2019 2020

A GUIDE TO YOUR COUNCIL TAX

WE WANT TO PROTECT YOUR VOTE TOTO VOTEVOTE ATAT AA POLLINGPOLLING Contents STATIONSTATION DON’TDON’T FORGETFORGET 4 How your Council Tax is shared 6 £100 million investment plan

TOTO BRINGBRING YOURYOUR IDID 9 Your guide to Council Tax

13 Easy ways to pay

WHAT DOES THIS 14 Braintree street market VOTER ID MEAN FOR ME? 16 Handy contacts COUNCIL HAS BEEN This means that when you go to vote at a polling station in the Braintree SELECTED BY THE CABINET District, before you are given your OFFICE TO TAKE PART ballot paper you will be asked to show IN THE 2019 ELECTORAL either: INTEGRITY TRIALS FOR • one piece of photo ID or • two pieces of non-photo ID, THE LOCAL ELECTIONS one of which must show your ON 2 MAY. current address. Contact us

There’ll be no change to postal voting. The trial will provide insight into WEBSITE: how best to ensure the security of The most common photo ID types www.braintree.gov.uk the voting process and reduce are likely to be passport, driving the risk of voter fraud. licence or bus pass, and common EMAIL: non-photo ID types are things like [email protected] Electoral fraud undermines your poll card, Council Tax bill or democracy and takes away a bank card. We’ve listed the current TELEPHONE: person’s right to vote as they accepted ID types on the separate 01376 552525 would like. The Voter ID trial will VOTER ID leaflet. The lists may be focus specifically on voter fraud at POST: subject to change, however final polling stations, where an individual details of the ID types required will Braintree District Council, pretends to be someone else known be on your poll card letter which all Causeway House, as “personation”. registered electors should receive Braintree, CM7 9HB by the end of March 2019. Connect with Braintree District Council

Follow us @BraintreeDC

For more information keep an eye on our website: braintree.gov.uk/VoterID 3 Braintree District 2019/20

million £14.54m

How your Council Tax is shared million

Total net service Council spending plan expenditure Braintree District Council 11% £6.633

collects the Council Tax on Comparison of gures for 2019/20 £6.025 million behalf of the District Council, 10.2% Braintree with 2018/19 2018/19 Essex County Council, District Council

£4.479 £14.785m Essex Police, Fire & Crime Total net service

Commissioner (Responsible million expenditure million

million for Policing and Community 4.1% £2.883 Essex Fire & million Safety and Essex Fire £2.403 million Rescue Authority & Rescue Authority) £2.343 million

and the Parish and Town £1.875 million

£1.174 million million

Councils in the district. 2.4% Parish or Town £0.547 £0.157 £0.198 Here’s how Councils £0.608 your Council Tax is allocated: 72.3% Essex County Council Overall Strategy Economic Strategic Growth Finance Environment Health & Direction Development and Infrastructure & Performance & Place & Communities Corporate & Democratic Economic A ordable Housing, Local Tax Collection, Waste Collection, Cultural, Leisure Management, Development, Homelessness, Housing Benets, Parish Recycling, Street & Community Facilities, Governance Business Support, Planning Grants, Commercial Cleansing & Litter Community Transport, Town Centres Property Portfolio Control, Parks, and Voluntary Sector Our part of the council Car Parks million million Braintree District 2019/20 tax bill explained… 1.5m Total funding 9.555 Did you know that just 10p in every pound of council Council income 9.253 tax you pay goes to fund the services Braintree District Comparison of figures for Council provides? Although you pay it all to Braintree District 2019/20 with 201/19 million Council, most of it goes to fund other services – emergency 2018/19

million 1.75m How the net service expenditure services like police and fire, Essex County Council and even Total funding your local town or parish council. is funded. 5.237 .963 So what does that 10p in every pound pay for? million million

The net spending

It pays for things such as waste collection and plan above recycling, street cleaning, planning, leisure

includes income 0.295 0.022 centres, economic development, running elections, from fees and housing, environmental health, emergency charges £5.4m, planning, parks and open spaces, cemeteries, rental income £3.4m, interest and car parking, markets and more. dividends £1m

