A BUDGET WHICH REFLECTS LOCAL PRIORITIES

Published by webmaster for St Helens Council in Communities

St. Helens  has today set one of the lowest Council Tax increases in the country with a 2.5% rise.  This means an increase of just 34p per week for a Band A property and is the sixth year on the run that the rise has been set at just 2.5%.

This has been achieved by implementing a major efficiency drive which has allowed the Council to meet its obligations to the people it serves, maintain its top four star rating as a Council and to limit the Council Tax increase to a below inflation rise.

Investment in Children's Services, the Environment, Safer Communities and Highway Improvements feature prominently in the new budget.

Spending plans include additional resources for schools, the environment and social care with investment in environmental improvements, community safety and highway schemes.  

St. Helens Council has been successful in obtaining Government support under the "Building Schools for the Future" initiative which will mean investment in our Secondary Schools of £150M in future years.  The Council has commenced the process to effectively manage this massive investment to ensure the learning experience of our students is "first ".

Council Leader, Brian Spencer said:  "I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those people who took part in the budget consultation.  We will continue to reflect  local needs and we strive to improve services which have been assessed to be among the best in the country.  The strengthening of community involvement through Ward Committees and other initiatives ensures that we, the Council, can direct resources to the things which will make a difference to the communities and neighbourhoods of our Borough."

The Council will continue to allocate some budgets directly to Ward Committees to allow them to prioritise where they should be spent to the benefit of the local community.

The budget has been set following a full public consultation.

Ends

Press release issued: March 7 2007