Information Team Croydon
Digital Services
Assistant Chief Executive Directorate
Bernard Wetherill House
7th Floor, Zone B
Croydon
CR0 1EA

Contact: Information Team
[Croydon Borough Council request email]

 

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Dear James Muldoon

 

Freedom of information request - FOI/9630

 

Subject: FOI - COUNCIL TAX - Calculation Details of LBC + GLA Charges

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Kind Regard

Information Management Team

 

Croydon Digital Services

Assistant Chief Executive Directorate

 

7th Floor, Zone B

Bernard Weatherill House

8 Mint Walk

Croydon CR0 1EA

Information Team Croydon
Digital Services
Assistant Chief Executive Directorate
Bernard Wetherill House
7th Floor, Zone B
Croydon
CR0 1EA

Contact: Information Team
[email address]

 

Dear James Muldoon

Request FOI/9630

Further to your request received on 01/04/2024, I confirm that the Council
has now considered your request under the Freedom of Information Act
2000. For ease of reference, I will now address each of your questions in
turn.

Request:

Band D Council Tax for the past three years is shown below.

Year Croydon Tax Croydon social GLA precept Total Croydon total
2022 - £1,384.36 - £185.71 - £395.59 - £1,965.66 - £1,570.07
2023 - £1,588.31 - £217.11 - £434.14 - £2,239.56 - £1,805.42
2024 - £1,642.29 - £253.22 - £471.40 - £2,366.91 - £1,895.51

The % increases in each case are as shown below.
2023 - 14.73 - 16.91 - 9.74 - 13.93 - 14.99
2024 - 3.40 - 16.63 - 8.58 - 5.69 - 4.99

The cash increase in Croydon general tax is £53.98.
The cash increase in Croydon social tax is £36.01.

Clearly the Croydon total bill (ie excluding the GLA charge) went up
14.99% last year and 4.99% this year.

The Council Tax bill states the Croydon general tax element went up 3% and
the Croydon social tax element went up 2%, making a total of 5%.

This is a false calculation and invalid statement.

As shown above, the actual increases were 3.40% and 16.63%.

How come the council general tax went op 3.40%, when the maximum allowed
is 3%?

Please explain the basis of the council calculation and claims, which
misleadingly imply a much lower % increase in the social element than is
the fact.

What are the numbers that went up 3%, and what are those that went up 2%?

In past years, there was a detailed explanation of where the money was
being spent, in terms of council spending areas, and council income, with
the change on previous year.

There was also information on the GLA tax demand, and where the money
goes, and why the increase.

Why is this basic summary information not provided now?

Where are the council accounts for the past five years available for the
public to review?

How about the auditor reports on them?

RESPONSE

Please explain the basis of the council calculation and claims, which
misleadingly imply a much lower % increase in the social element than is
the fact.

Please see below the calculation used by the Council to find the
percentage yearly increase in Council tax and the percentage year increase
in the social care element for the year 2024/2025

2024/2025

Council tax element
 

A B C D E F
Band 2023/24 2023/24 2023/24 2024/25 2024/25
  Croydon Croydon   2.99% of Croydon Tax
Increase 
  Council Adult Social Croydon Croydon Tax  for for 2024/25
2023/24
  Tax Care Precept Tax (B+C)    
        Column D Column B +E
  £ £ £    
D 1,588.31 217.11 1,805.42 53.98 1642.29

The Council tax element of the increase for 2024-25 is 2.99% (this is
rounded up on the bill and displayed as 3%)

The increase is based on 2.99% of the combined Croydon Council charge for
2023/2024 (Column D) £1805.42

The 2.99% increase for 2024/25 is applied to column D giving an increase
of £53.98 (Column E)

The Council tax element of the increase for 2024-25 is then applied to the
Council tax element for last year (Column B +E =Column F)

Social care element
 

A B C D E F
Band 2023/24 2023/24 2023/24 2024/25 2024/25
  Croydon Croydon   2% of Croydon
  Council Adult Social Croydon Croydon Tax + Adult Social Care
  Tax Care Precept Tax (B+C) Adult Social Care Care Precept
        2023/24 Column D Column C + Column E
  £ £ £ £ £
D 1,588.31 217.11 1,805.42 36.11 253.22

The Adult Social Care element of the increase for 2024-25 is 2%

The increase is based on 2% of the combined Croydon Council charge for
2023/2024 (Column D) £1805.42.

The 2% increase for Adult Social care 2024/25 is applied to column D
giving an increase of £36.11 (Column E)

The Adult Social care element of the increase for 2024-25 is then applied
to the Adult Social care element for the previous year (Column C +E
=Column F)

Using the calculations above please find below a breakdown of all of the
combined elements including the GLA precept which makes up the overall
Council tax balance of £2366.91 for Band D.
 

Band 2024/25 2024/25 2024/25 2024/25 2024/25
  Croydon Croydon Croydon GLA  
  Council Adult Social Tax Precept  Overall
  Tax Care Precept     Tax
           
      £ £ £     £     £
D     
1,642.29               253.22      1,895.51       471.40    2,366.91

Please note that Croydon Council has no discretion or influence over the
GLA precept as it is set by the Mayor of London.

In past years, there was a detailed explanation of where the money was
being spent, in terms of council spending areas, and council income, with
the change on previous year.

There was also information on the GLA tax demand, and where the money
goes, and why the increase.

Why is this basic summary information not provided now?

The Council no longer sends the Council tax booklet containing all of the
Councils financial information along with the annual bills as this
information is now available on our website. Please click on the following
link to our website:

[1]What is Council Tax and how much is it | Croydon Council

Where are the council accounts for the past five years available for the
public to review?

How about the auditor reports on them?

The Council accounts for the past five years and auditors reports can be
found on the Council’s website by clicking on the following link:
[2]Council budgets and spending
 

The Council publishes Access to Information requests and responses on its
online Disclosure Log. (Any request included within this log will be
anonymised appropriately)

To view the Council’s Disclosure Log, please visit our website available
here:

[3]The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act | Croydon Council
(disclosure-log.co.uk)

 

If you are dissatisfied with the way the Council has handled your request
under the Freedom of Information Act, you may ask for an internal review.
This should be submitted to us within 40 working days of this response.
You can do this by outlining the details of your complaint by:

 

Email:        [4][email address]

 

Writing:     Information Team

London Borough of Croydon

Bernard Weatherill House

Floor 7 - Zone B

8 Mint Walk

Croydon, CR0 1EA

 

Any requests received after the 40 working day time limit will be
considered only at the discretion of the council.

 

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

 

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire, SK9 5AF

 

Yours sincerely,
 

Information Team

Croydon Digital Services

Assistant Chief Executive Directorate

Bernard Wetherill House,

Mint Walk,

Croydon,

CR0 1EA

 

 

[5][email address]

[6][email address]

 

References

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