2015/16

A guide to council tax acrossLichfield District

Lichfield DistrictCouncil ServicesWe deliver a wide range of localservices in your area for around£2.98 a week*.

In this booklet you will find outmore information about how muchyou will pay, how we spend themoney we get, and council taxdiscounts and exemptions.

*Based on an average Band D property

Did you know?

Lichfield District Councilonly keeps 10% of themoney you pay – we passthe rest to the countycouncil, fire and policeservices and parish councils.

Value for moneyWe receive and spend 10% of the money you payeach month in your council tax bill. An averagelocal home* in the district will pay £154.99 thisyear towards district council services.

To make sure we can continue to deliver good localservices, we have increased our part of the bill by1.99% this year. This increase will mean anaverage local home* will pay around 25p more amonth, or £3.02 extra a year, for the services weprovide - from recycling, to parks, leisure centresand more.

*Based on an average Band D property

Facing the futureTo address cuts in our funding, last year we askedpeople across the district to tell us how they valuethe services we provide and potential ways tomake savings. We did this through the Your Viewquestionnaire.

We received more than 1,400 responses, withpeople of all ages and every ward giving us theirthoughts.

The questionnaire was not a referendum, but wasdesigned to help us understand local people'sviews better so we can make sound decisionsabout the future of our services.

Where does my money go?We only keep around 10p of every pound wereceive in council tax. We distribute the rest to thecounty council, the fire and police services, andparish, town and city councils.

3p goes to the average parish council

70p goes to Staffordshire County Council

12p goes to the Office of the Police andCrime Commissioner Staffordshire

5p goes to Staffordshire Fireand Rescue Service

10p goes to Lichfield District Council

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To keep up to date on our savingsprogramme and how we are using thefeedback people gave us, please visitwww.lichfielddc.gov.uk/fitforthefuture

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How much will I have to pay?

Use the table below to find out how much yourcouncil tax charge will be this year. The amountyou pay depends on where you live (your parisharea) and the value of your home (your valuationband). The figures do not include any discountsyou may receive.

Your house is placed in one of eight council taxbands (A to H), using the valuation carried out by theDistrict Valuer in 1991. The amount of council taxyou pay will depend on the value of your property.Band D (highlighted below) is used to calculate thecouncil tax for each property and to compareourselves to others.

Band A Band B Band C Band D Band E Band F Band G Band H (6/9)* (7/9)* (8/9)* (1)* (11/9)* (13/9)* (15/9)* (2)*

Alrewas 985.81 1150.10 1314.41 1478.70 1807.30 2135.90 2464.51 2957.40

Armitage with Handsacre 989.16 1154.02 1318.88 1483.73 1813.44 2143.17 2472.89 2967.46

Burntwood 984.51 1148.59 1312.68 1476.75 1804.91 2133.08 2461.26 2953.50

Clifton Campville with 993.14 1158.66 1324.19 1489.70 1820.74 2151.79 2482.84 2979.40Thorpe Constantine

Colton 993.99 1159.66 1325.33 1490.98 1822.30 2153.64 2484.97 2981.96

Curborough & Elmhurst 973.63 1135.90 1298.18 1460.44 1784.98 2109.53 2434.07 2920.88and Farewell & Chorley

Drayton Bassett 996.94 1163.09 1329.26 1495.40 1827.71 2160.02 2492.34 2990.80

Edingale 992.45 1157.85 1323.27 1488.66 1819.47 2150.29 2481.11 2977.32

Elford 992.27 1157.65 1323.03 1488.40 1819.15 2149.91 2480.67 2976.80

Fazeley 990.43 1155.49 1320.57 1485.63 1815.77 2145.91 2476.06 2971.26

Fradley & Streethay 995.05 1160.89 1326.74 1492.57 1824.25 2155.94 2487.62 2985.14

Hammerwich 976.20 1138.90 1301.60 1464.29 1789.68 2115.09 2440.49 2928.58

Hamstall Ridware 983.09 1146.93 1310.79 1474.62 1802.31 2130.01 2457.71 2949.24

Harlaston 985.76 1150.05 1314.35 1478.63 1807.21 2135.80 2464.39 2957.26

Hints & Canwell 991.96 1157.28 1322.62 1487.93 1818.58 2149.23 2479.89 2975.86

Kings Bromley 981.17 1144.70 1308.23 1471.75 1798.80 2125.86 2452.92 2943.50

Lichfield 1001.07 1167.91 1334.76 1501.29 1835.27 2168.96 2502.66 3003.18

Longdon 981.27 1144.82 1308.37 1471.90 1798.98 2126.08 2453.17 2943.80

Mavesyn Ridware 989.62 1154.55 1319.50 1484.42 1814.29 2144.16 2474.04 2968.84

Shenstone 992.29 1157.66 1323.05 1488.42 1819.18 2149.94 2480.71 2976.84

Swinfen & Packington 987.10 1151.61 1316.14 1480.64 1809.67 2138.70 2467.74 2961.28

Wall 987.81 1152.44 1317.08 1481.70 1810.96 2140.23 2469.51 2963.40

Weeford 975.52 1138.10 1300.70 1463.27 1788.44 2113.61 2438.79 2926.54

Whittington & Fisherwick 991.51 1156.76 1322.02 1487.26 1817.76 2148.27 2478.77 2974.52

Wigginton & Hopwas 992.05 1157.39 1322.74 1488.07 1818.75 2149.44 2480.12 2976.14

*The bands are worked out as a proportion of the Band D amount.