Central Government Business Rates Council Tax 4 Grants 5 Like most local authorities we’re affected by Central £100 MILLION INVESTMENT PLAN Government funding The projects making up the Grow-on units reducing to nothing by The £100 million-plus investment plan include: at Springwood Drive: 2019 – that’s a reduction of investment plan is part of Manor Street regeneration Four up-and-coming businesses have expanded after a £1 million investment £4.58 million since 2013. our strategy to become (Braintree): in new “grow-on” units at Braintree financially independent If planning permission is granted, the Enterprise Centre, which were completed Since 2010 we’ve found £8.6 million council will deliver a new Live Well in September 2018. The units will bring in through savings, but we quickly by 2019 when Central Hub, 35 new homes, an improved bus income, which will be ploughed back into recognised that the traditional Government stops its interchange, a 70-bed hotel, and the council’s frontline services. a high-quality public open space. “salami slicing” approach to reducing grant funding to the budgets, efficiency savings and Improvements to Galleys staffing restructures would not meet Council. the challenges of having to become Corner in Braintree via financially independent by April 2019 These investments have a double Millennium Way Slip Roads: when Central Government funding stops. benefit for residents – once by the Our investment opened the door to further investment in the community itself investment from Essex County Council, We’ve also been affected by increasing and then again by the return on Highways and the National costs, increased demand and new investment which will be spent on Productivity Investment Fund to make responsibilities as well as inflation. providing the council’s frontline this project happen. services. Our planning service has had to respond to an increase in planning applications It also means that we are playing Horizon 120: and appeals and our housing service has our part in preparing for our growing We’ve purchased a 65-acre site in Great new additional responsibilities under the district making sure that we have the Notley, which will be the location for a Homelessness Reduction Act 2018. right foundations in place to support new business and innovation park called that growth. Horizon 120. The site could create up to Recycling costs are also increasing, 2,000 jobs. whereby councils used to receive income The investments are careful, planned for their materials, local authorities and considered and it is an approach Other plans include: are now paying to have the material which has already paid dividends. A new and improved healthcare facility reprocessed. This costs Braintree District in Sible Hedingham; a project to build Council around £456,000 each year. 200 homes on council-owned land; an Enterprise Centre in Witham; a rural To help meet these challenges we business hub in Sible Hedingham; and launched our £100 million investment the creation of a Construction Research plan in November 2018, which sees us and Innovation Centre (I-CONSTRUCT), investing in the things that matter to you: which will showcase excellence in the construction industry. health, homes, journeys and jobs. Construction Research and Innovation Centre

