A Guide to your Council Tax 2012-13 - Bournemouth Borough Council

A guide to your 

Council Tax 2012/13 

Budgets and spending plans for your local services 

Bournemouth Borough 

Council Page 8 

Dorset Police Authority 

Page 13 

Useful 

council phone 

numbers 

Pages 4-7 

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Dorset Fire Authority 

Page 16

2 

Introduction 

Statement from 

Councillor John 

Beesley, Leader 

of Bournemouth 

Borough Council 

During these difficult economic times it’s 

important that the Council tries as hard as 

possible to relieve the burden on local 

taxpayers. We are freezing Council Tax 

again for a second year, taking advantage 

of the Government’s Council Tax Freeze 

Grant. However, this grant is only in place 

for the coming financial year and as a 

result, our budget will be under ongoing 

pressure when that grant ends, as some £2 

million will be removed from the Council’s 

budget next year. 

Government grant and Council Tax provide 

Bournemouth Council with an income of 

£140 million a year to spend on services 

for residents. Despite a cut in government 

grant of £5.87 million (8.3%), on top of 

last year’s cut of £12.33 million (14.9%), 

there will be no cuts in front line services 

for the residents of Bournemouth. 

We continue to work hard to make sure 

that Bournemouth Council is in a strong 

financial position. Due to careful financial 

planning and despite much lower 

government funding, we have been able to 

balance our budgets. Services such as care 

for children, the elderly and the 

vulnerable are facing increased demand 

and are coming under greatly increased 

financial pressure. However, we have put 

money aside and this will ensure that the 

Council continues to fully fund these 

services to meet the demands of 

Bournemouth’s residents. 

Our ongoing efficiency programme has 

already produced savings of more than 

£32 million since 2007. The partnership 

with Mouchel is set to deliver savings that 

will put the Council in the best possible 

position to protect and positively 

transform frontline services in the future. 

Thanks to this ongoing work, we will 

continue to invest in areas that are 

important to residents such as tackling 

anti-social behaviour, cleaning up our 

streets and neighbourhoods, improving 

roads and pavements and supporting jobs 

in the local economy. 

Councillor John Beesley 

Leader of the Council 

Did you Know? 

You can find information about the 

Council’s plans and performance online by 

visiting: 

www.bournemouth.gov.uk/ourperformance 

“ 

Due to careful financial planning and despite much lower 

government funding, we have been able to balance our budgets. 

Publication details: This is a statutory document to inform residents about Council Tax and budgets. 

Published by: Bournemouth Borough Council Date: March 2012 

Distribution: All Bournemouth households Cost per copy: 7p approx 

“

What you pay 

Here is a quick look at what you’ll pay 

towards local services in 2012/13, 

including Dorset Police and Dorset Fire and 

Rescue Service. Each property has been 

put into one of eight bands although your 

final bill will be less if you qualify for 

Council Tax Benefit or other reductions. 

See page 19 for further details. 

Band 2011/12 2012/13 

A £999.12 £999.12 

B £1,165.64 £1,165.64 

C £1,332.16 £1,332.16 

D £1,498.68 £1,498.68 

E £1,831.72 £1,831.72 

F £2,164.76 £2,164.76 

G £2,497.80 £2,497.80 

H £2,997.36 £2,997.36 

Where is your money spent? 

The charts on the right show: 

• the proportion of expenditure for 

each council service area 

• Council Tax elements, based on a Band 

D property, in comparison to last year. 

Turn to the following pages for more 

details: 

• Page 8 for Bournemouth Borough 

Council’s finance 

• Page 13 for Dorset Police finance 

• Page 16 for Dorset Fire & Rescue 

Service finance. 

Your Council 

Tax at a glance 

Gross expenditure on 

council services 

25% 

8% 

Schools 

Adult services 

12% 21% 

5% 

Leisure Trust (BH Live) 

Planning and development 

Highways 

Environmental health 

4% 

2% 

3% 1% 1% 

18% 

Refuse collection and disposal 

Economy and tourism 

Other children’s services 

Housing and benefits 

Other services 

Band D Council Tax comparison 

2011/12 

£60.39 £180.00 £1258.29 

2012/13 

£60.39 £180.00 £1258.29 



Bournemouth Borough Council 

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Make the most of your council services 

Whether you are visiting the local park, sending your children to school or putting the 

rubbish out for collection, everyone uses council services. Your council is working 24 

hours a day, 365 days a year to keep the town running and to support vulnerable 

people locally. 

With hundreds of local services on offer why not make the most of them? There are a 

number of ways you can find out more: 

Read all about it 

BH Life is the Council’s magazine. It is delivered to homes four times a year to keep you 

informed about your local services. See page 23 to tell us if you’re not regularly receiving 

your copy. 

Do it online 

You can find the latest news and information, apply for council services, report an issue 

in the borough, pay for services and much more at: www.bournemouth.gov.uk 

Be the first to know 

We put regular updates on Facebook and Twitter so why not take a look at our pages: 

• www.facebook.com/bournemouthbc 

• www.twitter.com/bournemouthbc 

Have your say 

Help influence local decisions by joining the e-panel. You will receive emails with short 

surveys to complete online about a varied range of topics and we will tell you about other 

local consultations taking place too. Sign up and have your say! 

