taxrise
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Reporting local life since 1854 40p Friday, February 24, 2012 SEN-eO1-S2 [P/R] [P/R] STOKE City’s Europa League adventure has come to an end. The Potters crashed out 2-0 on aggregate, after a 1-0 defeat in last night’s match in Valencia. Stoke launched their first European campaign since the 1970s with an away win over Hajduk Split back on August 4, and came through a group containing the likes of Besiktas and Dynamo Kiev, winning seven of their 12 games. But boss Tony Pulis risked the wrath of the thousands of Stoke fans who had travelled out to Spain by leaving the likes of Peter Crouch, Jon Walters, Matthew Etherington and Ryan Shawcross at home yesterday. Nigel Matthews, aged 45, of Newcastle, was disappointed with the squad. He said: “I feel a bit let down after the time and expense that supporters have put into getting to Valencia.” Alex Brian, aged 24, of Meir Heath, said: “Having left those first team players at home, I think we have to beat Swansea on Sunday now or the manager might face a backlash.” But Derek Morrall, aged 79, from Bagnall, who was on the official club- organised trip said: “I never expected the full team to play here. “The Premier League game against Swansea is more important than this one. “I have been going to Stoke for 63 years but this is my first time seeing them in Europe. “It’s wonderful just being able to watch Stoke in Valencia.” Potters’ Euro dream dies in Valencia GO-AHEAD FOR 3.49% TAX RISE Council leader promises budget will ‘stimulate growth’ INSIDE: Spanish flight fiasco: Pages 22&23, plus match reaction: Pages 68-72 INSIDE TODAY’S Fun-loving MG is packed with toys BY ALEX CAMPBELL [email protected] TAXPAYERS in Stoke-on- Trent are in one of only 31 council areas in England to agree higher tax bills from April. City councillors last night approved a budget which increases council tax by 3.49 per cent but slashes £20 million from services. The council is the only unitary authority in the West Midlands and Staffordshire to refuse a Government cash offer to freeze tax, and in doing so joins 30 other councils out of 353 in England. Cuts will see 358 jobs made redundant and the axe will fall on everything from care homes to bus passes. City councillors also rejected a last- minute motion tabled by Councillor Dave Conway, leader of the opposition City Independents, calling on council officers earning more than £50,000 to take a voluntary five per cent pay cut. The Labour-run authority is cutting £20 million, raising £3 million from the tax increase and borrowing £1 million from back-up reserves to deliver a bal- anced budget. Council leader Mohammed Pervez said the budget, which will see £4.6 million reinvested in Mandate for Change schemes to boost the local economy, is “bold, ambitious and innovative.” But his party faced a barrage of criticism from opposition council- lors in a heated two-hour meeting. Non-aligned member Paul Breeze said: “It is very easy to be bold with other people’s money. “You accepted the tax freeze offer last year, because you said it would be unreasonable to put a greater burden on residents in difficult times. “But it’s reasonable this year in even worse times, because it is not an elec- tion year.” Cheshire East Council yesterday agreed to freeze tax, while Staffordshire County Council and the region’s dis- trict councils have also accepted the Gover nment’s offer to block increases in favour of a grant worth 2.5 per cent of their council tax income. The budget was approved as The Local Government Association con- firmed that council workers face a third consecutive pay freeze this year. Mr Conway, pictured, told the cham- ber: “It’s the same as last year – cut, cut, cut. “Now the pensioners can’t even get the security lights repaired outside their homes and the blind and elderly can’t use the bus until after 9.30am.” Conservative leader councillor Abi Brown said the budget “attacks the vulnerable, needy and those who need us the most”, adding: “I support invest to save but it is costing taxpayers £5 million; how about some common sense savings instead?” Mr Pervez criticised the opposition for failing to submit an alternative budget, telling members: “I stand before you to present a budget that addresses not only deep cuts and cost pressures, but a budget that will invest in the Mandate for Change to protect the most vulnerable, stimulate economic growth and create much-needed jobs for our residents.” Residents in Band A properties will see their tax bill rise £26.60 to £788.97. What do you think? Email us at letters@ thesentinel.co.uk Where the cuts fall: Pages 6&7 Comment: Page 10 Picture: Clare Jennings ©NM Bad Credit? We can finance you a car Call 32 82 72 today We buy any car any make, any price. Quickly, fairly, safely and for the highest bid
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Webuyanycarany make,anyprice. Quickly,fairly,safely andforthehighestbid Reporting local life since 1854 BY ALEX CAMPBELL INSIDE TODAY’S Comment: Page 10 What do you think? Email us at letters@ Picture: Clare Jennings thesentinel.co.uk Where the cuts fall: Pages 6&7 [email protected] S E N -e O 1 -S 2 [P / R ] [P/R] ©NM
Transcript of taxrise
Reporting local life since 1854 40pFriday, February 24, 2012
SEN
-eO1
-S2
[P/R
]
[P/R]
STOKE City’s EuropaLeague adventure hascome to an end.
