Lambeth to freeze council tax (From Streatham Guardian)

Lambeth to freeze council tax

10:26am Tuesday 9th February 2010

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Lambeth Council has announced plans to freeze council tax again this year, while still increasing spending on frontline services.

The announcement was made as the council unveiled its budget for the next financial year which shows increased spending on services including noise nuisance teams, community support officers and the council's antisocial behaviour team.

The council claims it has been able to achieve this by becoming more efficient and by targeting waste.

It says the necessary savings have been made by using less staff more efficiently and through greater enforcement of debt and council tax collection, all of which adds up to a saving of £3m according to council figures. There has also been a freeze on councillor pay rises.

Council leader Steve Reed said: "Labour has targeted waste to make the council more efficient. That approach has saved millions of pounds and now residents are seeing the benefit with the second year of a council tax freeze and investment in new services at the same time.

“Labour's new investment includes lunch clubs for older people in all Lambeth’s town centres, extra investment in youth services, and action against crime with new measures targeting drug dealers, dangerous dogs and people responsible for antisocial behaviour."

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