Visit: www.bournemouth.gov.uk/epanel for full details. 

Contact us 

Over the next few pages we’ve listed the telephone numbers of some of your 

key services. 

If you’re ever unsure of which council service it is that you need or you can’t find the 

number you’re looking for - 

• telephone our main number on: 01202 451451 

• visit us online at: www.bournemouth.gov.uk 

• or email: enquiries@bournemouth.gov.uk

Adult social care 

Telephone Bournemouth Care Direct on 

01202 454979 for all your adult social 

care including: 

• Advice for carers 

• Living independently 

• Day care 

• Home care. 

Business services 

Business Rates 01202 943286 

Business support 01202 454630 

Conferencing 01202 456545 

Trade waste 01202 451199 

Trading standards 01202 451400 

Council Tax and benefits 

Council Tax 

24 hour payment line 01202 454748 

Council Tax – enquiries 01202 451597 

Benefits 

Council Tax/housing 01202 451592 

Your council 

services 

Children’s services 

Telephone the Children’s Information 

Service on: 01202 456222 for information 

about: 

• Childcare and family support 

• Children’s centres 

• School admissions. 

Children’s social care 01202 458101 

Did you Know? 

72% of Bournemouth households pay 

their Council Tax by Direct Debit, which 

helps the Council be more efficient and 

cost effective. We now offer a range of 

Direct Debit payment dates to help you 

budget more easily - see page 24 

for details. 

Make the most of… 

...your local community centre. 

There are a number of centres in 

Bournemouth offering a wide range of 

social activities and groups for people 

of all ages and interests. Find the 

details of your local centre by visiting: 

www.bournemouthcommunitycentres.co.uk 

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Your council services 

Housing and planning 

Building control 01202 451323 

Housing – council tenants 

Housing defects – 

0800 0281870 

private tenants 01202 454979 

Housing grants 

Housing waiting list/ 

01202 454979 

homelessness 01202 451467 

Land charges 01202 451119 

Planning services 01202 451323 

Parking and travel 

Blue Badges 

Concessionary travel 

01202 458744 

(bus passes) 01202 451584 

Parking 01202 454721 


… parks, playgrounds, ball courts and 

skate parks. There are acres of open 

Parks, space for leisure everyone to and enjoy all over 

entertainment 

Bournemouth. Find your local park and 

details of news and events such as guided 

walks at: www.bournemouth.gov.uk/parks 

Parks, leisure and 

entertainment 

* BIC/Pavilion – 

visit: www.bic.co.uk 0844 576 3000 

* Leisure centres – 

visit: www.bhlive.co.uk for details: 

• Littledown Centre 01202 417600 

• Pelhams Park Leisure 

Centre 01202 437801 

• Stokewood Leisure 

Centre 01202 437840 

• Sir David English Sports 

Centre 01202 437800 

Libraries 01202 454848 

Parks 01202 451629 

Queen’s Park Golf Course 01202 451675 

Russell-Cotes Art Gallery 

& Museum 01202 451858 

Seafront, beach office 01202 451781 

Tourist information 0845 051 1700 

*services provided by BH Live, working with 

Bournemouth Borough Council 

Did you Know? 

There were over a million visits made to Bournemouth’s 12 libraries last year. Our 

libraries are all quite different and have lots of events on offer. 

Visit: www.bournemouth.gov.uk/libraries to find out more.

Street services 

Telephone: 01202 451199 for all the 

following services: 

• Graffiti reporting 

• Highways – roads and pavements 

• Street cleaning and lighting 

• Rubbish and recycling. 

Other council services 

Adult learning 01202 451950 

Anti-social behaviour 

Births, deaths, marriages 

01202 451433 

and civil partnerships 01202 454945 

Elections and voting 01202 451123 

Environmental health 01202 451296 

Licensing 

Trading standards 

01202 451180 

(Consumer Direct) 0845 404 0506 

Pest control 01202 451199 

Your council 

services 

Other local services 

Dorset Police 

Dorset Fire and 

101 

Rescue Service 01305 252600 

Only dial 999 if life is in danger or a crime 

is in progress. 

Did you Know? 

During 2011, lamp posts, signs, 

benches and railings were given a lick 

of paint as part of our Smart Streets 

programme to help create cleaner 

neighbourhoods. This included 

painting 1,748 metres of railings and 

1,025 lamp posts! 


… waste and recycling facilities. We 

help you reduce, reuse and recycle 

your waste - from a fortnightly 

kerbside recycling service to 

neighbourhood recycling centres and 

regular events such as the ‘Give or 

Take days’. Find out more at: 

www.bournemouth.gov.uk/recycling 

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Good value local services 

The money you pay in Council Tax makes up a proportion of the Council’s overall budget 

with the rest coming from government grants and income from fees and charges. 

