Waverley’s Leader announces a groundbreaking new initiative to boost its funds.
While yesterday …
Woking put up Council Tax by 10%, Horsham by 4.99%, and Oflog predicted up to six early warning council reports next year.
Cllr Paul Follow wants to launch a voluntary charitable scheme that could prevent ‘Your Waverley’ from following other authorities across the country that are now regularly going bust.
Council Leader Follows asked his council colleagues across the political and non-political spectrum to back his initiative – and surprisingly, they all did.
He said: It is a fact that the owner of a £ 17 million home in Surrey will pay approximately two thousand pounds more council tax than the owner of a £160,000 flat. He said he was “disgusted” with the attitude of his Surrey County Council colleagues who “belittled and defeated” the idea recently suggested by County Cllr Catherine Powell Farnham Residents Group.
He admitted it wasn’t his really good idea but didn’t baulk at adopting someone else’s really good idea.
Here’s part of what he said:
He said his proposal would be completely voluntary and anonymous. A Charity would be formed, and contributions from those on Band H – the higher-value properties in Waverley -would be very gratefully accepted. There are numerous high-value properties in the borough.
Although he believed the highest was around £17m, the Waverley Web knows of at least one or more properties valued at well over £30m.
Once the scheme is considered legal and compliant, the initiative will be rolled out to Band H households first.
Portfolio Holder for Finance Mark Merryweather said there should be no question about the pressures facing local government funding – stating:
“Since 2010, our real-term spending power has fallen further and further behind cost inflation. This is a familiar experience for our residents whose income, similarly, has not kept pace with their mortgages, their rents, energy costs, food and other expenses.”
The Tories accused Cllr Merryweather of being a “doom and gloom agent,” peddling misery when the Government had well-funded local authorities.
The Tory Group opposition leader, Cllr Peter Martin, criticised the Administration for putting up parking charges. Despite the fact, they had been pegged for three years during the cost of living crises.
He “congratulated” the Administration for keeping Waverley in a “very good position financially’ and claimed there was no need to increase rents and charges by so much. A lesser increase would be sufficient. Waverley had received more money (£1m) than expected. It should now take a more reasonable view of increasing charges.
“We should do it – because we can.”
However, councillors voted by 36 votes to 9 to increase Council Tax increase for 2024/25 by 2.99% and parking charges by an average of 10%. Still, Waverley has resisted charging on Sundays, unlike most other councils in the county and beyond. The Administration has also pledged to improve car park technology and maintenance. Council rents will also increase by 7% to manage improvements to old and deteriorating housing stock, and other fees and charges will rise in line with inflation at 4.5%
Would the Tories prefer to see Waverley go the same way as Woking and other authorities around the country? Asked some. Others called a Tory amendment to stop price rises “petty and puerile,” the odd 5p/10p here and there would make little difference to the vibrancy of the high street. Money raised will go towards improvements, green spaces, recycling and other council functions. It was the lack of parking that frustrated most residents.
Councillor Michael Goodridge told Cllr Follows he should have to declare an interest – as he used public transport and his bike to get around and didn’t own a car like so many who can only access Godalming by car. He angered and upset colleagues when he disparaged Godalming Town Centre – claiming motorists would avoid Crown Court Car Park charges when they could only visit “coffee shops and charity shops.”
Cllr Follows said Cllr Goodridge did Godalming a staggering disservice, and his claims were unfounded. What was killing off high streets were high rents, not parking charges.
Cllr Mark Merryweather and officers masterminded the Budget, and he accused the Tories of “trivialising” the serious budget-setting process.
The absurd prejudiced cap on council taxes at Band H makes UK high end property taxes one of the lowest in the western world, where a £100 million mansion on Pall Mall can incur a council tax of approximately £4,500. Local fiscal injustice is that permitted development and property extensions that can cross three council bands do not incur a council tax increase. In the latter case revised council tax is only payable on property sale. The high streets have been in decline for decades it is time to recognise the collective change to the efficacy of online shopping. The decision not to charge for Sunday and event day parking is the loss of a much-needed revenue source. UK residents are experiencing declining living standards because of the burden of government debt, imprudent local government capital expenditure, irrational subsidies and low productivity. Unfortunately, insufficient politicians have the intellect, vision and astute political understanding to deliver value for taxpayers’ money. The move to financial prudence and recovery could begin by benchmarking the successful.
Cranleigh high street would prosper if Waverley allowed free 30 mins parking in the car parks! And don’t get me started on the so called Convenience fee when paying by Ringgo! The council saves money by avoiding cash collections yet charges more! Most bizarre……
Why should they dig deeper when Waverley like other poorly run boroughs along with County Councils pay obscene amounts to the CEO when it’s those at the coal face doing all the work with little or no back up when CEO’s appoint more advisors who are also on obscene amounts. The whole structure needs an overhaul
Like pigs at a trough.