Good news for residents - Harborough District Council is set to freeze its share of the annual tax bill for the second year on the spin

Almost 40,000 households across Harborough are set to get a big council tax boost this year.
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Harborough District Council is set to freeze its share of the annual tax bill for the second year on the spin.

The council’s leader, Cllr Phil King, told the Harborough Mail: “We’ve got about 38,000 households across the patch – and this is good news for every one of them.

“I’m delighted with the position that we are in as the local authority.

Harborough District Council offices.Harborough District Council offices.
Harborough District Council offices.

“It’s very positive that we are poised to rule out any increase in charges for the second year running.”

Cllr King said the proposal as part of their budget plan for 2020-2021 will go before the council’s Cabinet meeting on Monday night (Jan 13).

It will then be put to the full council on February 24 – when it’s almost certain to be backed.

“We’re able to put forward - and all being well confirm - a zero per cent increase through increasingly efficient local government.

“We have husbanded our cash from the good years and looked after it,” said Cllr King, who’s also the Conservative group’s leader.

“We have also benefitted from the proceeds of growth throughout Harborough.

“There’s been a big spin-off for us from a lot of new housing coming into the district over the last few years.

“We get 50 per cent of the increase in business rates – and growth has been very healthy.

“And we can plough the money we earn from car parking charges, commercial waste schemes and the like back into vital public services.

“Our share of people’s Council Tax bills represents about 10 per cent of the whole.

“The majority goes to Leicestershire County Council, the police and fire service as well as parish councils.

“But we are very pleased that we are set to keep our slice of your readers’ Council Tax bill at the same rate as it is now.”

The county council aims to hike annual bills by 3.99 per cent.

That will mean the typical Harborough family paying out about a pound extra a week.

Leicestershire Police and Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service are still to say what they plan to do.