Council Tax is collected by Bournemouth Borough Council but the charge covers council, 

police and fire services as well as paying towards the Environment Agency. 

The following ‘shopping receipt’ illustrates the weekly and annual cost of some of your 

services. This is based on Band D Council Tax payments: 

Social care for children, families and adults 

Weekly Cost £13.22 Annual Cost £687.13 

Education for all ages 

Weekly Cost £1.73 Annual Cost £89.92 

Planning advice, applications and enforcement 

Weekly Cost £0.13 Annual Cost £6.65 

Environmental health 


Trading standards and consumer protection 


Housing for those in need 


Economic development and improving the town’s wealth 


Registrations 


Housing and Council Tax benefits 


Roads and pavement maintenance 


Refuse collection, disposal and recycling 


Maintaining parks, open spaces and golf courses 


All your other council services 


Sub Total: 

Weekly Cost £24.20 Annual Cost £1,258.29 

Dorset Police 


Dorset Fire and Rescue Service 


Total: 

Weekly Cost £28.82 Annual Cost £1,498.68

Where the money is spent 

The following table shows the estimated costs and income of the services to be provided 

by the Council in 2012/13, including a comparison with 2011/12. 

Expenditure 

The Council’s 

budget 

2011/12 £m 2012/13 £m 

Income Net Costs Expenditure Income Net Costs 

105.1 (103.2) 1.9 Schools 86.5 (84.7) 1.8 

38.9 (10.3) 28.6 Other children’s services 38.3 (10.9) 27.4 

76.0 (17.9) 58.1 Adult services 77.5 (19.1) 58.4 

13.3 (3.5) 9.8 Highways 10.7 (1.7) 9.0 

114.1 (108.7) 5.4 Housing and benefits 111.9 (107.0) 4.9 

6.1 (0.3) 5.8 Environmental health 4.7 (0.9) 3.8 

11.1 (2.6) 8.5 Refuse collection and disposal 11.2 (1.2) 10.0 

28.4 (16.8) 11.6 Economy and tourism 21.8 (10.5) 11.3 

15.8 (15.8) 0.0 Leisure Trust (BH Live) 6.5 (0.9) 5.6 

3.8 (2.7) 1.1 Planning and development 3.9 (3.0) 0.9 

59.2 (43.3) 15.9 Other services 60.1 (46.2) 13.9 

471.8 (325.1) 146.7 Total 433.1 (286.1) 147.0 

3.1 0.0 3.1 Contribution to Capital 0.0 0.0 0.0 

(10.8) 0.0 (10.8) Non-service operating items (15.9) 0.0 (15.9) 

139.0 Gross expenditure/income 131.1 

6.4 (2.7) 3.7 Contributions to/(from) funds 8.9 0.0 8.9 

142.7 Budget requirement 140.0 

Reading the figures 

Income, surpluses and reduction in expenditure are shown in brackets. Spending, deficits 

and reductions in income are shown without brackets. 

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The Council’s budget 

Where the money comes from 

Number of Band D equivalent properties 2011/12 


64,035 

64,538 

Amount per 

Band D property 

£m £m 

£ 

Borough net expenditure 142.510 139.826 

Environment Agency Levy 0.196 0.199 

Bournemouth Council budget requirement 142.706 140.025 

Less 

Government Grant (14.373) (1.081) 

National non-domestic rate (46.499) (55.763) 

Collection Fund (surplus)/deficit (1.259) (1.973) 

Bournemouth Council - Council Tax requirement 80.575 81.208 1,258.29 

Dorset Police Authority Precept 11.526 11.617 180.00 

Dorset Fire and Rescue Service Precept 3.867 3.897 60.39 

Total Council Tax requirement 95.968 96.722 1,498.68 

Business Rates 

Businesses and other occupants of 'non-domestic properties' must pay Business Rates. The 

bill is calculated by multiplying the property's 'rateable value' with the Government's 

2012/13 National Rate in the pound of 45.8p. Eligible small businesses with a rateable 

value of less than £18,000 will qualify for a lower rate in the pound of 45.0p for 2012/13. 

This is unless the ratepayer is in receipt of a mandatory rate relief or is liable for 

unoccupied property rate in which case the higher rate in the pound of 45.8p will apply. 

The resulting figure may then be adjusted to reflect transitional arrangement or 

relief applicable to the particular circumstances of the property. As part of the 

Government's five yearly revaluation process, all rateable values have been reassessed 

from 1 April 2010. 

Find out more at: www.local.communities.gov.uk, www.voa.gov.uk and www.businesslink.gov.uk 

Did you Know? 

Business Rates, also called non-domestic rates, are collected and paid into a central 

pool. These are re-distributed to councils based on per head of population.

Environment Agency Levy (Wessex Region) 

The Environment Agency (Wessex Region) has powers in respect of flood defence along 

2,813 km of main rivers and tidal and sea defences. It maintains the river system and 

flood defences together with the operation of a flood warning system. Funding comes 

from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and a local levy. 

