Watford’s share of Council Tax could freeze again

Residents could once again benefit from a potential freeze in Watford’s share of council tax for 2015/16.

Elected Mayor of Watford, Dorothy Thornhill proposed to freeze the council’s portion of residents’ bills in her budget speech that was approved on 26th January.

This means that the average Band D household will pay £249.84 to Watford Borough Council a year, which is roughly £4.80 a week for all the many services the council provides – including weekly collection of household recycling and waste, cleaning streets and providing top quality, popular leisure facilities.

Mayor Dorothy Thornhill said: “I sympathise with councils up and down the country who will be putting up council tax as they struggle to cope with the government grant reductions, but am proud that we are not among them.  We know that ensuring the council is providing value for money is important to residents and I am pleased that we have achieved this by keeping a tight grip on our expenditure and continuing to deliver planned savings.”

Hertfordshire County Council and the Police & Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire are yet to set their budgets. This could dramatically affect the final council tax bill that goes through residents letterboxes in March, as around 74% of the total bill is made up of tax set by the County Council.

The total Council Tax for Watford residents will be set at a Functions Committee meeting on 26th February 2015, by which time the council tax figures for Hertfordshire County Council and the Police & Crime Commissioner will be known.

(Source: Watford Borough Council)