TMBC savings drive help keep increase below inflation
New council tax rates to pay for services provided by Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council were agreed by councillors last night [21 February].
A meeting of all members voted to add an average of £6.73 a year to bills to fund borough services such as waste collection, recycling, planning, parks, leisure and food safety. At approximately three per cent, the below inflation increase takes the average bill for TMBC services to £231.23 a year, or just under £4.50 a week.
Council tax also funds services provided by Kent County Council, such as education, highways and social care. It also funds Kent Police, Kent Fire and Rescue and parish or town councils.
The combined bill for a Band D household in Tonbridge and Malling from April 2023 will be made up as follows:
Kent County Council £1,534.23 (+4.99%)
Kent Police £243.15 (+6.57%)
Tonbridge and Malling BC £231.23 (+2.99%)
Kent Fire and Rescue £87.30 (+6.01%)
Parish/town councils (av) £70.80 (+4.06%)
Total: £2,166.71 (+4.9%)
Tonbridge and Malling’s income from council tax for the year from April 2023 is forecast to be nearly £12.2m, up from £11.7m last year. The money helps pay for delivery of a range of services, including:
- More than 100,000 bins emptied each week
- 3,000+ planning applications handled each year
- Operation of 43 car parks
- Maintenance of 400 areas of public open space
- Licensing more than 1,200 local businesses
- Inspecting more than 500 food outlets annually
- Grants worth £1.25m issued to local charities and volunteer groups
Cllr Martin Coffin, the council’s cabinet member responsible for finance, said: ‘Everyone is feeling the pressure of rising prices and the council is no exception. In an ideal world we wouldn’t have to increase our slice of council tax for the coming year but the reality is that in a climate of rising costs such a move would have meant cutting services.
‘I am pleased, however, that we’ve been able to keep the increase well below the current rate of inflation. While this will mean less income for the council in real terms, I’m confident that by continuing our efforts to cut costs and increase efficiency, we’ll continue to serve our residents well.’