The Potters crashed out2-0 on aggregate, after a 1-0defeat in last night’s m at chin Valencia.
Stoke launched theirfirst European campaignsince the 1970s with anaway win over HajdukSplit back on August 4, andcame through a groupcontaining the likes ofBesiktas and Dynamo Kiev,winning seven of their 12g ames.
But boss Tony Pulisrisked the wrath of thethousands of Stoke fanswho had travelled out toSpain by leaving the likesof Peter Crouch, JonWalters, MatthewEtherington and RyanShawcross at homeye s t e rd ay.
Nigel Matthews, aged 45,of Newcastle, wasdisappointed with thesquad.
He said: “I feel a bit letdown after the time andexpense that supportershave put into getting toVa l e n c i a . ”
Alex Brian, aged 24, ofMeir Heath, said: “H av i n gleft those first team playersat home, I think we have tobeat Swansea on Sundaynow or the manager mightface a backlash.”
But Derek Morrall, aged79, from Bagnall, who wason the official club-organised trip said: “Inever expected the fullteam to play here.
“The Premier Leaguegame against Swansea ismore important than thiso n e.
“I have been going toStoke for 63 years but thisis my first time seeingthem in Europe.
“It’s wonderful just beingable to watch Stoke inVa l e n c i a . ”
Potters’ Eurodream diesin Valencia
GO-AHEAD FOR3.49% TAX RISE
Council leader promises budget will ‘stimulate growth’
INSIDE:Spanishflight fiasco:Pages 22&23,plus matchreaction: Pages 68-72
INSIDE TODAY’S
Fun-loving MGis packed witht oys
BY ALEX [email protected]
TAXPAYERS in Stoke-on-Trent are in one ofonly 31 council areasin England to agreehigher tax bills fromAp r i l .
City councillors last nightapproved a budget which increasescouncil tax by 3.49 per cent but slashes£20 million from s e r v i c e s.
The council is the only unitaryauthority in the West Midlandsand Staffordshire to refuse aGovernment cash offer tofreeze tax, and in doing so joins30 other councils out of 353 inEngland.
Cuts will see 358 jobs maderedundant and the axe willfall on everything fromcare homes to busp a s s e s.
City councillors also rejected a last-minute motion tabled by CouncillorDave Conway, leader of the oppositionCity Independents, calling on councilofficers earning more than £50,000 totake a voluntary five per cent pay cut.
The Labour-run authority is cutting£20 million, raising £3 million from thetax increase and borrowing £1 millionfrom back-up reserves to deliver a bal-anced budget.
Council leader Mohammed Pervezsaid the budget, which will see £4.6million reinvested in Mandate for
Change schemes to boost the localeconomy, is “bold, ambitious andi n n ovat ive. ”
But his party faced a barrage ofcriticism from opposition council-
lors in a heated two-hour meeting.Non-aligned member Paul
Breeze said: “It is very easyto be bold with otherpeople’s money.
“You accepted the tax
freeze offer last year, because you said itwould be unreasonable to put a greaterburden on residents in difficult times.
“But it’s reasonable this year in evenworse times, because it is not an elec-tion year.”
Cheshire East Council yesterdayagreed to freeze tax, while StaffordshireCounty Council and the region’s dis-trict councils have also accepted theGover nment’s offer to block increasesin favour of a grant worth 2.5 per cent oftheir council tax income.
The budget was approved as TheLocal Government Association con-firmed that council workers face a thirdconsecutive pay freeze this year.
Mr Conway, pictured, told the cham-ber: “It’s the same as last year – cut, cut,cut.
“Now the pensioners can’t even getthe security lights repaired outsidetheir homes and the blind and elderlyc a n’t use the bus until after 9.30am.”
Conservative leader councillor Abi
Brown said the budget “attacks thevulnerable, needy and those who needus the most”, adding: “I support investto save but it is costing taxpayers £5million; how about some common sensesavings instead?”
Mr Pervez criticised the oppositionfor failing to submit an alternativebudget, telling members: “I stand beforeyou to present a budget that addressesnot only deep cuts and cost pressures,but a budget that will invest in theMandate for Change to protect the mostvulnerable, stimulate economic growthand create much-needed jobs for ourre s i d e n t s. ”
Residents in Band A properties willsee their tax bill rise £26.60 to £788.97.
What do you think? Email us at [email protected]
Where the cuts fall: Pages 6&7
Comment: Page 10
Picture: ClareJennings
©NM
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