Council Tax increase of 18% for poorest residents of West Berkshire.

[Administrator]

Council Tax increase of 18% for poorest residents of West Berkshire.

This claim has been made in a press release from West Berkshire Liberal Democrats:

On Thursday evening (12th December) West Berkshire Tories voted for a Council Tax increase of 18% for the poorest residents of West Berkshire Council, while those more able to pay will benefit from the Government's Council Tax Freeze Grant and pay no more than they did last year.

The Tories have also agreed tonight not to pass on any funding to the Parish and Town Councils of West Berkshire in respect of the element of Council Tax for those in receipt of Council Tax Benefit.  For many parishes this will mean a 10% reduction in their budgets; for the two largest Town Councils, Newbury and Thatcham, this will mean £89,000 and £59,000 respectively.  Many Tory West Berkshire Councillors are also town and parish councillors, but they voted in favour of depriving their parishes of this funding, despite the Government stating that 'it is the Government's clear expectation that billing authorities will work with parish and town councils to pass down funding so that their precepts can be reduced'

If the Liberal Democrats had been in power, we would have raised funds by charging the owners of empty properties Council Tax, and using this to prevent the 18% increase in tax for the poorest in the district.  This money would also have enabled the District Council to pass on two thirds of the money to be lost by the parish councils.  The Liberal Democrat Councillors all voted against the proposal at Thursday's Council meeting.

[blackdog]

West Berkshire Tories voted for a Council Tax increase of 18% for the poorest residents of West Berkshire Council.

So who are the poorest residents of the Council?

Naff English aside, how do the Lib Dems come up with this 18% figure?