News / Politics
Bristol Lib Dems pledge to freeze council tax
Bristol’s Lib Dem have put forward a budget amendment to freeze council tax.
The amendment will be discussed at Tuesday’s council meeting, at which mayor George Ferguson has proposed to increase council tax by 1.95%.
Councillor Tim Kent said: “We all agree that we need to contribute to the cost of local services, but doing it by taxing residents on a grossly outdated estimated value of their homes is not the way to do it.”
Bristol’s council tax is around 9 per cent above the national average for a band D household.
Last year, Ferguson decided not to take a £1.8 million central government grant to help pay for a council tax freeze.
In addition to the amendment for the council tax freeze, more Lib Dem amendments at the meeting include building a new swimming pool and recycling centre, and plans to clean up the city’s streets.
Kent added: “When people are struggling to pay gas and electric bills, when people are struggling to put food on their table, why is the mayor wasting money on vanity projects when he refuses to consider all of the financial implications for the city? Local residents of Bristol deserve better than what is happening.
“There are no easy choices to make, but if we can help even a little by keeping council tax down, we should do so.”
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