Hertfordshire County Council pledges tax freeze

Hertfordshire County Council has decided not to increase council tax this year.

Council leader Robert Gordon today (Monday) announced a freeze on the council’s share of tax for the year 2010/11, despite Hertfordshire receiving the lowest rise in Government grant of any county council in the country.

But cllr Gordon said he was “confident” that the council would be able to maintain its current level of service for schools, highways and fire and rescue.

“We recognise that Hertfordshire’s people are having a tough time as a result of the recession,” cllr Gordon said. “This has led to greater demands on some of our services, but we are determined to absorb those additional costs and the extra amount we have to spend to support our ageing population rather than pass the burden on to the hard-pressed council taxpayer.”

“We always have to strike a balance between the cost of providing high quality services and the pockets of those who have to fund them.

“Over the next few years, we will do everything we can to protect front-line services and balance the books without increasing the council tax.”