Taxpayers on the Isle of Wight will pay more for council services than those in Cornwall, Hampshire and Bournemouth.
It comes after a near 5% increase in council tax was approved for Isle of Wight residents on Wednesday.
Island Band D households will have to fork out £86.46 more a year — taking the council tax bill up to £1,871.61 a year from 1st April.
Across the water, Hampshire County Council has agreed to ask its Band D residents for £1,460.25.
That is £357 less than an Island Band D household.
Looking at 9 local authorities across the south of England, the Isle of Wight sits second in the list for the highest average council tax.
It misses the top spot by £88.32 to Dorset Council, who asks a Band D household for £1,905.93 a year, after it agreed to increase its council tax this year.
How do all Band D tax rates compare?
- Dorset Council – £1,905.93
- Isle of Wight Council – £1,817.61
- Cornwall Council – £ 1,802.79
- Southampton City Council – £1,726.47
- East Sussex County Council – £1,693.80
- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council – £1,683.23
- Portsmouth City Council – £1,648.87 (to be approved next week)
- West Sussex County Council – £1,633.41
- Hampshire County Council – £1,460.25
Every year a public authority has to set a legal and balanced budget — which in most instances sees an increase to the amount residents pay towards council services.
Exceeding the council tax rate of some of the most affluent counties in the country and nearly topping the poll of most expensive places to live isn’t exactly what I would call a good “Island deal”.
With this year’s eye-watering precept hike coming on top of all the other big increases it would be interesting to see where Sandown sits relative to other local councils in the south. (Or, better still, the whole of the UK)
Why does government not investigate local Authorities (like Ofsted, Offcom etc ) we should all be paying same if not?why not? . Hampshire have better services than IOW and IOW pay many £ millions to Hampshire yet get poor return – drop this joint stuff with Hampshire,save and improve services here.
Not surprising with the expenses claimed and paid to the excessive number of councillors we have on the Island. There’s cuts everywhere but not in the number of councillors or their expenses
Well what a Surprise !
Obviously we the iow cash cow’s have 2 pay 4 the new windows toilets,computers, electric car’s, their air con, and their tea / coffee , biscuits, oh and their fat pension pot’s!!!!!!
Ooh not forgetting the elephants in the room —- the floating bridge fiasco….
Admit it you are a waste of space, but more importantly a waste of our money!!!!
A friend of mine has frequently said that our Council Tax is high because we are supporting a bloated, multi-department organisation, the sort that normally runs a LARGE County, on an Island where the total population (including the non-contributing wasters) is less than a VAST number of towns on the mainland.
Controversial I know, but the Island should not be an ‘Independent Unitary Authority’, we should be part of Hampshire. After all, they already have responsibility for some of our services!
Don’t know where the figures for this years council tax of £1,817.61 comes from, my bill for a band D property last year was over £2000.