The local levy was £3,167,409 in 2011/12 and is £3,167,000 in 2012/13. Bournemouth 

Borough Council’s share of the levy in 2012/13 is £199,016. 

Why the costs have changed 

The following table highlights the reasons for the change in the Council's budget: 

2011/12 Budget 142.706 

Add increased costs of service provision: 

Inflation on existing services (excluding schools) 1.567 

Removal of short term items from base 0.070 

New burdens 1.374 

Budget pressures 1.780 

This has been offset by: 

The Council’s 

budget 

Contribution from earmarked reserves (2.252) 

Budget reductions and efficiency savings made (5.220) 

2012/13 Budget 140.025 

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The Council’s budget 

Proposed capital spend 

The Council is planning to invest over £9 million on ‘capital projects’ during 2012/13. 

Capital spending provides improved corporate or community assets such as equipment, 

land and buildings. 

Service £m 

Corporate Services 0.739 

Childrens' Services 4.277 

Housing Landlord and Parks 1.427 

Planning and Transport 0.400 

Technical Services 2.149 

Leisure Trust (BH Live) 0.034 

Total 9.026 

Number of staff 

Employees 2011/12 2012/13 

(Full-time equivalent) 

Schools 2,083.0 1,325.4 

Other 2,384.9 2,151.6 

Total 4,467.9 3,477.0 

A reduction has resulted because of restructures, staff transfers to the Mouchel Partnership and 

as a result of a number of schools changing to academy status. 

Find out more 

You can find out more about Bournemouth Borough Council’s finance at: 

www.bournemouth.gov.uk/accounts, including: 

• Budget Books – a look at the budget and spending plans for the coming year 

• Statement of Accounts – a look at where money was spent in the last financial year 

• Payments to suppliers – monthly lists of expenditure over £500.


Statement by 

Michael Taylor CBE 

DL, Chairman of 

the Dorset Police 

Authority 

Each year the Police Authority works with 

the Chief Constable to determine how 

much money will be spent on policing in 

Dorset for the coming year. Our work 

takes into account views expressed by 

members of the public through local 

consultations and surveys, the national 

and local objectives for policing, and the 

implications for the Council Tax payer. 

Police funding comes from a combination 

of national and local taxation. This takes 

the form of grants from central 

government with the balance met locally 

through the policing element of Council 

Tax set by the Police Authority. 

As a consequence of continuing efforts to 

tackle the national deficit, the Police 

Authority has had a significant reduction in 

its central government grant and over the 

four years to 2014/15 this will result in the 

need to reduce costs by £18 million from 

an annual budget of £120 million. The 

Authority has already reduced expenditure 

by more than £6 million towards this 

target, with further cuts of £5 million 

planned for 2012/13. 

Last year, the Police Authority froze the 

policing precept which secured additional 

national funding for at least three years. 

This year the Government has offered an 

additional grant to police authorities that 

freeze their Council Tax for a second year, 

but have offered the grant for one year 

only. In making its decision, the Authority 

has sought to balance the desire to keep 

the Council Tax low while simultaneously 

ensuring Dorset Police is adequately 

resourced to meet the needs of the public, 

in the context of reduced national 

funding. 

After very careful consideration, the 

Authority has decided to continue to 

freeze the policing precept which will 

remain at £180 per year for a Band D 

property for a third year in a row which 

we anticipate Council Tax payers will 

welcome. 

We will place a continuing focus on value 

for money and maximising efficiency and 

productivity to protect operational 

services wherever possible and this focus 

is central to our Strategic and Annual 

Policing Plan, our Medium Term Financial 

Plan and our 2012/13 budget. This is on 

top of the significant efficiency savings 

that have already been made in recent 

years. 

In the context of the sharp fall in national 

funding for policing, the budget we have 

agreed for 2012/13 will require us to 

continue to make hard choices and tough 

decisions about the future size and shape 

of Dorset Police in terms of its staffing, 

equipment and buildings. However, the 

budget will maintain operational 

necessities, as well as supporting the 

continuing deployment of Safer 

Neighbourhood Teams across the County 

which will remain focused on community 

priorities. 

Notwithstanding the immensely 

challenging national financial context, the 

Authority’s key focus is for Dorset Police to 

continue to provide high quality policing 

services and ensure that Dorset remains a 

safe place in which to live, learn, work 

and visit. 

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A Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset, to be elected in November 2012, will take 

over responsibility for setting the annual force budget and the policing precept. 

