Ealing Council has announced its intention to increase council tax by 2.49% – a rise of 48p a week for a band D property.  The decision will mean an increase of only £24.81 for the year on a band D property.

Although the council has kept its council tax rise in line with inflation, residents will face an overall rise of 4.7% due to London Mayor Ken Livingstone’s precept which is rising by 13.35%, adding a total of £33.99 a year to the council’s rise.

Therefore the total increase for a band D property will be £58.80 made up of the council’s £24.81 increase plus the Mayor’s £33.99 meaning that the bill for a Band D will be £1,309.42.

Cllr Martin Beecroft, cabinet member for finance and performance, said “Our key objective this year has been to ensure the council tax rise is as low as possible, and we have achieved this by keeping the increase to 2.49% which is in line with the current rate of inflation of 2.4%."

Regarding the Mayor's tax hike, Cllr Beecroft said “We welcome the fact that the Mayor’s part of the budget will deliver 23 neighbourhood police teams throughout the borough which will help make Ealing safer by tackling crime and anti-social behaviour.  However, whilst recognising the need for investment to ensure a successful Olympics we are disappointed that the Mayor has not matched the council’s ability to deliver both significant investment in public services and a low tax increase.”

The council tax rise was recommended at a meeting of the cabinet on February 21st 2006. The council tax will now be formally set at a meeting of the council on 7th March in line with other councils.