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Last updated Monday August 25, 2008

2007-2011

For household specific Borough Services please click here - just enter your postcode for all information

Information from 2003-2007

BOROUGH SERVICES

Stafford Borough Council is the tax collection authority for the area.  However the majority of the tax paid goes to the County Council.  Here is an example year from our administration...

The Borough Councils General Fund Budget for 2005/06 has been set at £13.523 million. This results in a council tax of £131.79 for a "Band D" property in the Borough - an increase of 3% or 7p per week.

This is well within the Conservative Administrations and my own promise to keep to the headline rate of inflation. The budget was agreed by Council at its meeting on 1 February 2005.

When the County Council, Police and Fire Authorities add their precepts, the total bill for a Band D property for 2005/06 is likely to be £1192.11 – an increase of 4.4%. (Please click here for related articles)

"When he (Tony Blair) made his election promise to restrain tax increases, the average English council tax bill was £525." - Taken from The Daily Mail 22nd February 2006

Contact the Borough Council Finance Department for further details via 01785 619 000.

(see the Aims and Objectives page)

The Borough Council is the authority that collects your council tax on behalf of the Police Force, the Fire Service and Staffordshire County Council (who actually receive the majority of the funds).  The Conservative Party promised the electorate that if elected in May 2003 we would keep Borough Council Tax down to the headline rate of inflation.  We have and will continue to deliver on this promise.

(Please also see the Aims and Objectives page)

Other Tax Policy Issues

Gordon Brown collected a record-breaking £20.2 billion in taxes from the nations families and firms in January (2006).  However though eased he is still facing a massive budgetary black hole.  This amount was 7% more than that taken in the same month a year earlier, which itself was record breaking.  The tax burden on the country when calculated as a share of national income has risen from 33% in the mid 1990's to 37.3% and by the next general election in 2008/9 the figure is expected to hit 38.5%.  A spokesperson for The Institute for Fiscal Studies said:" If you were to compare now with the last year under the Conservatives, the tax burden is higher.... because of the tax-rising measures that the Chancellor has introduced over the years".

The current economic model used by the Treasury assumes that if the top rate of tax were to double from 40% to 80%, revenues would also double and taxpayers would not alter their spending habits choosing to work for Gordon Brown for practically free.

In contrast to this President George Bush Jr. slashed capital gains tax and dividend tax in the USA in 2003 with the result in both of these taxes generating hugely more revenue for the federal government than predicted.  This includes an extra $100billion in 2005 alone.  The reason for this is that America and other conservative governments have realised that when you lower the price of positive things such as productive work and success you get a rise in them leading to greater wealth creation and entrepreneurial drive by individuals and companies.  Although under this model tax levels are lower per £1 the economies growth and extra creation of jobs, leading to more income tax and national insurance contributions plus savings on benefits for those previously unemployed, and higher pre-tax profits by companies that this brings with it would lead to a greater overall income for the treasury.

To summarise lower taxation stimulates growth, which in turn delivers the same or higher levels of Treasury income. 

The Borough Council has £19 million invested which contributes about £1.2 million every year from interest into the revenue budget

information from 2003-2007

Underlying principles

The Labour Party believes that every £1 needed for investment in our public services needs to be gained through a £1 rise in taxes, either directly or via stealth taxes.  Then disproportionately building levels of bureaucracy and red tape rather than improving frontline services.  As seen since 1997 this has led to higher and higher taxes with no real improvement in our public services.

 In the 1980’s, under the then Conservative governments, the advantages of stimulating the economy through low tax rates were proven beyond question.  Like in Canada and other countries around the world that take this approach on taxation it also showed that with the extra economic growth amounts of tax collected are actually sustained.  In time producing higher levels of investment straight to the frontline services.

(Click here for further articles on Labours tax record)

 “We need effective government, not big government.”

 Refuse

This service is possibly the one that effects the majority of people within the Borough area.  Due to government targets a new system including greater reliance on recycling has been unveiled. Eccleshall was targeted as a trial area due to its population mix and makeup. The new scheme will exist of fortnightly collections of recyclable waste.

The transition stage is, as with most, going to bring with it new challenges and I, like I am sure some residents, have my reservations as to the drop in levels of normal household waste that is predicted. It is however of great concern to us that this has as little an impact as possible and anyone concerned should call Mr. Ball Head of Environmental Services at the Borough Offices (01785 619 402) E-mail ehadmin@staffordbc.gov.uk.

