Central Bedfordshire Council Tax changes for Marston Vale announced

Final tax total includes bills for police, fire and parish councils

At last night’s (20 February 2020) Central Bedfordshire Council’s (CBC) Full Meeting, the members approved the Council’s budget for 2020/21.

The budget included an increase of general council tax by 1.95%. There was also a separate 2% increase for social care. This separate social care precept, set by the government, enables local authorities to increase its social care funding via council tax without the need of a referendum.  

When he presented the Council Tax Resolution to the Council, Cllr Wenham (Executive Member for Corporate Resources) explained that the council has to balance the need for investment for its services, particularly for the elderly and vulnerable, with its care for the residents’ money. He said:

“This year those unavoidable pressures mean that we have little choice but to increase our element of the general council tax by 1.95% and the adult social care by 2%.”

The 1.95% and 2% increases do not include the precepts for the police, fire service and town and parish council/meetings. Cllr Wenham added that CBC only acts as a collector for the police, fire and town/parish council precepts and has no say on how they are set.

Council Tax per Band D property  2020/21  Increase 
Central Bedfordshire Council element (2019/20 charge)   £1,500.64  
        + general increase £29.26   1.95%
        + adult social care charge (precept) £30.01   2.00%
Total of CBC element (for 2020/21) £1,559.91   3.95%

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire

The Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner determined the precept for police purposes at an increase of £10.00 (Band D). This followed the introduction of the 2020/21 Principles for this category of authority for the purposes of section 52ZC of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

This results in a Band D Council Tax of £212.09, an increase of 4.95%. Last year the Band D precept was £202.09.

There are four CBC members on the Bedfordshire Police and Crime Panel (PCP). This has the power to review and report/make recommendations to the PCC on their proposed precept for the financial year. It also has the power to veto a proposed precept provided at least 2/3 of the Panel Members (this has a total of 12 members) at the time vote to do so.

Only two of the CBC members where present at the meeting on 4 February 2020 which accepted this increase.

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Authority

The Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Authority met on 11 February 2020 to set its precept. The Band D Council Tax of £100.41 for 2020/21 is a 1.99% increase on last year’s £98.45 (Band D).

Town and Parish Councils/Meetings

The average increase for town and parish council/meetings is 3.13% (£123.78 for Band D). Last year the average increase was 2.79%. The highest increase in town/parish council/meetings precept is for Ridgmont Parish Council (29.52%).

Parish Council Tax Base 19/20 Precept (£) 19/20 Council Tax (£) (Band D) 19/20 Tax Base 20/21 Precept (£) 20/21 Council Tax (£) (Band D) 20/21 Change(%)
Brogborough 115 8,800 76.52 113 8,800 77.88 +1.78
Cranfield 2,076 106,374 51.24 2,193 115,695 52.74 +2.93
Houghton Conquest 858 52,818 61.56 1122 69,070 61.56 0.00
Hulcote & Salford 101 8,000 79.21 102 7,000 68.63 -13.36
Lidlington 492 25,465 51.76 509 26,345 51.76 0.00
Marston Moretaine 2,341 158,617 67.76 2,397 162,421 67.76 0.00
Millbrook 62 5,250 84.68 64 5,400 84.38 -0.35
Ridgmont 172 13,390 77.85 174 17,544 100.83 29.52

The table below shows the full amount of council tax per band for CBC’s Marston Vale villages for 2020/21.

 

Council Tax Schedule by Parish Council 2020/21

Parish Band A (£) Band B (£) Band C (£) Band D (£) Band E (£) Band F (£) Band G (£) Band H (£)
Brogborough 1,300.19 1,516.89 1,733.58 1,950.29 2,383.69 2,817.08 3,250.48 3,900.58
Cranfield 1,283.43 1,497.34 1,711.23 1,925.15 2,352.96 2,780.77 3,208.58 3,850.30
Hulcote and Salford 1,294.02 1,509.70 1,725.35 1,941.04 2,372.38 2,803.72 3,235.06 3,882.08
Lidlington 1,282.78 1,496.58 1,710.36 1,924.17 2,351.76 2,779.35 3,206.95 3,848.34
Marston Moretaine 1,293.44 1,509.02 1,724.58 1,940.17 2,371.32 2,802.47 3,233.61 3,880.34
Millbrook 1,304.52 1,521.95 1,739.35 1,956.79 2,391.63 2,826.47 3,261.31 3,913.58
Ridgmont 1,315.49 1,534.74 1,753.98 1,973.24 2,411.74 2,850.23 3,288.73 3,946.48&

More details on the budget will be issued to all Central Bedfordshire households with information on Council Tax levels, during March.