Conservative-led Leighton-Linslade Town Council is asking households to fork out more council tax, even though the authority has £1million of reserves in the bank.
Although there will be no net increase in the council tax paid to Central Bedfordshire Council and Leighton-Linslade Town Council in 2013-14, it was agreed to increase the town council’s precept by £18 per household at a budget meeting last Monday.
But the decision has faced criticism from some councillors who say the town council should have passed on the drop in the Central Beds precept to Leighton residents, rather than hiking up its own share of the tax bill to cancel out the reduction.
Lib Dem Councillor Peter Snelling, said: “The Conservative run town council have now for two years deprived residents of the reduction incouncil tax that they should have received as Central Beds at last brought our payments in line with the smaller amounts paid by former Mid Beds residents. Each year they have increased the town council rate by the same amount that Central Beds have reduced theirs.
“While I am sure we are all glad that council tax is not increasing overall, apart from the police and fire element, how can the town council Tories justify a 14% increase this year after an 18% increase last year, especially as the extra money collected last year is still sitting unused in reserves, which by the end of March will be in excess of £1million?”
The town council increase will be used to fund responsibilities such as the market, town centre toilets, developing the town’s play areas, and to move forward major capital projects including Astral Park and improvements to the cemetery.