Scunthorpe Telegraph: 'SAVE ON WAGES AND CUT OUR COUNCIL TAX!

A Challenge was issued to the controlling Labour group yesterday to cut average council tax bills in North Lincolnshire by £55 per household.

The claimed savings, amounting to 4.8 per cent, could be made by cutting back annual spending on pensions, publicity and wages for middle and senior managers by 10 per cent.A league table published yesterday by The Taxpayers' Alliance revealed the savings in North Lincolnshire would be the 40th highest of 419 local authorities in England and Scotland.

The Alliance's research showed in 2006/07 the council - then under Tory control - spent £23,298,000 on pensions, publicity and management wages.

More than £6.4-million was spent on employing staff earning more than £50,000 a year, £16.4-million-plus on contributions to pensions and £389,000 on publicity.

However, the publicity budget was just over a third of the £1.1-million-plus spent by neighbouring North East Lincolnshire.

A 10 per cent reduction would save £2.3-million, meaning a £55 claw-back on a Band D property for North Lincolnshire taxpayers, who this year have been asked to pay 3.9 per cent more.

The Alliance's chief executive, Matthew Elliott, said: "North Lincolnshire residents pay far too much council tax and it has reached unsustainable levels.

"Our research shows the council could easily make savings and reduce the burden by a sizeable sum.

"We challenge the ruling Labour group to make these savings and cut the council tax."

In Hull the 10 per cent challenge would mean an average £102 saving on bills - more than double the £50 drop in North East Lincolnshire.

The Alliance insists if all councils cut their publicity, management and pension costs by just 10 per cent, bills across England and Scotland would be cut by an average of 3.5 per cent - or around £40 per household.

North Lincolnshire Council leader Coun Mark Kirk (pictured) said, in response to the challenge: "This local authority works hard to make yearly efficiency savings and strives to offer the best possible deal for taxpayers. This year's 3.9 per cent was significantly less than the Tory average of 4.6 per cent over the previous four years.

"It is pleasing to note in the Alliance league table, this Labour council is below authorities in North East Lincolnshire and Hull, run by Tory and Lib-Dem authorities."

For more information about the Taxpayers' Alliance, log on to www.taxpayersalliance.com