News Release

Ten pence a week

Council tax payers in Maidstone will be asked to pay an extra 10p a week for Maidstone council services, next year, April 2010-March 2011.

“The borough council has set a budget to protect front line services, to invest in jobs in the borough and for affordable housing: “ said Council Leader, Cllr Chris Garland.

The council found savings of £1.6m to keep its increase down to 2.49%. The increase works out to 10p a week for a headline band D taxpayer but many people will pay less. More than 46% of Maidstone’s properties are in bands A-C.

About 15p of every council tax pound goes to Maidstone Borough Council. The full council tax bill also includes precepts from Kent County Council, Kent Police, Kent Fire and Rescue, and in some areas, a parish council.

The total bill for a band D taxpayer, excluding parish precepts, will be £1,476.80. Kent County Council will get £1,047.78, Maidstone Borough Council gets £222.39, Kent Police Authority will get £138.68 and Kent & Medway Fire & Rescue Authority gets £67.95.

The council agreed the budget after consultation with the public and the council's scrutiny committees. Council Leader, Chris Garland says the budget preserves essential services: "We had to find savings of £1.6 million. Maidstone people told us they were prepared to pay a little extra to keep frontline services, provided we made savings where we could, particularly in staff. Our budget that we will take to the council includes £700,000 of savings in staff budgets.”

“The increase is the council’s lowest in a decade and I expect it will be one of the lowest in Kent.”