Lib Dems cut council tax again

12.00.00am GMT Mon 5th Mar 2001

Islington's Council Tax was cut by £25 last year and has been cut by a further £10 this year in spite of pressure on resources because a very poor Government settlement and the GLA precept increases.

Last year Islington was the only borough in London to cut its council tax and is the only to cut this year. The Liberal Democrat Council is also proposing to invest and improve services key services:

a huge programme of capital investment, of £77 million - including:

• an extra £38m investment in social housing

• an investment programme of £30 million in schools and a new library at Finsbury Park,

• over the next three years starting a ten-year programme to replace all street lights in the Borough

• £314,000 for environmental projects including further recycling

• an extra £1m for Social Services

• extra £1.1m for much-needed improvements to the Housing Benefit service, in return for service improvements

• fully funding the teachers' pay award

• continue to build up a sensible level of reserves. The District Auditor severely criticised the previous Labour administration for their failure to do this.

• 38 extra police officers.

Every other London Borough has increased its Council Tax. For example, Labour-controlled Brent is going up by 64 (8.1%), and Labour-run Lambeth by at least 70 (10%).

Council Leader Cllr Steve Hitchins, said "Only two years ago, under Labour, Islington had the highest council tax in London. Liberal Democrats have now cut the council tax for two years in a row and services are improving."