In a letter of 5^th February, Chris Stevens asks about ‘horrendously high’ levels of Council Tax.

It’s clear Herefordshire Council Tax is in line with many other local authorities, but perhaps there is an issue with the perception of ‘value for our money’ local public services?

Herefordshire Council is required to deliver minimum levels of certain statutory services, and some costs of delivering those services are dictated by fixed costs that the Council have little control over. However, many people will question the priorities that the current administration chose to spend  on in the face of the worst cost of living crisis for fifty years.

Herefordshire Labour would start from first principles and review what the Council ‘must’ deliver ensuring that those services are safe, well run and provide best value for your money. Then we would look at services that Herefordshire Council ‘needs’ to deliver and work with local Voluntary and Community organisations to see what can be commissioned to ensure services are delivered cost effectively and accountably. Only after that would we look at what ‘could’ be delivered, and as finances allow, commission or deliver those services. For too long we have suffered from politically driven spending that is wasteful and indulgent.

Existing outsourced contracts should be reviewed and if they do not offer good value, ended and brought back under local, democratic control. Only Labour has the plan to deliver better, and better value, public services for your Council Tax.