pic: images_of_money

Council tax in Tower Hamlets is to be frozen for the third time next year, the borough Mayor has announced.

For the year 2012-13, there will be no increase, which follows George Osborne’s recent announcement to freeze council tax in England.

The council’s freeze will be funded in part by central government grants of over £2 million.

Mayor Lutfur Rahman said: “In these austere times our residents are finding it more and more difficult to pay basic household bills. We as a council must do everything to help. Freezing council tax this year is one way we can leave more money in our residents’ pockets.

“I have asked officers to prepare a budget to deliver improved services without increasing the financial burden on local people. My full budget proposals will be set out in a cabinet paper for January 2012.”

The mayor recently announced a replacement for EMA, as EastLondonLines reported earlier this month.

The proposals will be verified early in 2012 and council officers will be preparing financial plans without a council tax rise.