Martin Francis comments on the possibility of a modest Council Tax rise in Brent. I have rehearsed the arguments in favour of a small rise before. The strongest seems to me the effect on the long term future of the Council, similar to that in Scotland.
This was well understood back in 2011, as the report Martin refers to shows. The 2011 one off grant was in fact added to reserves on the basis that it would eventually disappear.
The second argument that seems unarguable is the fairness point. If Cllr Muhammed Butt had no objection to a rise for the poorest residents under the Council Tax Support scheme (and both as Lead Member for Finance and Leader of the Council he supported it), how can it be fair to have no rise for other residents. Isn't that the reverse of protecting the most vulnerable?
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