BASILDON Council has announced that it will not be asking for any increase in the share it takes from local people's council tax.

Despite the financial implications that Covid-19 has had on the authority council leader Cllr Gavin Callaghan says its precept will be frozen for the second consecutive year.

Basildon's share of the levy on householders makes up 15 per cent of residents' council bills; 70% goes to Essex County Council, and the police and fire services take a further 15% combined.

Essex County Council's cabinet will be meeting tonight (Tuesday, 19 January) and it is also proposed to freeze the share of council tax it takes to use for general purposes. And it plans to take just a 1.5 percent increase this year from the government's adult social care precept, half of that available.

Since March 2020 and the start of the COVID-19 epidemic, Basildon Council says it has lost revenue and had increases in expenditure totalling nearly £8 million.

But rather than increase Council Tax, the council says it has has already started to implement measures to commercialise services and reduce costs where possible, and remains committed to protecting the front line services that people value.

Labour's Cllr Callaghan, said: "This year has of course been a very tough one financially for the council. We know now that the shortfall in our lost income hasn't been made up by central government as it was initially promised.

"But we know how tough a year it's been for our residents, too. And so to recoup that shortfall by increasing council tax doesn't sit right with me. Basildon residents don't deserve that.

"Instead we're commercialising more of our services, reducing spending in areas of the council where coronavirus has shown us we can work effectively differently, like office space. We will also continue to work alongside neighbouring councils to lead on designing and providing shared services as we have with our Revenues and Benefits services.

"As a council we've been working extremely hard throughout the pandemic to make sure that once we're out the other side, we can build a new Basildon that invests in the futures of our young people, a new generation of homeowners, thriving 21st century town centres and one that doesn't leave anyone behind. There is lots to look forward to and we will bounce back. "

The full Basildon budget for the 2021/22 financial year will be presented before full council on 25 February 2021.

Showing that there is cross political accord in Essex for keeping the council tax as low as possible, Conservative Cllr David Finch, Essex County Council's leader, said: "Family, economy, and environment will provide our focus – from increasing the number of apprentices in the county and helping the recently unemployed start their own businesses, to creating an additional 1,500 school places and increasing support for older people.

"We will improve mental health services and support for people with learning disabilities."

Cllr Finch added: "The challenge of Covid has been layered on top of the already existing financial stress that public services have been under for a decade.

"But because we have focused on reducing bureaucracy and improving productivity, we have been able to keep council tax increases to a minimum while providing excellent services."

In neighbouring Thurrock the Conservative –controlled council, which is a unitary authority and stands on its own aside from the police and fire precept – which has not yet been announced by the county commissioner Roger Hirst – is proposing to raise council tax by 4.99%, which includes the full three per cent adult social care allowance allowed.