Michael Gove steps in to let three cash-strapped areas hike council tax by up to 15 per cent next year
MICHAEL Gove has stepped in to allow three cash-strapped areas to hike council tax by 10 to 15 per cent next year — smashing through the usual 5 per cent ceiling.
Levelling Up Secretary Gove agreed to the requests from Thurrock, Croydon and Slough councils to help plug huge black holes in their finances.
Gove noted “significant failings in local leadership” and “poor decision-making”.
Thurrock and Slough will be allowed to raise council tax by 10 per cent, and Croydon 15 per cent.
Residents in an average band D home in Croydon will see their bills go up by nearly £250 to around £2,220 a year.
Every council is allowed to put their bills up by up to five per cent – but if they want to go higher they need a local referendum to give it the green light.
Mr Gove ordered councils to help out those who can’t afford the astonishing hikes.
Councils up and down the country will get an extra £5.1billion in additional help – a 9 per cent hike in their core spending to help in “challenging times”.
John O’Connell of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Taxpayers will be picking up the tab for the dismal failure of their local authority to get a grip on spending.
“Time and again, bungling bosses have left council finances deep in the red, expecting hard working residents to bail them out.
“Any increase in council tax should come alongside sensible savings from waste in local budgets, including top level salaries.”