"No Council Tax rise" victory for Manchester Liberal Democrats

6.00.00pm GMT Tue 2nd Feb 2010

Manchester Lib Dems Win Longstanding Campaign for "No Council Rise"

"Manchester residents should not have to worry about a rise in their Council Tax this year whilst we fight the continuing effects of the recession in the city" says Liberal Democrat Finance Spokesperson on Manchester City Council, Withington Councillor Simon Wheale.

Councillor Wheale stated:

"The City Council will tomorrow, Wednesday 3rd February 2010, announce that they plan to confirm their December 2009 City Council decision to freeze the level of the Council Tax for the 2010/11 financial year starting this April. As Liberal Democrats, we will be strongly supporting an approach that will not see the Council Tax in Manchester rise this year. If the Council Tax can be brought down a bit to help Manchester residents deal with the continuing fallout of the recession, as we proposed last year, that would be even better."

Simon Wheale added:

"This proposal is a victory for common sense following a year-long campaign by Manchester's Liberal Democrats to stop the city's Council Tax rising during the recession. City Council finances have benefited this year from lower interest rates and better prices on overhead costs. It is important that these savings stop Council Tax bills from rising for Manchester people. Knowing that there will be a freeze in the Council Tax level this year will mean one less thing for Manchester residents to worry about when personal and family budgets are stretched."

Leader of the Liberal Democrats in Manchester Councillor Simon Ashley commented:

"Britain is the last of the major economies to come out of recession. Liberal Democrats have argued nationally that the income tax threshold should be raised to make the tax system fairer at this testing time. Not raising the Council Tax in Manchester, as Manchester Liberal Democrats have campaigned for throughout last year and into this year, represents a fairer deal for our residents and we will campaign now to see it implemented."

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