Conservative run Hampshire council Reduces tax despite reduction of funding from Government.

I have had a comment about how Maria should get the Conservatives in Central Government to sort out a fairer deal for Hampshire, including the residents of Eastleigh who Maria hopes will vote for her.

This is the response:

Conservative local authorities - and Hampshire County Council in particular - are  looking to the Government to release even more from the money they get from their taxpayers to pay for the statutory services local Government provides, and  for which Whitehall claims  responsibility.   These are hugely subsidised out of the funds  received from the Council taxpayer. 

In next year’s budgets the Council Tax payer will be contributing many millions of pounds to fill the gap made in the shortfall of funding which is needed by Local Authorities to deliver demand led services such as care for the vulnerable young and elderly, highways and public transport etc. Hampshire County Council would  like to have a greater share of the business rates, which the local businesses in Hampshire, that the council supports, pay directly to the chancellor, in addition to the other  taxes they pay to the exchequer, and from which local authorities only receive a small portion.

Happily, because of the efficiencies the Conservative Council has made in Hampshire, although the shortfall in funding  suffered was over £100 million, local people have  benefited by an actual reduction of 11% in their Council tax as the council has been able to manage to continue to deliver the services people need without increasing the amount that they have to contribute in Council Tax despite a rise in the RPI over that period.    

Maria does work closely with the Hampshire County Council and will ensure the best deal possible.