COUNCIL bosses have opposed a Government bid to let residents veto ‘excessive’ council tax rises – because homeowners would reject major hikes.Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council has opposed plans by the coalition Government.
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The average bill went up by £28.18 in April, 2.25 per cent, with the council getting an extra £25.78 for its part of the bill. The average was £1,321.
The Government says a vote on rises it considers ‘excessive’ will replace the current system, where rises are capped at five per cent.
A SMBC report said: “It is highly likely that any referendum on an ‘excessive’ council tax increase would result in the increase being rejected by local residents.
“Accordingly it is unlikely that any local authority would want to go through with the uncertainty and expense that a referendum would cause.”
The vote would be after decisions had been made and would cost £200,000 the council said.
The report says: “In contrast with this, the council is committed to engaging in full consultation on the budget proposals for 2011/12 before the final decision on council tax is taken by Council in March 2011.”
The council changes from Conservative to Labour-Liberal Democrat hands at an election on May 6.
The Government’s consultation paper states: “These measures appeared to be based on the presumption that Government ministers and their civil servants knew better than local communities what was in their best interest.
“The Coalition Government is determined to reverse this presumption and to rebalance the role of the central state and local communities.”
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