EDITOR’S COMMENT from this week’s Solihull Observer newspaper.
A proposed extra £12 on your council tax bills to pay for the recently created new West Midlands mayor and his budget does not sound a lot.
Until you consider there are additional ‘hidden’ costs too. The mayor’s proposed £178.4million budget would see a contribution by member authorities – councils at Solihull, Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton – totalling £118 million.
Council tax bills from April will also include up to five per cent increases to councils.
Then more of your council tax will also be going to the police and emergency services.
If ‘devolution’ under the mayor and combined authority delivers its aims, many will say it is worth it.
As things stand, council taxpayers will be paying more for less.
