more job losses are on the way.
The Winchester-based authority will be keeping its share of the council tax at the same rate of £1,037.88 a year for a Band D property.
This portion of the council tax covers road maintenance, schools and adult social care.
But the Tory-led authority still plans to axe 230 jobs as part of plans to cut its budget by £45m this year.
This is on top of the 1,400 posts shed since January 2011 in a bid to save £100m over two years.
Adult social care will bear the brunt of the latest job cuts with proposals to shed 165 full-time equivalent posts.
County bosses insist front-line services will be protected.
As a result of the savings programme last year, more than £25m will be freed up from contingency funds and invested in a range of schemes, including building more sheltered housing for the elderly and upgrading children’s homes.
County council leader Ken Thornber said: ‘The county council will freeze council tax in 2012/13, which means it will have been at the same level for three years – at a time when household budgets are under pressure. Band D council tax will be £1,037.88, one of the lowest in the country, which means Hampshire continues to provide services at a lower cost per head than other county councils.’
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Portsmouth
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: East
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.