Council leader defends tax rate

Cannock Chase Council’s tax will go up by 1.95 per cent in 2020/21 – meaning Band D households will pay £221.32 for services they receive from the authority for the year.

In neighbouring Stafford Borough, where the council tax is going up by 1.9 per cent in April, the bill for Band D households will be £159.27 for 2020/21. And in Lichfield, where the district council tax is set to increase by 2.86 per cent, Band D households will pay £180.07 for the year.

Cannock Chase’s council tax level for the next year was set at a full meeting on Wednesday. It was approved by 20 votes – but there were also more than a dozen abstentions.

Council leader George Adamson said: “At the last meeting the opposition criticised this council for having the highest level of council tax.

“This council raises £6.47m in council tax – Lichfield raises over £7m and Stafford raises £7.6m. They get substantially more from their residents than we do.

“We are a deprived area – we have more Band A, B and C properties (which pay a lower rate of council tax than Band D households). Their properties are at a higher rate than ours – they can raise a lot more money by charging a little more.

“They receive substantially more in car parking charges than we do – Lichfield is a tourist area.”

Councillor Adamson added that Cannock Chase was one of the three most deprived districts in the county – alongside Tamworth and Newcastle – but they spent more per person on services – including leisure facilities – than more affluent areas.

But opposition group leader Councillor Olivia Lyons said: “We need to think about that decision – the money we are talking about is money from hard-working residents.

“We are a deprived area and that’s why we should be focusing on these areas – we should be tackling obesity. We shouldn’t just pride ourselves on the things we get right.

“If we’re doing so well on health and wellbeing why do we have the highest levels of obesity? It makes no sense.”

The annual tax bill will also include contributions towards services provided by Staffordshire County Council, Staffordshire Police and Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, as well as a parish precept for residents living in an area covered by a town or parish council.

Cannock Chase residents in Band D properties will pay £1,295.95 to Staffordshire County Council – a 3.95 per cebt increase – as well as £225.09 towards police services – a 3.94 per cent rise – and £77.24 for fire and rescue services, which is 1.99 per cent more than last year.