REDBRIDGE: Council leaders agree to tax freeze 'in principle' under pressure from Lib Dems (From This Is Local London)

REDBRIDGE: Council leaders agree to tax freeze 'in principle' under pressure from Lib Dems

3:05pm Friday 18th September 2009

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COUNCIL tax could be frozen next year after the Tory administration agreed to the idea 'in principle' - under pressure from the Lib Dems.

Plans for a zero per cent tax rise for 2010 received the backing of members at a full council meeting last night (Thursday), after being proposed in an amendment by the Lib Dem leadership.

The Conservatives had agreed to back the idea as part of a deal struck with the Lib Dems during the council leadership crisis in May - when they needed their support to form a cabinet.

Council Tax was increased by 2.7 per cent in March, but Lib Dem councillors have called for the charge to be frozen next year in order to support hard up residents.

But doubts have been raised about the likelihood of the freeze actually going ahead, with Tory Monkhams Ward councillor Linda Huggett insisting that no firm decision will be made until details of the budget are discussed in November.

She said: "We've agreed to this in principle but we will have to see whether it will be possible when the budget round begins.

"It's premature to say that we could definitely do this at the moment.

"Obviously we would all like a tax freeze but it's dependent on the budget.

"The most important thing is that we maintain services."

Senior Lib Dem councillor Richard Hoskins has nevertheless welcomed the vote as a sign of his group's growing influence on the council.

He said: "We are punching above our weight at the moment, and having a real influence on the direction of the council.

"The recession has left lots of people in Redbridge pretty hard pressed, and we think it's time the council did something that could help ease the burden a little."

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