(I-CONSTRUCT) E: [email protected] T: 01376 552525 ext 2581 6 7

EVERYONE D ES your guide to Thank you for Don’t let your your efforts efforts go to waste your Council Tax Most people in the Braintree Please do not put the following District use their clear sacks items in your clear sacks. Here’s What is Council Tax? what you can do with them… to recycle these items: paper; Council Tax is a tax on homes collected by your local council to pay for local services. cardboard; cans; tins; aerosols; Food waste is collected weekly foil; plastic bottles; and in your food bin. Valuation Value of property on Braintree Essex County Essex Police Essex Fire band 1 April 1991 District tax rate * tax rate & Rescue household plastic packaging, Glass bottle and jars can be taken tax rate tax rate such as food tubs and trays. to bottle banks around the district. You can leave the tops on! A Up to £40,000 £119.82 £846.96 £128.64 £48.30 For more details on what As nappies must go in the grey bin, B £40,001 to £52,000 £139.79 £988.12 £150.08 £56.35 why not switch to cloth nappies can be recycled, visit: C £52,001 to £68,000 £159.76 £1129.28 £171.52 £64.40 braintree.gov.uk/recycling instead? Visit loveessex.org/nappies to claim your £30 refund. D £68,001 to £88,000 £179.73 £1270.44 £192.96 £72.45 or loveessex.org E £88,001 to £120,000 £219.67 £1552.76 £235.84 £88.55 or email [email protected] Unwanted clothes can be donated F £120,001 to £160,000 £259.61 £1835.08 £278.72 £104.65 or call 01376 552525 to charity, swapped or taken to a textile recycling bank. G £160,001 to £320,000 £299.55 £2117.40 £321.60 £120.75 H Over £320,000 £359.46 £2540.88 £385.92 £144.90 To find your nearest glass or textile bank, visitrecyclenow.com/local-recycling * Includes an amount for Adult Social Care. Find out more at www.essex.gov.uk If you think your home should be in a different valuation band, please email The Valuation Office Agency at [email protected] or phone 03000 501501. AT BRAINTREE Who pays Council Tax? People living together such as tenants, TOWN HALL married people or civil partners can be WHAT’S ON jointly or separately responsible for the whole At least one person in each household is Council Tax for their property. ESCAPE ROOMS MOTHER’S DAY responsible for paying Council Tax, whether Saturday 13 April AFTERNOON they own the home or rent it. 2pm and 4pm TEA In most cases the person (or people) aged What is Local Council Tuesday 16 April Saturday 30 March 18 or over who will be responsible for paying 6pm from 1pm Council Tax are: Tax Support? • owner-occupiers If you are struggling to pay your Council Tax DEMENTIA FRIENDLY BRAINTREE • leaseholders bill due to a low income, you may be entitled CREAM TEA TEXTILE FAIR • people who pay rent to help through the Local Council Tax Support. Friday 5 April Sunday 12 May • people who have a licence to occupy, Call the Benefits Team on01376 557852 10am - 4pm such as people who live in tied cottages or visit www.braintree.gov.uk for more details. Talks (housing relating to their work) Exhibitions If you would like to apply and are of state 60+ ONBOARD • people such as squatters, who live in the Stall Holders pension age, you can also contact the GAMES CLUB property but have no legal interest in it Demonstrations Pension Service on 0845 6060265 and Every Monday (that is, they don’t own or rent it) Archive Collection Visits they will assist you. 10am – 12noon (all welcome) • people who own the property but don’t Apply for Council Tax live in it. do it online Most events are pre-book only. For more information Support online. www.braintree.gov.uk or to book, please call 01376 557776 or email [email protected] or visit www.braintreetownhall.co.uk 8 A guide to your Council Tax 2019/20 9 There are currently 201 properties across our Challenging Local Council Mine is a second home, district which have been unoccupied for 2 People with disabilities Tax Support decisions am I exempt? years or more. Therefore, to encourage home You may be entitled to pay less Council Tax If you have applied for Local Council Tax If your property is furnished and no-one lives owners to bring these properties back into if you or someone who lives with you has a Support and you disagree with the decision, there as their main home, a full charge is applied. use, there is a Council Tax premium charged room or extra space, or an extra bathroom or write to us stating the grounds on which you on long term empty homes. From 1st April kitchen, or uses a wheelchair in your property, to meet special needs relating to a disability. are aggrieved. Exempt properties 2019 the premium will be 100%. From 1st April 2020 the premium will be 100% for properties If we cannot resolve your grievance within Council Tax is not payable on ‘exempt properties’. This means that if you have a disability you left empty between 2 and 5 years and 200% 2 months, you may appeal to the Valuation These include properties lived in only by might not have to pay more Council Tax for for properties left empty for 5+ years. Office Tribunal. students, people who have a severe mental the extra space you need. From 1st April 2021 the premium for difficulty or people aged under 18. You cannot withhold payment of your Council properties empty for 10+ years will be 300%.