Frequently asked questions

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Does council tax fund all our services?No. Council tax funds only 8% of the services wedeliver. The rest is made up by income,government grants, interest on investments andrevenue reserves.

When do I have to pay my council tax?You can pay by 10 or 12 monthly or 2 half yearlyinstalments on the 1st day of the month. If youpay by Direct Debit you can ask for your paymentto come out of your account on the 18th of everymonth instead by calling 01543 308900.

How do I pay for my council tax? You can pay for your council tax by Direct Debit,online or over the phone. You will need yourcouncil tax number (found on your bill) and carddetails.

Direct Debit: Set up a Direct Debit by calling01543 308900 or by filling in a form atwww.lichfielddc.gov.uk/ctdirectdebitYou will need your bank details ready, includingyour sort-code, account number and branchaddress.

Online: Pay online at www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/epay

By phone: Use our automated system by calling0845 2340 068 or by calling our team on 01543308900.

Please note: There is a 2% surcharge if you paywith a credit card. This does not currently apply todebit card payments.

How is my council tax bill calculated?Your council tax bill is based on your property’scouncil tax band (see page 2). It assumes there aretwo adults living in your home (as their main home).

What if I live alone - do I get a discount?Yes. If you are the only adult living in your home,you may be entitled to a 25% single persondiscount. Visit www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/counciltax todownload a single person discount applicationform or call 01543 308900.

Could I be exempt from council tax?Yes. You may be eligible for a discount or may beexempt from paying council tax if you are afull-time student, you are living in permanentresidential care, you are disabled, or for a range ofother reasons. For full information, visitwww.lichfielddc.gov.uk/counciltaxexemptionsor call 01543 308900.

What if I can't pay my council tax?If you are struggling to pay your council tax ontime, please call us straightaway on 01543 308900.If you are on a low income find out about ourcouncil tax support scheme (see page 4 for moreinformation).

What if I miss a payment?We will send you a reminder which gives you 7days to pay. If you don’t pay within this time, youwill lose your right to pay by instalments and willhave to pay your full year's council tax balancewithin a further 7 days.

What if I miss more payments within thesame year?If you make a payment after the first reminder butfall behind for second time, we will send you asecond reminder. This needs to be paid within 7days or you will lose your right to pay byinstalments and will have to pay your full year’scouncil tax balance within a further 7 days.

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If you fall behind for a third time, you will be senta final notice and will automatically lose your rightto pay by instalments and the full year's council taxbalance will become due.

In all instances where the full balance becomesdue, unless you pay within 7 days, you will get asummons to appear at court to explain why youhaven’t paid, which you can choose not to attend,and £70 will be added to your bill.

We will ask the magistrates to issue a libility orderand if they grant this, a further £25 will be addedto your bill. The order allows us to legally collectthe money you owe. We can do this by deductingmoney from your benefits or earnings, or byinstructing an enforcement agent (formally knownas bailiffs). Ultimately, you could serve time inprison.

If you are having difficulty paying your council tax,you can contact us at any time to make anarrangement to pay, except where we haveinstructed enforcement agents to collect the debton our behalf. In these circumstances, you mustdeal with them directly; we will not enter into anyalternative arrangements unless there areexceptional circumstances.

Enforcement agents will charge you a fee that hasbeen fixed by legislation. The initial fee is £75. Ifthey visit your home, you will be charged aminimum fee of £235. VAT may also be added tothese fees. You will also be charged more fees ifgoods are removed from your home. If your debt ispassed to enforcement agents, it is highly unlikelythat we will intervene with their course of actionand you must pay them direct.

What if I’m on a low income orunemployed?You may be eligible for some help to pay yourcouncil tax. This is called council tax support(formerly council tax benefit). You will need tomake an application to the council, and we willassess how much help you could get based onyour income, capital and who else lives in yourhome. To find out more and to download anapplication form, visitwww.lichfielddc.gov.uk/claimform

What if my circumstances change?You must tell us within 21 days as this may affectthe amount of council tax you pay. For help andadvice, please call 01543 308900 or emailbenefits@lichfielddc.gov.uk

Can I appeal against my council taxband?You can appeal by writing to The Listing Officer,Valuation Office Agency, Blackburn House, Old HallStreet, Hanley, Stoke on Trent ST1 3BS or by calling03000 505700. If you and the Valuation OfficeAgency can’t agree on the appeal, it will bereferred to a valuation tribunal.

While my band is being reviewed, do Ihave to pay council tax?Yes. If an appeal is successful you will be refundedany overpaid council tax or be charged anyunderpayment.

