News

Kent County Council is proposing a council tax rise of under 3%, the lowest ever increase since the tax was introduced in 1993.

KCC's Leader Paul Carter said: "It has been exceedingly difficult to arrive at a council tax increase for next year that is below 3%. Currently we are looking at an increase of 2.85% but we will continue in the next few weeks to look to reduce it further.

"Our proposals protect and further improve front-line services. The recession and the growing elderly population in the county create enormous pressures on our budget. In adult social care alone we are having to allocate an additional £8.7m to maintain services for the most vulnerable.

"Increased demand for services and other cost pressures mean we have had to put an additional £66.4m into the budget. The net increase in our government grant was £5.1m, leaving the rest to be raised locally from savings, income and council tax. The county council will deliver £39.3m in savings and income during 2009-2010."

Next year will see increased expenditure including: