Tory council leader tells Minister of 6.3% council tax hike

Following Swindon Borough Council's decision-making body, the Cabinet, on Wednesday 4 February, the minority Conservative Party administration has sent a letter to the Minister of State for Local Government, Nick Raynsford MP.

The letter informs the Minister of the Council Tax rise for 2004/05 that the administration is putting forward to full Council on the 12 February 2004. It outlines the budget reductions needed to reach the figure of a 6.3% increase and the administration's priorities for the next twelve months.

However the full council meets on Thursday 12 February and the Labour and Liberal Democrats could combine their votes in order for to achieve a higher council tax rise in order to protect voluntary organisations from cut backs in funding.

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Rt Hon Nick Raynsford MP
Minister of State for Local Government
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
26 Whitehall, London SW1A 2WH

5th February 2004



Dear Mr Raynsford,

BUDGET 2004/05
I am writing to inform you that the Conservative administration last night put forward a Council Tax rise for 2004/5 of 6.3%, which is in line with the Formula Spending Share put forward by your Government.

We intend to put an extra £4.2 million into schools, representing a 5% increase in budgets generally, and a guaranteed 4% increase in each individual school's budget. Your Government funded Swindon Borough Council an extra £1.2 million for Social Services. This Council currently has a zero rated Social Services Department, and in order to deliver improvements in this area, our proposals will see a further injection of almost £3 million. In addition to this, we will be providing one off funding of £750,000 to pump prime urgent changes in Social Services.

We have still to make budget reductions to reach this figure, and will table those at the meeting of Full Council on 12th February. These proposed reductions will include extending the charging regime in Social Services by an additional £200,000, the closure of one central public convenience and the shortening of opening hours of others, resulting in a saving of £40,000, the reduction of the concessionary travel scheme by £100,000, and the reduction of grants to the voluntary sector by £250,000.

These decisions have been extremely difficult to make, and will be controversial, but we are determined to deliver a Council Tax increase in line with FSS. There may of course be some movement from this position over the next week, but I trust that you will not use your capping powers.

Perhaps you would be kind enough to let me know before our Council Meeting on 12th February 2004, that you are content with our proposed increase of 6.3% to bring us up to FSS. I hope that the Labour Group will now see fit to support our proposed Council Tax rise, with the endorsement of the town's two MPs.

I understand that you have cancelled your visit to Swindon for a second time. You will know from our previous correspondence that as Leader of the new administration in Swindon, I am very keen to meet you to discuss the funding difficulties that we face as a poor authority, and to update you on the major economic developments in Swindon

Yours ever,



Mike Bawden
Leader of Swindon Borough Council

cc.
Julia Drown MP
Michael Wills MP
Cllr Kevin Small
Cllr Mike Evemy
Simon Birch