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Press Release

17 January 2019

Have your say on Council Tax charges

Residents are being urged to have their say on proposed changes to Council Tax charges after the Government reduced Fareham Borough Council’s funding.

The Council is currently consulting on the level of Council Tax it will need to charge for 2019/20 after the Government cut the Council’s grant from £6.2m in 2009/10 to £1.8m in 2019/20.

The Council retains less than 10 per cent of the charges collected with the remainder going to Hampshire County Council, the Police Commissioner and the Fire Authority. Fareham currently has the fifth lowest Band D Council Tax for a district council nationwide out of more than 200 Councils.

Now Council officers are looking at its services to see how spending can be reduced whilst maintaining the high level of services which residents expect in the Borough.

The survey asks whether residents would rather:

Council Tax was increased
Charges be increased for services such as parking and sports pitches
A smaller increase in both Council Tax and charges for parking and sports pitches
The level of service provided by the Council was reduced
Discounts and charges given to empty properties were changed

Residents are being asked to go online and fill in a survey to give their views at http://www.fareham.gov.uk/have_your_say/ until 15 February. Hard copies of the survey can also be requested by email or phone or collected at the Civic Offices.

Leader of Fareham Borough Council, Councillor Seán Woodward, said: “These are important changes which will affect every household, so I am urging people to take part in the survey and have their say on proposals. The Council has no option but to make changes to Council Tax as our funding is being reduced by Government. We need to make some tough decisions to balance the books but still give residents a high level of service which they expect.”

ENDS