Average band D Christchurch household to pay £73 extra in BCP council tax from April

CHRISTCHURCH residents will pay an average of about £1,970 for band D council tax from April.

The final bill for 2022/23 was settled after a vote on the proposed budget was won by the ruling Conservatives on BCP Council, writes Trevor Bevins of the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The financial plan was hailed by council leader Cllr Drew Mellor as "forward-looking" but criticised by opponents as based on "smoke and mirrors".

The overall charge of £1,970.73 for an average band D home in Christchurch includes the main component from BCP Council of £1,409.15, plus smaller demands from Dorset police and fire services and, where they exist, town and parish councils.

Last year the equivalent total payment in Christchurch was £1,897.52, making the latest average increase £73.21 or nearly 3.9%.

A key Tory policy is to borrow against the value of assets, controversially including council-owned beach huts, as reported in the A&T.

It was an approach which, at a meeting of the full council, Cllr Mellor said will retain the area’s treasure chest of property and land, and allow rapid, extra investment.

His administration had turned the corner from previous years and was now looking forward, he said.

But Cllr Mark Howell was concerned that the government might change the rules about using capital assets to finance revenue spending, potentially leaving a £54m budget hole.

He demanded a Plan B, warning: “We could end up with government running our council and they could force the sale of our assets.”

Cllr Mike Cox, a Christchurch Liberal Democrat, said it would be irresponsible to approve this year’s budget without seeing a KMPG report which Cllr Mellor claimed backs the administration’s financial strategy – but he lost a vote to delay a decision.

Cllr Lesley Dedman, of the Christchurch Independents, said residents deserved better than what she described as “a budget based on the shifting sands and beach huts".

She added: "We see very little trust in this administration’s budget within this chamber, or in the community,” later describing the Conservative plan as “casino economics” for which future generations would pay the bill.

But Cllr Mellor said the council’s budget would give an extra £12m to both children’s services and adults; bring forward a £20m green futures fund; and plan for transformational savings over 20 years which should save the council £1on.

“None of the minority groups have put forward any alternatives for the budget," he said.

"We are all done with looking backwards… This is a forward-looking budget with all of our residents treated fairly and equally.

"It is a budget for children, for care, for council taxpayers and a budget for climate.”

The budget was carried 39-19 with six councillors abstaining.

The meeting also approved a 4% rise in council home rents, although councillors were told that over 60 per cent of tenants would not pay the full increase because they were already being supported by various benefits.