Should Council Tax Rise to Save our Pools?

I would not be understating it if I said that, the recent Cabinet meeting which started this years budget setting process, was the lowest point of my time on the Council. Since 2007 we have tried hard to reduce the Councils budget gap in the face of sweeping Government cuts, uncontrollable cost increases and an increase demand for more resources within the Council to deal with issues such as future housing development and economic growth. I am proud of the fact that as a Council we are now recognised as being in the top 25% of most effeciently run Town halls in the Country. Unfortunately when the Government does not recognise this fact and uses it's one size fits all policy to cap Town Halls at levels below 5% then front line services are put under threat.

To save Kirkham Pool the Council needs to raise Counci Tax by just 8.2% in total, to save St annes pool the rise would have to be a further 9% This 60p per week rise would secure the future of the pools for the forseable future and would enable to Council to continue investing in our top performing services. I would happily ask the Council to support such an increase if public support was there to accept it, however, my dilemma is two fold. Firstly why should you have to pay more? why should Fylde's residents be expected to find nearly 500,000 pounds more each year to help subsidise the Governments priorities? You have already paid this money once! Secondly by raising Council Tax by 13% above the capping limit we run the risk of incurring a 100,000 pounds re-billing charge and the Government imposing a budget on the Council which would without doubt see the pools close.

I fully support the pools protests, but would urge participants to aim their criticsm towards the Government and to send a message that as local taxpayers it is their democratic right to support their Council in raising Council Tax to save our pools. In the next two weeks Councillors and Officers will be working flat out to find a possible solution. I would personally appreciate your written views in support or not, of raising Council Tax above the capping limit, this feedback would be invaluable, should I need to take our case for these actions to Ministers in the coming weeks.