Council taxpayers facing 15% hike

Council taxpayers could see their bills rise by 15%

Medway Council is proposing to raise council tax by 15%, and is warning of cuts in services.

It is blaming the move on possible capping by the government, saying libraries, theatres and non-essential road maintenance could be affected.

It says the main pressures facing it are in education and social services.

The council's chief executive, Judith Armitt, said the move was not unreasonable.

'Education to blame'

"Medway Council has the lowest council tax in Kent by far.

"If Medway increases council tax by 15% we would still be the lowest even if no-one else put their council tax up at all," she said.

She told BBC Radio Kent that the increasing amount the council had to pay towards education was largely to blame.

Inflation level

She said Medway Council put £3.6m from its reserves last year to help schools, but this year the government required an additional £2.3m.

"The government has made a grant of about £2m but the effect of the rest is a council tax rise of 5.5% before you consider anything else," Ms Armitt said.

Gillingham MP Paul Clarke described the planned increase as "well in excess of an inflationary level".

"We as a national government have to have a responsibility to protect ratepayers from increases that are well over the top," he said.