Does the council pass on my council taxinformation? Yes. We have duty to protect the public funds weadminister and may use the information you haveprovided for the prevention and detection of fraud.We may also share the information with otherbodies responsible for auditing or administeringpublic funds for these purposes.

To find out more about council tax,exemptions and discounts, and theways you can pay, please visit

www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/counciltax

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P P P P p c p c h h

3 2 3 2

6 3 6 3

2 2 2 2

1 4 1 4

1 4 1 4

2 1 2 1

2 4 2 4

1 4 1 3

1 3 1 3

5 3 5 3

5 4 5 4

1 1 2 1

3 2 3 2

5 2 5 2

6 4 6 3

1 2 1 2

5 5 6 5

1 2 1 2

1 3 1 3

1 3 1 3

4 3 4 3

5 3 6 3

1 1 1 1

4 3 4 3

1 3 1 3

The services we deliver include:

Collecting and disposing of wasteand recycling

Leisure centres, pitches, parks andopen spaces.

Cleaning streets and roads

Environmental health: inspectingrestaurants, bars and clubs for foodhygiene, noise, other issues and more.

Planning and building control: processingplanning applications and ensuringdevelopments meet required standards

Housing and welfare services

Providing council tax and housingbenefits

Boosting our economy througheconomic development and tourism

General cultural and commercial services

Corporate activities

Service spend/income

Capital, pension and earmarked reserves

Interest receipts/payments

Use of reserves

Government grants

Collection fund

Total council tax requirement

2014/15 (last year) 2015/16 (this year)

We spent We made Our net We will We project Our net £’000 on £’000 spend was spend £’000 £’000 spend is set services income £’000 on services income to be £’000

5,249 -3,017 2,232 5,840 -3,623 2,217

5,029 -2,288 2,742 5,130 -2,143 2,987

724 -114 610 698 -115 583

1,039 -303 737 1,046 -250 796

3,254 -1,868 1,387 3,517 -2,070 1,447

1,195 -497 698 2,123 -1,096 1,027

21,922 -20,926 996 21,891 -20,771 1,120

1,139 -1,061 78 971 -677 294

2,697 -1,857 840 2,416 -1,773 643

2,884 -352 2,532 2,878 -292 2,586

7,632 -7,629 4 7,920 -7,925 -5

0 -1,805 -1,805 1,569 -4,025 -2,456

13 -84 -72 162 -87 75

0 -364 -364 0 -400 -400

11,517 -16,704 -5,187 11,563 -16,587 -5,024

0 -63 -63 0 -269 -269

64,294 - 58,931 5,364 67,724 -62,103 5,621

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District services you help to fundWe use the council tax we receive to deliver a wide range of services – from recycling, to leisure centresand much more. Find out how we spend council tax below. Income is subtracted from what we spent onservices to show our net spend.

2014/15 (last year) 2015/16 (this year)

Parish council tax Parish council tax Parish council tax Parish council taxFind your parish precept (£) charge (average precept (£) charge (average from the list below home Band D) (£) home Band D) (£)

Alrewas 33,040 28.92 34,812 29.86

Armitage with Handsacre 69,787 39.04 66,644 34.89

Burntwood 218,923 27.91 223,972 27.91

Clifton Campville with 14,398 41.24 14,600 40.86Thorpe Constantine*

Colton 12,724 42.22 13,244 42.14

Curborough & Elmhurst 2,497 10.55 2,796 11.60and Farewell & Chorley*

Drayton Basset 20,005 47.00 20,253 46.56

Edingale 10,347 40.15 10,496 39.82

Elford 10,939 39.35 11,112 39.56

Fazeley 52,553 37.71 53,290 36.79

Fradley & Streethay* 57,068 44.16 57,818 43.73

Hammerwich 18,995 14.48 20,752 15.45

Hamstall Ridware 3,266 23.36 3,723 25.78

Harlaston 5,321 29.89 5,424 29.79

Hints & Canwell 6,854 40.51 6,939 39.09

Kings Bromley 11,576 22.38 12,044 22.91

Lichfield 595,518 52.75 611,674 52.75

Longdon 16,729 23.04 17,148 23.06

Mavesyn Ridware 14,352 34.72 15,015 35.58

Shenstone 126,337 38.08 134,269 39.58

Swinfen & Packington 4,088 30.46 4,366 31.80

Wall 5,784 30.82 6,385 32.86

Weeford 1,243 13.86 1,299 14.43

Whittington & Fisherwick* 41,588 38.78 42,410 38.42

Wiggington & Hopwas 17,324 39.45 17,582 39.23

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How much do parish councils get?

Your local parish, town or city council gets a proportion of money from your bill to deliver local services.This table shows how much your parish council will receive, based on the average council tax bill (Band D).

* grouped parishes

Please visit www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/counciltax or call our team on01543 308900 Monday – Friday, 8.45am – 5pm

Any questions?

If you would like this leaflet inanother format such as large print,please call 01543 308900.