Labour Blocks Hampshire County Council Tory Tax Rises

The Labour Government has stopped Hampshire County Council punishing residents with a 15% council tax rise. Council tax will only go up by 4.99%, the highest amount councils can raise without asking the Government.

Conservative-run Hampshire County Council had hoped to go cap-in-hand to residents to make up over £132million of budget shortfalls. Conservative council leaders have instead consulted on  cutting transport, mental health, and maintenance services.

Questions remain as to how Conservatives ran one of England’s wealthiest councils to the brink of financial meltdown. This is all the more urgent as the council faces amalgamating, or even writing off its debts as it is restructured into a unitary authority.