Council tax to be frozen (From Borehamwood Times)

Hertsmere Borough Council tax to be frozen

10:54am Friday 15th February 2013 in News By Anna Slater

Hertsmere Borough Council has agreed proposals to freeze council tax for another year.

If approved by the full council at its next meeting on February 27, it will mean the average Band D council tax will remain at the same level for the fourth year in a row.

The budget will be balanced by accepting a council tax support grant from the government.

People living in an average Band D property will pay just over £157 council tax to the borough council for 2013/2014.

The news comes just a few weeks after councillors voted to pass an £827,000 funding cut to council tax benefit, leaving many paying up to £5 a week extra.

The amount that can be claimed by those in Band D will be capped, so those who may have been eligible for benefit support might not be protected when the reforms come in.

Pensioners, parents with children under five and disabled people who are not entitled to disability allowance will not see any changes to their bills.

Across Hertsmere it is suspected that 2 per cent of the population will be affected by the reforms, with 2,000 expected to pay up to £5 extra a week.