Specific Councillor Contact:

Cllr John Sillito who sits on the Environmental Scrutiny Committee.

Leisure

With the majority of my employment to date being within the leisure sector and five years of academic experience this is the area in which I have the most knowledge.  At the start of 2003 there were four play areas maintained by the Borough Council within my ward. These are located at:

Mill Lane, Standon

Marsh Meadow, Adbaston

Beech Road, Eccleshall

St Luke's Close, Norton Bridge

Though this represents a good spread throughout the ward it is something that I will be looking at using as a foundation to build upon.

Specific Councillor Contact:

In 2005 I lobbied successfully to gain a new play area at Cotes Heath adjacent to Nelson Crescent.

2005/2006 I also obtained significant funding towards a play area at Croxton for Eccleshall Parish Council.

See also 'Around the Ward' and Contact Ivan pages

Click here for Alleynes Sports Centre Public Swimming Timetable

Under the 2003-2007 Conservative administration Stafford Borough Council's Street Scene team has gone from strength to strength, helped by extra investment in this frontline service.  The team deal with all forms of litter and keeping our streets clean.  Any problems or requests should be directed to the number in the article below.

Nationally local district and borough councils have to go through an options appraisal of their housing stock. This is due to a central government drive. The options appraisal phase is partially through with the remaining option to retention of stock by the council being a transfer to a new registered social landlord. It was within this same consultation stage that it was decided a new social landlord should be set up rather than looking to transfer to an existing one. This has been set up with a shadow board to oversee the process. After consulting tenants it was decided that it should be called Stafford and Rural Homes.

The vote to transfer carried out in 2005 gave a clear signal that tenants wished to transfer with two thirds voting for the new association.  The council will also keep an interest in the new association with Councillors making up the second section of the panel. The third section of the board consists of independent members who have brought a lot of extra experience to the panel.

The general enthusiasm for the stock transfer option came from the ability for the new organisation to raise capital against its assets for maintenance and improvement of the stock. This is something that a local authority does not have the ability to do. In addition to this it would be possible for the organisation to use some of these revenue streams to invest in the local communities. Again this is an added bonus, as the council does not have this flexibility due to ring fencing.

Stafford and Rural Homes were transferred the Housing Department Stock in January 2006 along with a large golden handshake from the Borough Council.

The 20th April 2006 saw the official launch of the £60 million investment scheme, only made possible due to the transfer to the new organisation.

CLICK HERE TO SEE STAFFORD AND RURAL HOMES PRESS RELEASE FROM 09/03/2006

Planning

We are now drawing up the local development framework and need your assistance in selecting a number of options we have laid out.  Please contact our planning department for further information.  We are currently deciding where the 10,300 new homes that the government have said we need to build will be located.  Approximately 7,000 will be in the county town of Stafford, however there are six options available for the spread of those remaining homes.

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It is an exciting time for the Borough with regard to planning. Over the next year officers and stakeholders will be working together on the new local plan. The new name for the plan will be the Local Development Framework. Consultation leaflets have been sent out for the initial stages focusing on the broad policy options. Once these have been received and an analysis done the next stage and level will be looked at. It is of course of the utmost importance that we get this document right. Once it is in place it will be the governing document for planning applications across the Borough for the next 20 years.

I see this as a true opportunity and as with the current local plan we will be able to focus on specific areas to ensure that we preserve the best of our rural and urban community, whilst encouraging a sustainable growth.

Specific Councillor Contact:

Cllr Henry Butters is currently Chairman of the Planning and Regeneration Committee.

(Both John and I sit on the Development Control Committee)

Greater power was given to councils to deal with travellers due to a new decision:

(Click on the article to enlarge)

Introduction of Portable Hearing Loops

Portable hearing loops for customers with hearing difficulties have now been introduced. They are now available at the following locations at the Councils Civic Centre, Stafford:

Ground floor reception and banking hall

1^st floor A block reception

2^nd floor A block reception

3^rd floor A block reception

They are also available at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Tourist Information Centre, The Ancient High House and The Riverside Recreation Centre.

During 2005 the equipment is to be introduced at Stafford Castle; Alleynes Leisure Centre, Stone; Westbridge Park Leisure Centre Stone; and at the Drummond Road Direct Maintenance site.

Riverside

Please note that the table below does not include all types of sessions and opening times for the Riverside Centre.  For further information please call the centre.

Click Here for information on the new Stafford Leisure Centre