Tax while the matter is investigated/under For more details, please visit appeal. Empty properties are exempt if they: We have an annexe, www.braintree.gov.uk/emptyhomes • are owned by a charity (exempt for up to six months) do we get a discount? I am having difficulty • are left empty by someone who is in prison A Council Tax discount of 50% is available I live on my own, am for property annexes. paying, what can I do? • are left empty by someone who has moved to give someone else personal care, or I entitled to a discount? It applies for people living in annexes We are here to help you. providing they are related to the person liable has moved to receive personal care Your Council Tax bill assumes two adults are to pay the Council Tax of the main dwelling. Contact us as soon as possible on 01376 • are waiting for probate or letters of living in your household. or email www.braintree.gov.uk/annexediscount 557722 [email protected] administration to be granted (after If you are the only adult living there (as your We only send two reminders in the year. someone has died) and for up to six months main home) we will reduce your bill by 25%. Following that, should the bill remain unpaid, a after the probate or letters are granted When we look at the number of adults living in I don’t think my bill is summons and possibly a liability order will be • have been repossessed a property, we need to know about: issued which will incur additional costs being • are the responsibility of a trustee on behalf • full-time students, student nurses, correct added to your account. of someone who is bankrupt apprentices and youth trainees You can appeal to us if you think you should • are owned or leased by foreign diplomats • people who live in hospital pay less Council Tax, or none at all, for example, because: I think my property should • have no-one allowed to live in them by law, • people who are being looked after in care or homes • you do not live in or own the property be exempt • are waiting to be lived in by a minister of • people who are severely mentally disabled • you feel the property should be exempt If you think your property should be exempt religion. • people staying in some hostels or night • you believe we have made a mistake from Council Tax or you should pay a reduced Forces barracks and married quarters are shelters working out your bill. rate, please contact us. also exempt. People living there contribute to • 18 and 19-year-olds who are at or have If you appeal, you must continue to pay your the cost of local services through a special just left school Council Tax until your appeal is decided. arrangement with us. I receive a discount but • care workers working for low pay (usually If your appeal is successful, we will give you for a charity) back any Council Tax you have overpaid. my situation has now What is empty homes • people caring for someone with a disability changed who is not their partner, or their child (a child is someone under 18) You must tell us within 21 days about anything premium? How do I pay my bill? that could affect an exemption or discount you The Government is keen to ensure that • members of visiting forces and some See all the different ways to pay on page 13. international institutions receive. If you fail to tell us in this timescale dwellings do not remain unoccupied or unused you may be subject to a £70 penalty. for extensive periods. Unfortunately, it remains • diplomats and their husbands or wives the case that nationally, a distressing number (who are not British) Can I pay in instalments? of dwellings are being left empty at a time • monks and nuns, and Yes, see page 13. when there is an overall housing shortage. • people in prison (except people who are in prison for not paying their Council Tax or a fine elatingr to their Council Tax). 10 A guide to your Council Tax 2019/20 A guide to your Council Tax 2019/20 11 What your Parish or Town Council receives The table below shows each Parish Council’s Council Tax requirement (how much they Paying your Council Tax need), based on a band­ D charge. Parish and Town Councils need extra money to pay for things like community centres, footpaths and extra street lighting. If the Parish or Town Council The easiest way to pay is online. raises more than £140,000 from its local taxpayers, it must publish information about its do it online Visit www.braintree.gov.uk spending plans. The spending plans for Coggeshall Parish, Halstead and Witham Town www.braintree.gov.uk/counciltax Councils can be found on our website www.braintree.gov.uk Direct Debit Payment by Standing Over 40,000 Council Tax payers in the Town Or Parish Band D Town Or Parish Band D Town Or Parish Band D Order/Bank Transfer Braintree District use Direct Debit to pay their Please ensure you quote our bank details: Alphamstone 20.24 Gestingthorpe 41.84 Rayne 49.39 bill each month. It is so easy to arrange, simply Sort Code 30-00-02, Account Number Ashen 30.66 Gosfield 58.88 Ridgewell 83.95 call 01376 557755 and provide your bank 00825110. You will also need to quote your account number, sort code and Council Tax Council Tax account number which you will Belchamp Otten 12.79 Great Bardfield 71.27 Rivenhall 43.67 reference number which find on your latest bill, in the reference box. you will find on your latest Belchamp St Paul 18.11 Great Henny 21.48 Shalford 56.55 Due date remains the first of each month. bill, and we will do the rest. Belchamp Walter 50.95 Great Maplestead 34.48 Sible Hedingham 64.03 Birdbrook 90.53 Great Notley 33.61 Silver End 66.82 Debit/Credit Card payments Paying by instalments? Black Notley 51.44 Great Yeldham 76.43 Stambourne 48.45 By default, Council Tax is payable in ten You can use the Council’s website to make monthly instalments starting on 1st April Borley Parish meeting 23.89 Greenstead Green 32.78 Steeple Bumpstead 67.79 a payment with your debit/credit card. and ending on 1st January. Bradwell 35.97 Halstead 46.12 Stisted 44.24 Alternatively, you can also call our automated However, did you know that you can card line on 01376 557894 which is available request to spread your payments over Braintree 0.00 Hatfield Peverel 35.04 Sturmer 39.13 24 hours a day. twelve monthly instalments? These would Bulmer 35.43 Helions Bumpstead 80.58 Terling 49.89 be 1st April to 1st March. Just remember that you would lose the instalment free Bures Hamlet 88.47 Kelvedon 81.83 The Salings 41.71 Online banking period during February and March if you choose the twelve monthly option. If you Castle Hedingham 54.55 20.24 Tilbury Juxta Clare 23.72 If you are making a payment using your bank’s website, please ensure you quote our bank would like to take up this option please call Coggeshall 90.35 Liston 43.86 Toppesfield 74.87 details: Sort Code 30-00-02, Account Number 01376 557755. . You will also need to quote your Colne Engaine 59.34 Little Henny 21.48 Twinstead 21.48 00825110 Council Tax account number which you will Cressing 59.49 Little Maplestead 32.40 Wethersfield 54.47 find on your latest bill, in the reference box. Earls Colne 68.92 Little Yeldham 23.72 White Colne 55.14 PLEASE REMEMBER If you do not make payments by the due Fairstead 49.89 Middleton 21.48 White Notley 55.07 Payment at Post Offices dates, we will issue a reminder notice. Faulkbourne 55.07 Ovington 23.72 Wickham St Paul 84.82 The maximum number of reminders you or PayPoint outlets may receive in any financial year is two, the Feering 66.29 Panfield 48.49 Witham 67.70 If you are unable to pay your Council Tax bill minimum is one. If the second reminder by any of the other options, and you have a remains unpaid, a summons will be issued Finchingfield 62.09 36.53 barcode displayed on your bill, you may make and cost incurred. Foxearth 43.86 Pentlow 46.46 payments at any Post Office or Paypoint outlet. Problems paying? Remember, we are here to help you. Please contact us if you cannot pay your Council Tax. Do not wait until you are in debt as this makes it more difficult to sort the problem out.

