Islington residents to pay over £100 less

12.00.00am GMT Thu 27th Feb 2003

Islington's proposed council tax rise of around 21% would mean that Islington residents would pay over £100 less than their neighbours in Hackney, Haringey and Camden. The proposed rise is the first in five years, and current projections suggest that Islington residents will still pay at least £100 less than Hackney, Haringey and Camden residents, and still less than the London average. Since 1998, Islington's council tax would have risen by around 15% - almost all due to Ken Livingstone, and exactly the rate of inflation. Nationally, bills would have increased by an average of 42% over the same period, up from £747 to a projected £1063 in 2003/04. 1998/99 1999/00 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 Islington £912 £912 £887 £877 £867 £1049 Hackney £789.60 £789.60 £841.59 £922.83 £1015.11 £1115 Haringey £856 £898 £932 £960 £983 £1174 Camden £879.11 £896.71 £906.35 £950.04 £1001.34 £1171 The proposals for the 2003/04 budget include £9.8 million extra cash for continuing to improve education in the borough, £44 million for housing, with £6.6 million to enhance security, as well as resources to make it easier for residents to access the council's services, and £3.3 million extra money for social services. Commenting on the figures, Executive member for resources Liberal Democrat Cllr Paul Fox said: "Current projections suggest that even with the proposed rise, Islington residents will still pay at least £100 less than neighbouring boroughs, and still less than the London average. "Without efficiency savings of over £9 million, council tax would have had to rise further. Yet we are still delivering on our pledge to keep council tax below the London average and improve services at a time when the government is cutting grants to London."