Conservatives call for county to freeze council tax bills

CONSERVATIVE councillors at County Hall are calling on the Liberal Democrat administration to freeze the county’s council tax.
The Lib Dems, who run Somerset County Council with support from Labour councillors, have doubled council tax bills in the past 10 years.
Now, the Conservative opposition group is lobbying for a freeze on council tax, against a background of the county council having received a record grant from Government in this financial year.
The county’s budget is due to be finalised next month, with council tax bills going out in early March.
Currently, a further 3.5 per cent rise is anticipated which would add £35 on to the average band D bill.
Conservative group leader Councillor Ken Maddock said: “People are hurting now, so they need help now.
“We are all having to tighten our belts and the council should be no exception.
“They cannot just go on pretending that the credit crunch never happened.
“They should freeze the council tax now.”

• Our photograph shows Councillor Ken Maddock with Conservative MEP candidate for the South West of England, Zehra Zaidi (left), and Somerton and Frome Conservative Parliamentary candidate Annunziata Rees-Mogg. Photo submitted.