12 A guide to your Council Tax 2019/20 A guide to your Council Tax 2019/20 13 Keeping our district clean Popular Braintree Our customer satisfaction surveys tell us that keeping STREET MARKET the district clean and tidy is to return this year important to our residents. Braintree’s bustling street market will take over the town centre on the last Saturday of every month Did you for 2019 (except for the Christmas specials). It’s a great social experience, so next time you’re looking now...k for a day out, you know where to head. Town centre Barrow Beats A total of 202 litter bins are emptied 7 days a week in Braintree, Halstead & Witham. We also hand sweep doorways and other areas the mechanical sweeper cannot reach

Play area bins in Braintree, Halstead SATURDAY: & Witham towns, bins 30 March 2019 27 July 2019 16 November 2019 are emptied once/twice 27 April 2019 31 August 2019 7 December 2019 a week. That’s 180 bins 25 May 2019 28 September 2019 21 December 2019 29 June 2019 26 October 2019 Dog & litter bins Outside the town centres www.braintree.gov.uk/braintreestreetmarket 1,119 dog bins and 764 litter bins are emptied at least once a week @braintreestreetmarket

A120, A12, By-Pass WITHAM MARKET bins emptied We’re bringing in more traders to revamp Monday/Wednesday/Friday the weekly Saturday market! 70 bins per day Keep up to date with the latest news and updates at www.braintree.gov.uk/withammarket Main A-Roads A131, A120, B1018 & A12 verges Litter picked every 6-8 weeks Prepare for EU Exit Visit www.gov.uk/euexit Town centres & surrounding areas swept everyday Parish roads with kerbs are swept 4 times a year

14 A guide to your Council Tax 2019/20 call an If

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REPORT FRAUDNOW you

Council Tax Supportenquiries

Causeway House,BockingEnd, [email protected] alternative or [email protected] or [email protected] Our CouncilTax team: 01376 557755 or [email protected]

Late-payment enquiries contacts Braintree DistrictCouncil,

require Write toorvisitusat: 08000 740405 Braintree CM79HB Useful Billing enquiries 01376 557894 01376 557755 01376 557722 01376 557852

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