How we deliver services for you Where our funding comes from and the services we deliver
T
he council tax you pay helps provide local public services, such as policing and recycling collections, but do you know exactly what it is spent on?
The amount you pay is determined by the value of your property (though this is currently based on its value in 1991). Councils issue each household with an annual bill every March. Ashford Borough Council collects your council tax but we are not the only ones who use it. Fox example, did you know that 73% of your bill goes to Kent County Council? Central government no longer provides direct funding support to help us fund the services we provide for you. Therefore councils have to look to alternative sources of income, one of which is increasing council tax levels. In order for us to maintain the same quality of service, and keep up with increased costs like inflation, we need to increase the amount we charge you for council tax. This ensures we do not have a budget gap and do not have to cut back on services or stop them altogether.
9p
11p
£1 How your
73p
HOW WE DELIVER SERVICES
3p
is allocated
Kent County Council Ashford Borough Council Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Kent Fire and Rescue Services Parish Councils
How every £1 of your council tax is allocated You can see that above Ashford Borough Council receives nine pence out of every £1 of council tax you pay.
For more information about council tax visit: www.ashford.gov.uk/council-tax To set up a direct debit visit www.ashford.gov.uk/pay or call 01233 330227.
18
4p