Information about Police and Crime Commissioners is available on the Home Office 

website: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/police/police-crime-commissioners 


Where the money is spent 2011/12 £’000 2012/13 £’000 

Police Authority 710 857 

Employees 110,167 106,002 

Premises 4,905 4,580 

Transport 3,759 4,053 

Supplies and services 6,926 7,210 

Specialist police support services 9,890 10,889 

Capital financing costs 674 675 

Gross expenditure 137,031 134,266 

Income generated by Dorset Police (3,803) (3,602) 

Specific government grants (12,415) (12,524) 

Transfer from reserves (352) (529) 

Budget requirement 120,461 117,611 

Police Grant 45,866 42,408 

Government Revenue Support Grant 4,965 406 

Redistributed non-domestic rates 16,063 20,927 

Non-Council Tax funding 66,894 63,741 

Balance to be met by Council Tax payers 53,567 53,870 

Total funding 120,461 117,611


How the proportion of costs paid for 

by Council Tax has changed 

£’000 

Met by Council Tax payers in 2011/2012 53,567 

Savings, reductions and re-investment (net) (5,887) 

Pay and price inflation 2,784 

Increase in specific grant income (226) 

Revenue effect of new buildings and other prior year capital schemes 239 

Contributions to regional collaboration to increase operational effectiveness 240 

Reduction in non Council Tax funding 3,153 

To be met by Council Tax payers in 2012/2013 53,870 

Staffing figures 

2011/12 


Police Officers 1,344 1,294 

Police Community Support Officers 162 156 

Police Staff 914 853 

Special Constables / Volunteers 476 412 

Council Tax Bands To contact the Chief 

Executive of the Police 

Authority: 

Property Type 2011/12 £ 2012/13 £ 

Band A 120.00 120.00 

Band B 140.00 140.00 

Band C 160.00 160.00 

Band D 180.00 180.00 

Band E 220.00 220.00 

Band F 260.00 260.00 

Band G 300.00 300.00 

Band H 360.00 360.00 

Tel: 01202 223966 

E-mail: council.tax@dorset.pnn.police.uk 

or write to: Dorset Police Authority, 

Force HQ, Dorchester DT2 8DZ 

www.dpa.police.uk 

For general enquiries, responding to 

witness information appeals or to report a 

non-urgent crime, contact Dorset Police 

on: 

101 

or visit: www.dorset.police.uk 

For the deaf, hard of hearing or speech 

impaired use Typetalk 18000 

Only dial 999 if life is in danger 

or a crime is in progress. 

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Dorset Fire 

Authority statement 

from Chairman 

Councillor 

Rebecca Knox 

Dorset Fire Authority has approved a net 

budget of £30.149 million for 2012/13, 

with the average Band D Council Tax 

remaining at £60.39 for the third year 

running. The Authority decided to accept a 

one off Council Tax Freeze Grant from the 

Government, equivalent to a 3% increase 

in Council Tax, rather than increase 

Council Tax at this stage. This means that 

our level of Council Tax is the lowest of all 

our neighbours and remains one of the 

lowest of all Combined Fire Authorities 

(that is fire authorities outside of 

metropolitan areas or those that remain 

part of a County Council) in England. 

The Government has made it clear that 

this Council Tax Freeze Grant is a one off 

payment and will not continue after 

2012/13. As a minimum therefore, from 

next year, the Authority will have to find 

savings of £535,000. Any ending of the 

grant given to freeze Council Tax in 

2011/12 will increase the level of savings 

required to around £1 million and will 

mean that some difficult decisions will 

have to be made in future years in order 

to balance the budget. As a result of the 

pressures on budgets that all public sector 

bodies have had to face, we had already 

found annual savings of over £1 million by 

significantly reducing costs in back office 

(support) functions and in reductions in 

our workforce and senior management. We 

are now also working with a range of 

partners, including neighbouring fire and 

rescue services, to share services and 

reduce costs further. The options open to 

us to achieve a further £1 million of 

savings without having a direct impact on 

frontline service delivery are limited. We 

are also aware that there are new and 

emerging pressures on us, such as 

firefighter training and safety, which will 

add further pressure on our budget. 

We respond to over 8,000 incidents per 

year, including road traffic collisions, coresponder 

callouts, specialist rescues and 

of course fire-related incidents. We have 

made significant investment in prevention 

activity and now deliver more than 10,000 

home safety visits each year. Currently, of 

the 40 frontline fire engines we have, 32 

(or 33 at night) are crewed by on-call 

firefighters, i.e. they are only paid when 

they respond to an incident. There is one 

fire station in Weymouth, which is crewed 

with a mixture of wholetime and on-call 

firefighters, and in the Poole and 

Bournemouth area, we have three 

wholetime stations and three crewed with 

a mixture of wholetime and on-call 

firefighters. This means that we have very 

few options to change the way that these 

stations are crewed, and thereby reduce 

our costs, without it having a significant 

impact on public safety, including slower 

response times and the potential loss of 

specialist rescue services. 

Over the coming months, Elected Members 

will be working with officers to look at the 

options that are available to us to make 

changes to service delivery. We anticipate 

that the options chosen will be subject to 

public consultation between September 

and December 2012, allowing us to begin 

implementing any changes from March 

2013 onwards. 

Despite the financial issues that we face, 

we remain fully committed to providing 

the residents of Dorset with an exemplary 

service, helping to make Dorset a safer 

place to work and live.



