Car parking charges and council tax being frozen for another year are the highlights of the 2013/14 budget which has just been set and agreed upon by South Somerset District Council.
Councillors voted in favour of supporting this upcoming financial year’s draft budget on Thursday 21 February at their Full Council Meeting.
For the third consecutive year, householders will see no change in the charges for council tax from South Somerset District Council. Councillors have agreed to freeze the district council element of council tax at £150.74 for a typical Band D property.
Car parking charges will also not be increased at any of the district council car parks in South Somerset.
The revenue budget for 2013/14 has been set at £17,955,100, and capital programme at £2,140,000.
Councillor Tim Carroll, Deputy Leader and Vice-Chairman of the Executive said, “South Somerset has frozen Council Tax for the third year running in recognition of the financial burden that many of our residents are currently experiencing due to the economic climate.
We also are maintaining our current level of frontline services although they are under continual review. This is the third year of the financial squeeze and reduction in grant from Central Government. This grant reduction is not so severe as the two previous years and is partially offset by the award of New Homes Bonus which is due to our success in bringing forward new houses.
We are also mindful of the fragile state of our High Street economies and have also frozen car parking charges in the new financial year to help our local economy and encourage shoppers to our town centres.”