Bournemouth Council has confirmed that there will be no rise in council tax this year, despite an increase in both police and fire precepts.

The freezel, to be approved by Bournemouth’s Cabinet next Tuesday, is made possible by a 0.7% reduction in Bournemouth Council’s element of the 2013/14 Council Tax bill.

Councillor John Beesley, Leader of the Council said: “We are clear that our strategy and commitment to residents is to ensure that, whenever we can, Bournemouth’s council tax payers do not suffer any increase in their Council Tax.

"This is particularly important at a time when fuel, food and other costs continue to rise, putting greater pressure on all householders in our community.

“This is a budget for all Bournemouth residents; it recognises that households of all sizes and circumstances are being squeezed tighter and tighter by the economic climate, and it sets out our commitment to delivering improvements across the board, as well as ensuring no council tax bill increase to the people of Bournemouth.

“It is unhelpful that funding pressures on Dorset Police and Dorset Fire Authority have led to precept rises by these public bodies for the next financial year.

"Despite this, I am pleased that we have been able to plan a budget that means Bournemouth residents see no rise in their overall Council Tax bills during 2013/14. This is despite the Council receiving 11.61% less government grant settlement for 2013/14 than we did in 2012/13 – and in the context of an overall 27% grant reduction since 2011/12, with further cuts from Government to come next year.

“This budget does not mean that frontline services or provision for the most vulnerable are at risk. In fact, quite the opposite. We continue to address the highest priority areas for our residents – making Bournemouth safer, protecting vulnerable adults & children, and regenerating the borough’s most deprived areas.

“Furthermore, we will be putting more money into those programmes set up specifically to tackle residents’ top priorities. Our investment and improvement programme – which covers Road Rescue, Safer Communities, Smart Streets and Boosting Business - will see an additional £1.6million invested in 2013/14."

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