Council Tax freeze welcomed but questions remain about the extra money

Following the announcement that the County Council is sticking to its planned freeze of Council Tax for 2012/13, the Liberal Democrats are calling for clarification of what the extra money from the government will be used for. Leicestershire Liberal Democrats believe that the extra money should be used to invest in the local economy, help support job creation (especially youth unemployment), and encourage projects which benefit local communities

Simon Galton, Leader of the Liberal Democrats said: "We welcome a continued commitment to a council tax freeze as a small gesture to help struggling families, but Mr Rushton and the Tories need to clearly explain what they plan to do with the extra £6m-this money simply cannot be hidden in a reserve pot somewhere."

Key facts:

• The additional grant is roughly £6m to the County Council
• The money is similar to what was received last year, but crucially it is one off and will not be received in future years according to the government