Dear Sir,
I read with interest and some incredulity, the letter from Cllr Michael Stead in last week’s Newton News.
It should be noted that Cllr Stead has sat through successive Policy & Resource meetings of Great Aycliffe Town Council since his re-election in May 2021. At none of these meetings has he put forward any motion in relation to the Council Tax, until the January 2022 meeting. This was the final budget review meeting, prior to confirmation of the precept, due to be decided at the Full Council meeting on 24th January 2022.
At the Policy & Resources meeting at the Council on 19th January 2022, Cllr Stead tabled a motion to freeze the Town Council element of the Council Tax precept for 2022/23. His motion took no account of the budget pressures faced by the Town Council, or the projected costs in the coming year, in both the revenue and capital budgets. He made no argument whatsoever for his motion. Quite the contrary.
When a counter proposal that (1) the Council Tax precept for 2022/23 be confirmed at 1.99% taking account of the risks highlighted by the Finance Officer; and (2) during the course of 2022/23 a systematic review of all income generation and spending be undertaken with a view to achieving a net zero increase, or a reduction in the Council Tax Precept for 2023/24 was tabled, he stated that he really liked the proposed amendment. Furthermore, he stated he would be happy to second the said amendment.
Cllr Jed Hillary