April/May 2007 - London Borough of Hillingdon
April/May 2007 - London Borough of Hillingdon
April/May 2007 - London Borough of Hillingdon
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council<br />
Council tax –<br />
Investing in your<br />
priorities<br />
Council tax bills have just dropped<br />
through letterboxes and this year<br />
they contain some good news for<br />
the borough's older residents.<br />
<strong>Hillingdon</strong> is the first <strong>London</strong><br />
borough (and only the second in<br />
the UK) to give a reduction on the<br />
amount <strong>of</strong> council tax for the over<br />
65’s.The 2% discount has<br />
automatically been applied and<br />
should appear on your council tax<br />
bill. As well as the discount for older<br />
people, the council’s investing<br />
significant amounts <strong>of</strong> extra money<br />
in the things that you told us are<br />
important to you, including the<br />
environment, community safety, road<br />
safety, the elderly, carers and youth.<br />
At the same time, we have made<br />
a number <strong>of</strong> internal efficiencies so<br />
that we are providing value for<br />
money for services.<br />
This year, the council has had to<br />
add 1% to council tax bills to pay<br />
for the costs <strong>of</strong> supporting<br />
unaccompanied asylum seekers<br />
who have exhausted all appeals and<br />
yet remain in the UK.<br />
The council has been lobbying<br />
the government for more than a<br />
year and even took them to court<br />
to claim the full costs <strong>of</strong> supporting<br />
the children and young people who<br />
come to <strong>Hillingdon</strong> through<br />
Heathrow Airport.<br />
Leader <strong>of</strong> the Council, Cllr Ray<br />
Puddifoot said: "We have delivered<br />
a local council tax increase <strong>of</strong> less<br />
than 3% and invested significantly in<br />
High Court result for <strong>Hillingdon</strong><br />
At the end <strong>of</strong> March, the High Court decided that the<br />
Government had not acted unlawfully in changing the<br />
amount <strong>of</strong> money <strong>Hillingdon</strong> gets to pay to support<br />
unaccompanied asylum seekers.This means that<br />
<strong>Hillingdon</strong> will have to continue to fund nearly £5m <strong>of</strong><br />
the costs <strong>of</strong> supporting unaccompanied asylum seekers,<br />
as we do not receive full funding from government.<br />
The council had brought the court case on the basis<br />
that the government acted unlawfully by reducing the<br />
amount <strong>of</strong> money we are given part-way through the<br />
areas that our residents told us are<br />
a priority.<br />
By giving our older residents a<br />
discount, it will make sure the<br />
increase in council tax is likely to be<br />
less than the increase they receive<br />
in the state pension."<br />
Cllr Puddifoot added: "However,<br />
as we have to cover the shortfall in<br />
funding for unaccompanied asylum<br />
seeking children (UASC) we can no<br />
longer afford the costs <strong>of</strong><br />
supporting UASC's who have<br />
exhausted all appeals (EAA). We<br />
have been open and honest about<br />
this and will continue to press our<br />
case for the Government to fully<br />
fund all costs associated with the<br />
national asylum seeking policy."<br />
"Asylum seeking children and<br />
young people are children first and<br />
in a civilised society we have a<br />
responsibility to ensure their<br />
welfare is protected and their<br />
needs are met. When we asked the<br />
government if they would<br />
reimburse the EAA costs, we were<br />
told they should be paid from<br />
money provided for social services<br />
and education which I am not<br />
prepared to do as it would impact<br />
on the borough's children and our<br />
most vulnerable residents."<br />
The council tax rate in <strong>Hillingdon</strong><br />
for <strong>2007</strong>/08 has been set at 3.75%*.<br />
Over the last five years, <strong>Hillingdon</strong><br />
has had the lowest rate <strong>of</strong> council<br />
tax increases <strong>of</strong> any <strong>of</strong> its West<br />
<strong>London</strong> neighbours.<br />
Over 65s council<br />
tax discount –<br />
your questions<br />
answered<br />
Q Who will receive the 2%<br />
discount?<br />
13,000 people in <strong>Hillingdon</strong><br />
have been identified as eligible<br />
for the 2% discount.<br />
Q I already receive council<br />
tax benefit, will I also be<br />
eligible to receive the 2%<br />
discount?<br />
If you already receive council<br />
tax benefit you will not be<br />
eligible for the discount.<br />
Q Do I need to apply for the<br />
discount?<br />
You do not need to apply for<br />
the discount as it will<br />
automatically be taken <strong>of</strong>f your<br />
council tax bill.<br />
Q What do I do if I believe I am<br />
entitled to the discount but<br />
it is not shown on my bill?<br />
You should contact the council<br />
on 01895 250000 and we will<br />
look at your details to see if<br />
you qualify for the discount.<br />
Q What details will I need to<br />
give?<br />
You will only be asked for<br />
your full name, address, council<br />
tax account number and date<br />
<strong>of</strong> birth.<br />
Q What should I do if I have<br />
any questions about the<br />
over 65s council tax<br />
discount?<br />
Please contact 01895 250000<br />
* The increase for a Band D<br />
property is £39.05 a year.<br />
Taken together with the increase<br />
in the Greater <strong>London</strong> Authority<br />
(GLA) precept <strong>of</strong> 5.3%, the<br />
overall increase to taxpayers in<br />
<strong>Hillingdon</strong> is 4.08%.<br />
year.The council also made the case that by having the<br />
World's busiest international airport in the borough<br />
<strong>Hillingdon</strong> is unique and should be funded differently to<br />
other councils.<br />
Cllr Ray Puddifoot, Leader <strong>of</strong> the Council said: "We<br />
are extremely disappointed at this judgement, as we<br />
believe we have a strong case for us to receive the full<br />
costs for supporting the national policy on<br />
unaccompanied asylum seekers.<br />
He added: "That <strong>Hillingdon</strong> has shoulder the burden<br />
<strong>of</strong> this is scandalous and we will continue to press the<br />
government for fair funding on this issue.<br />
8 •<br />
<strong>April</strong>/<strong>May</strong> <strong>2007</strong>