The publication of the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner’s draft budget completes the picture for Council Tax rises for this year.
Council tax for a Band D property will rise from £ 1,507.70 to £ 1,563.32, a increase of £ 55.62, equivalent to £ 5.56 per month when paid over 10 months. This is subject to ongoing consultations, ratification by the precepting authorities and a decision by Kent County whether they should take up the government’s offer of an increase in the Social Care precept of 3% rather than the 2% allowed in its draft budget.
The table below shows the increase for each precepting authority and the total increase for a Band D Property in the unparished areas of Ashford.
| Authority | 2016/17 precept |
2017/18 precept |
Increase £ |
Increase % |
2017/18 proportion of total |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kent County Council | £ 1133.55 | £ 1178.82 | £ 45.27 | 3.99% | 75.4% | |
| Ashford Borough Council | £ 150.00 | £ 154.00 | £ 4.00 | 2.67% | 9.9% | |
| Police and Crime Commissioner | £ 152.15 | £ 157.15 | £ 5.00 | 3.29% | 10.1% | |
| Fire and Rescue Authority | £ 72.00 | £ 73.35 | £ 1.35 | 1.87% | 4.7% | |
| Total | /year | £ 1,507.70 | £ 1,563.32 | £ 55.62 | 3.69% | |
| /month (10) | £ 150.77 | £ 156.33 | £ 5.56 | |||
and this table the increase for other property bands
| Property Band | Proportion of Band D Charge |
2016/17 Precept |
2017/18 Precept |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 67% | £ 1,005.13 | £ 1,042.21 |
| B | 78% | £ 1,172.66 | £ 1,215.92 |
| C | 89% | £ 1,340.18 | £ 1,389.62 |
| D | 100% | £ 1,507.70 | £ 1,563.32 |
| E | 122% | £ 1,842.74 | £ 1,910.72 |
| F | 144% | £ 2,177.79 | £ 2,258.13 |
| G | 167% | £ 2,512.83 | £ 2,605.53 |
| H | 200% | £ 3,015.40 | £ 3,126.64 |
Information on the draft budgets for each authority can be found on the following pages:
- Kent County Council: Consultation has ended
https://southashford.org.uk/index.php/2016/10/13/kcc-budget-consultation-2/ - Ashford Borough Council – Consultation Closes: 8 February 2017
https://southashford.org.uk/index.php/2017/01/03/abc-budget-consultation/
- Police and Crime Commissioner – Consultation Closes: 23 January 2017
https://southashford.org.uk/index.php/2017/01/07/consultation-on-policing-precept/ - Fire and Rescue Authority – Consultation Closes: 16 January 2017
https://southashford.org.uk/index.php/2017/01/03/kfrs-budget-consultation/
So, demand is increasing on the police by 3.3%? What does that cover? Utter rubbish. It’s to pay their ever growing pensions which are paid directly from current contributions!
Police pensions are payed from a central government fund (The Local Government Pension Scheme). Police forces pay contributions for current employees, as part of their remuneration package, in the same way as any other employer. The payment of pension for retired police officers is the responsibility of the fund.