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Caradon: CARADON SETS COUNCIL TAX INCREASE IN LINE WITH INFLATION

Caradon District Council has set its council tax increase at just 2.75%, making the increase on a band D property 9p a week or £4.71 a year.


Caradon’s budget for 2008/09 will be £12,058,040. This takes into account rising costs of refuse disposal and recycling, improvements to Caradon’s planning services and funding earmarked for the possible extra costs of concessionary bus passes, as well as savings of nearly £1m by the council.

Caradon’s leader, Councillor John Turner, said: “Immediately after the election, work began on a review of the Council’s financial strategy, and, after a close look at where savings could be made, economies of nearly £1m have been identified.”

Caradon has repeatedly fared worse than its neighbouring district councils when the government’s revenue support grant is determined. Next year North Cornwall District Council will receive over £1m more than Caradon, while Restormel will receive £2.5m more than Caradon.

Currently less than a third of Caradon’s budget is raised through council tax. The rest is funded by fees, charges and central government grants. At present Caradon receives around 13p of every pound of council tax collected, with the other 87p going to the county council, town and parish councils and police.

Although Caradon is required to collect the whole of the council tax, it has no control over the levels at which Cornwall County Council, the police and the town and parish councils set their portions of the council tax. The county council, which receives the largest share of the council tax for its services, will meet to discuss its council tax increase on 19 February.