2011/12 

£’000 


£’000 

Fire Authority 231 213 

Employees 20,889 21,512 

Ill health pensions 926 957 

Premises 1,455 1,540 

Transport 1,040 1,089 

Equipment and supplies 1,840 1,893 

Fees and services 2,477 2,533 

Capital financing costs 1,784 1,818 

Gross revenue expenditure 30,642 31,555 

Income (2,060) (2,786) 

Reserves 721 1,380 

Net budget requirement 29,303 30,149 

Where the money comes from 

2011/12 

£’000 


£’000 

Government Formula Grant and Business Rates 10,884 11,539 

Collection Fund surplus 116 123 

Precept (Council Tax payers) 17,855 17,949 

Council Tax Freeze Grant 448 538 

Total funding 29,303 30,149 

Why our budget has changed 

Budget requirement in 

2011/2012 

£’000 

29,303 

One off items in 2011/12 

budget 

(928) 

Pay and price inflation 414 

Contribution to reserves 1,343 

Other adjustments 18 

Savings and reductions (95) 

Reduction in investment income 30 

Increase in capital financing costs 34 

Increase in ill health pensions costs 30 

Budget requirement in 

2012/2013 

30,149 

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Council Tax Bands Staff numbers 

Band A 40.26 

Band B 46.97 

Band C 53.68 

Band D 60.39 

Band E 73.81 

Band F 87.23 

Band G 100.65 

Band H 120.78 

Spending on major capital projects 

The total number of staff employed by 

Dorset Fire and Rescue Service as at 31 

December 2011 was 819 (764 full time 

equivalents), compared to equivalent 

figures as at 31 December 2010 of 829 (772 

full time equivalents). 

Our performance 

Our performance during 2011/12 is 

available on our website from 30 June at 

www.dorsetfire.gov.uk or contact us on 

01305 252615 for a copy. 

For more information: 

Contact Ian Cotter on 01305 252697 or 

email: finance@dorsetfire.gov.uk 

The Authority's capital programme for 2012/13 totals £1.15 million and will be entirely 

funded from the Fire Capital Grant. Expenditure includes £147,000 on improvements to 

fire stations and other buildings, £444,000 for the vehicle replacement programme and 

£264,000 for new or replacement equipment and information systems. We are also 

awaiting an announcement from the Department of Communities and Local Government 

(DCLG) on our bid for funding in connection with the Networking Fire Control Services 

Partnership project. This is a joint project with Devon & Somerset, Hampshire and 

Wiltshire Fire Services to procure a common Fire Control system. 

If you are an older person or 

someone who is vulnerable why not 

have a free home safety check? 

Call us on 01305 252600 to find 

out more. 

Dorset Fire & Rescue Service 

For general enquiries, contact us on: 

01305 252600

Your Council Tax bill explained 

Your Council Tax bill shows the total charge 

for your property, including the charges made 

by Dorset Police Authority, Dorset Fire 

Authority and Bournemouth Borough Council. 

Council Tax valuation bands 

Most homes (whether rented or owned, lived 

in or not) will be subject to Council Tax. 

There is one bill per dwelling. Each property 

has been placed into one of eight bands by 

the Listing Officer of the Valuation Office 

Agency according to its open market capital 

value at 1 April 1991. 

The valuation band for your property is 

shown on your Council Tax bill. You may look 

at any property’s valuation band by visiting 

www.voa.gov.uk 

Valuation Band Range of Values 

H More than £320,000 

G £160,001-£320,000 

F £120,001 –£160,000 

E £88,001 –£120,000 

D £68,001- £88,000 

C £52,001 – £68,000 

B £40,001 – £52,000 

A Up to and including 

£40,000 

Appeals to the Valuation 

Office Agency 

The grounds for appeal against your 

property’s valuation band are: 

• You become the Council Tax payer in 

respect of a property for the first time – 

your appeal must be made within six 

months of taking possession. 

• You believe there has been a material 

reduction in the dwelling’s value – for 

example part of it has been demolished. 

• The Listing Officer has altered the band – 

this may occur following a sale if the 

previous owner had added an extension. 

• You start or stop using your property to 

carry out a business or the balance 

between domestic and business use 

changes. 

Any appeal against the banding should be 

made in writing to: Listing Officer, 

Council Tax West, Valuation Office Agency, 

Overline House, Blechynden Terrace, 

Southampton, SO15 1GW. 

Telephone enquiries: 03000 501501 

Email: ctwest@voa.gsi.gov.uk 

Website: www.voa.gov.uk 

Making an appeal does not allow you to 

withhold payment or part payment of Council 

Tax. If your appeal is successful you will be 

entitled to a refund of overpayment. 

Discounts 

A full Council Tax bill assumes that there are 

two or more adults living in a property. If you 

are the only adult living in your property you 

will be entitled to a 25% discount. 

The people listed below may be disregarded 

when counting the number of adult residents. 

The categories are shortened versions of the 

actual regulations and are given for guidance 

only: 

• prisoners 

• certain full-time students and student 

nurses 

• certain students’ non-British partner or 

dependant 

• apprentices 

• youth training trainees 

• foreign diplomats 

• school leavers 

• residents aged 18 or 19 for whom Child 

Benefit is payable 

19

20 


• patients living permanently in hospital 

• patients living permanently in a care home 

• certain care workers or carers 

• members of religious communities 

• hostel residents 

• members of visiting forces 

• severely mentally impaired. 

