And accuse Labour administration of failing to keep promises
Hammersmith & Fulham Conservatives have accused H&F Council's Labour administration of "sneaking out" its first budget and failing to live up to pre-election promises.
On their website they also claim that contrary to the council's claims to have cut or frozen many charges including council tax, most are being increased by over 2%.
The Conservatives claim that details of the budget were hidden by the Council in a committee report posted on its website, which you can read here.
On their website, they say: " The report reveals that Council Tax is to be cut by the minimum amount possible, equivalent to 14p a week for the average Band D taxpayer.
" This compares with the 20% reduction under the previous Conservative administration, which put £850 back in the pockets of Band D taxpayers and saw Hammersmith & Fulham achieve the third lowest tax in the entire country.
" There is also controversy over the Council’s increases to charges. Although the new administration had attacked what it described as '600 stealth taxes' in its manifesto, Labour has retained nearly all of them, while increasing the vast majority by more than 2%."
Conservatives Cllr Charlie Dewhirst says: " Any reduction in council tax is welcome, but sneaking out a 14p cut just before the General Election is pretty cynical.
" And having spent years opposing charges, Labour are increasing most by 2.4% now they are in power. No wonder they wanted to keep quiet about it."
You can read the council's announcement on its new budget here.
It says a final decision on the budget for 2015/16, including council tax rates, will be made at the annual budget meeting on February 25. Before that, detailed proposals will be discussed in public at a series of policy and accountability meetings throughout January.
Full details of the dates and times of these meetings, plus their detailed agendas, can be found on H&F Council's website.
January 9, 2015