BLACKPOOL council tax bills are set to go down at least ten per cent this April - with no cuts in services.

As forecast in the Citizen last week, Blackpool householders will be winners in this year's council tax stakes, while neighbouring Wyre and Fylde have to suffer increases up to 13 per cent.

Blackpool Council's Labour leader Councillor Ivan Taylor told the Citizen he expects to be able to announce tax-cuts of ten per cent or even more as Blackpool goes independent from Lancashire County Council, taking over major services like education and social services.

The savings come from increased Government support and lower overheads with only one tier of local government instead of two.

It means a saving of £73 a year for mid-range Band D property-owners who currently pay £729 - already the cheapest in Lancashire.

"It's excellent news for the people of Blackpool," he said. "Money is always tight and I think this is the first fruits of our going unitary.

"In the past, Blackpool taxpayers have been subsidising the rest of Lancashire. In future all Blackpool's money will be spent on Blackpool services, which is something we've always needed because we're not a rich enough area to be subsidising anywhere - we have high unemployment levels and low pay problems."

Though some councillors may prefer to keep the council tax at present levels and spend more, this was not possible, he said, as the council was already budgeting to spend right up to its capping limit of nearly £120million.

"We are not planning any cuts in services whatsoever," said Coun Taylor.

"We're matching current levels and in the case of education, we're putting in 5.7 per cent more, which is what the Government asked us to, though this includes provision for any increase in teachers' pay."

Meanwhile, householders in Fylde and Wyre are still paying up to 80 per cent of their bill to Lancashire County Council, which is imposing a 15 per cent rise this year.

With the local councils' projected 4.5 per cent and a proportion for the police authority, the total rise will be around 13 per cent.

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