If all of the adults living in your property are 

disregarded, a discount of 50% will apply. If 

all but one of the adults living in your 

property is disregarded, a discount of 25% 

will apply. 

Second homes 

Second homes are defined as furnished 

properties which are not anyone’s sole or 

main residence. There are two categories of 

second homes: 

Class A – where occupation is restricted by a 

planning condition preventing occupancy for 

a continuous period of at least 28 days in the 

relevant year. 

Class B – where occupation is not restricted 

by a planning condition. 

The Council has decided to award a discount 

of 10% on Class A and Class B empty 

properties. 

Certain types of empty property (listed 

below) are excluded from Class A and Class B 

and a 50% discount will apply. 

These include: 

• pitch occupied by a caravan 

• mooring occupied by a boat 

• second home where the liable person is 

living elsewhere in accommodation 

provided by reason of his employment 

• second home provided to the liable 

person by reason of his employment 

• second homes owned by service personnel 

who live in accommodation provided by 

the Ministry of Defence. 

The Council has also decided that a 50% 

discount will apply to beach chalets at 

Mudeford Sandspit and Hengistbury Head. 

Please contact the Council if you think you 

may be entitled to a discount which isn’t 

currently shown on your bill. If your bill 

shows that a discount has been awarded you 

must tell the Council within 21 days of any 

change of circumstances that may affect your 

entitlement. If you don’t you risk a penalty 

as well as a back-dated bill. 

Long-term empty homes 

Long-term empty homes are defined as 

properties that are unoccupied and 

substantially unfurnished. In most cases an 

exemption will have been applied before a 

dwelling is charged as a long-term empty 

home. The Council charges full Council Tax 

on long-term empty properties. 

Reductions for people with 

disabilities 

If someone who lives in your property needs 

an extra room (which could include a 

bathroom or kitchen) because of a 

permanent disability, or requires space for 

the use of a wheelchair indoors, you may be 

entitled to a reduced Council Tax bill. 

A reduced bill will be calculated as if your 

property had been placed in a band 

immediately below the one shown in the 

valuation list. People living in a Band A 

property may also be entitled to a reduced 

Council Tax bill, which will be calculated as a 

reduction of one ninth of the Band D 

Council Tax. 

If a reduction for disability has been 

awarded, it will be shown on your bill. If you 

haven’t been awarded a reduction but think 

you may be entitled to one, please contact 

the Council. 

If your property has any special features 

added for a disabled resident which reduce 

the value of the property, not taken into 

account in the valuation band, you should 

contact the Listing Officer (see notes 

regarding Appeals to the Valuation Office 

Agency on page 19).

Council Tax Benefit 

If you are liable to pay Council Tax you may 

apply for Council Tax Benefit to reduce your 

bill. The amount of Benefit awarded will 

depend on your household and financial 

circumstances. If you do not qualify for 

Council Tax Benefit, you may still qualify for 

a second adult rebate if other adults living in 

your property are on low incomes. 

Council Tax Benefit is not awarded to you 

automatically – you must claim it. 

Contact the Benefits section immediately to 

apply if you think you may qualify. 

You must not withhold payment or part 

payment of Council Tax while awaiting the 

outcome of your application. 

Any Council Tax Benefit awarded is shown on 

your bill. You must tell the Council 

immediately of any change in your 

circumstances that may affect your 

entitlement. 

Exempt properties 

Some properties are exempt from Council 

Tax. The classes of exempt property are: 

A unoccupied/unfurnished properties 

requiring major repair works to render 

them habitable or undergoing structural 

alteration. (Exempt for up to 12 months or 

six months following substantial 

completion of the works, if sooner) 

B unoccupied properties owned by charities 

(exempt for up to six months) 

C properties left unoccupied and 

unfurnished (exempt for up to six months) 

D properties left unoccupied by prisoners 

E properties left unoccupied by patients 

staying long term in hospitals and care 

homes 

F properties where probate or letters of 

administration are waiting to be granted 

(and for up to six months after) 

G properties where occupation is prohibited 

by law 

H unoccupied clergy properties 

I properties left unoccupied by people 

moving permanently to receive personal 

care from another 

J properties left unoccupied by people 

moving permanently to provide personal 

care to another 

K properties left unoccupied by students 

L repossessed properties 

M halls of residence 

N properties occupied solely by students or 

school leavers 

O armed forces accommodation, i.e. 

barracks 

P properties occupied by members of visiting 

forces 

Q properties left unoccupied by bankrupts 

R unoccupied caravan pitches and houseboat 

moorings 

S properties occupied only by person(s) 

under 18 

T unoccupied annexes which form part of a 

single property and may not be let 

separately without a breach of planning 

consent 

U properties occupied only by person(s) who 

are severely mentally impaired who would 

otherwise be liable 

V properties where at least one person who 

would otherwise be liable is a diplomat 

W annexes and similar accommodation 

occupied by a dependent relative. 

