Halewood Lib Dems help local people through credit crunch. (Garston and Halewood Liberal Democrats)

Garston and Halewood Liberal Democrats <info@garstonld.org.uk>

Halewood Lib Dems help local people through credit crunch.

February 8, 2009 12:00 AM

Halewood Town Council has taken a series of measures aimed at helping local residents through the current recession and ease their financial burden in the months ahead.

Councillors unanimously agreed to freeze the Council Tax precept for a second year despite increases in overheads of more than £20,000 faced by the Council for the coming year.

The council also agreed to freeze hire charges for the next twelve months at its community centres and sports facilities, introduced a free hire policy for funeral wakes at community centres for Halewood residents and set up a working group to bring forward other proposals to help the local community through these difficult times.

The freeze on the council tax precept will mean an average Band D property will continue to pay just over £1 a week for the services provided by Halewood Town Council, which was named last year as the best performing local council in England and Wales by the National Association of local Councils.

The additional measures announced will also help ease the financial burden on local community and sports groups that use the Council's facilities.

Cllr Dave Smithson, Leader of the Majority Group of the Council, said: "We are pleased to have been able to take these measures to ensure local residents are not facing additional pressures by increases in the local council tax precept or charges for use of our local facilities.

"Despite facing an increase in our costs over the coming 12 months of more than £20,000 we have found efficiencies and savings to keep the cost down to the local community while still investing in our sports facilities and events in the coming year.

"This is a budget that maintains services at the level residents want and expect, invests for the future while helping local people through this recession.

"The additional measures of freezing hire charges and introducing free hire for funeral wakes will also help our community and the working group will look at a range of other initiatives to bring forward in the near future to help with this global downturn."