Just weeks after the Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green called for a council tax freeze Haringey’s Labour Council have caved in and agreed to freeze Haringey’s Council Tax next year.

Last year, Haringey Council’s financial reports revealed that Labour was considering a tax rise of 2.5%. This was despite councils being offered funding from Government to halt a rise and having one of the highest council taxes in London with only four other boroughs charging more.

Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone and the Haringey Liberal Democrats called on Labour-run Haringey to freeze Council Tax last year, and were successful in preventing a rise. Once again Labour have caved in to the Lib Dem’s demands and agreed to freeze council tax next year.

Local authorities who freeze their Council tax will be given an extra £450million in Government funding. This is the third year in a row that the Coalition Government has enabled councils to freeze their Council Tax by offering them enough money to cover the cost.

Lib Dem Finance spokesperson, Cllr Paul Strang, comments:

“Liberal Democrats understand that, with family budgets under pressure, small measures like a freeze in Council Tax can make a big difference. That’s why we have campaigned year after year for a council tax freeze.

“Labour have caved in again and frozen council tax but Haringey Council still has one of the highest council taxes in London.

“The Lib Dems will continue to campaign to make sure that people on low incomes get the help they need in these difficult times.”

Lynne Featherstone, Lib Dem MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, commented:

“Once again Labour have listened to our calls to freeze council tax. I’m glad it only took them a few weeks rather than a few months this time to realise that the right decision for local people is to freeze council tax.

“The Lib Dems in government have ensured that hard working families on low incomes are getting the support they need by raising the level at which people start to pay income tax and by providing money to local councils to freeze council tax.”