These are shortened versions of the actual 

regulations and are given for guidance only. 

The actual definitions are contained in the 

Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992, 

as amended. 

21

22 


Appeals to the Council 

You may appeal to the Council if you consider 

that: 

• you are not liable to pay the Council Tax 

• your property should be exempt 

• the amount shown on your bill has been 

calculated incorrectly – for example, your 

entitlement to a discount is not shown. 

Any appeal should initially be made in writing 

to the Council. Should you remain dissatisfied 

you will have a further right of appeal to the 

Valuation Tribunal within two months of 

being notified of our decision (or two months 

from your initial appeal if no decision is 

made within that time). 

Making an appeal does not allow you to 

withhold payment or part payment of the 

Council Tax. If your appeal is successful you 

will be entitled to a refund of any 

overpayment. 

Housing Benefit 

Housing Benefit is to help those on a low 

income to pay their rent to their landlord. 

The amount of benefit awarded will depend 

on your household and financial 

circumstances. 

Housing Benefit is not awarded to you 

automatically – you must claim it. Contact 

the Benefits section immediately to apply if 

you think you may qualify. 

If you currently receive Housing Benefit you 

must tell the Council immediately of any 

change in circumstances which may affect 

your entitlement. 

Security against fraud and error 

Benefit money is public money and it’s our 

responsibility to look after it. We want to 

make sure that all those who are entitled to 

benefit receive it and we want to ensure it is 

not paid out as a result of fraud or error. 

Help us to look after your money. If you know 

someone who is abusing the system tell us so 

we can do something about it. Call our 

confidential fraud line on 01202 451536. 

Data Protection 

Your personal information will be 

held and used in accordance with 

the requirements of the Data 

Prot Protection Act 1998. 

We will use the information you have 

provided in connection with the 

administration of Council Tax. We may 

lawfully disclose information to other public 

sector agencies to: 

• prevent or detect benefits fraud and any 

other crime 

• to support national fraud initiatives – we 

are required by law to participate in 

National Fraud Initiative (NFI) data 

matching exercises. Council Tax 

information may be provided to the Audit 

Commission for NFI purposes and will be 

used for cross-system and cross authority 

comparison for the prevention and 

detection of fraud 

• to protect public funds. 

We also use basic Council Tax information 

about you, e.g. name and address, in other 

areas of service provision if this: 

• helps you to access our services more 

easily 

• promotes the more efficient and costeffective 

delivery of services 

• helps us to recover monies that you 

owe us. 

We will not use your personal information in 

a way that may cause you unwarranted 

detriment. You are able to see a copy of the 

information held about you. For further 

information about this please ask for a copy 

of the Council’s data protection leaflet or 

visit the Council’s website at: 

www.bournemouth.gov.uk/dataprotection

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Keep up-to-date with 

your local magazine 

BH Life magazine is delivered 

to homes in Bournemouth 

four times a year. It contains news about your 

services, the town and information about 

local events. 

If you do not receive a copy to your home we 

want to know. Please tick the box and fill in 

your details below or email us at: 

bhlife@bournemouth.gov.uk 

Why not view the magazine online? Visit: 

www.bournemouth.gov.uk/bhlife 

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This information is about Council Tax and spending on local services. If you would like a 

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23

Easy ways to pay your bills 

There are a number of ways you can easily pay your 

Council Tax and Business Rate bill. 

Over 50,000 people already choose the quickest, 

easiest and cheapest way to pay. You can now pay on 

the 1st, 8th*, 15th or 22nd* of each month and by up 

to 12 instalments*. 

(*only available if you pay by Direct Debit) 

Phone now on 01202 451597 and we can set this up for you straight 

away or visit our website where you can find the form to print, fill in 

%Other 

and return to us. Alternatively, use the form on the back of your bill. 

ways that you can pay include: 

• Online at: www.bournemouth.gov.uk 

• Your internet or telebanking service 

• Phone our automated payment system on 01202 454748, which is available 24/7 

• In person at a bank or the Post Office 

• By post to Bournemouth Borough Council, Town Hall, Bournemouth, BH2 6EB 

Choose the best option for you and please remember: 

• Always quote your reference number from the front of your bill 

• Post Offices and some banks may charge a handling fee 

• You may have to pay a fee if you pay by credit card. 

Do you need help with your 

Council Tax and rent? 

Don’t forget, if your income is low or you 

receive certain benefits you might be able 

to get help with your Council Tax, rent or 

both. If you think you might qualify for 

help, please make an application for 

benefit as soon as you can. 

Benefit application forms are 

available from: 

• Web: www.bournemouth.gov.uk/benefits 

• Email: benefits@bournemouth.gov.uk 

• Telephone: 01202 451592 

• Minicom: 01202 454728 

Turn to page 21 for more details. 

Other benefits: You can get application forms and more information about 

other benefits from: www.direct.gov.uk 

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A Guide to your Council Tax 2012-13 - Bournemouth Borough Council

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