People living in homes in council Band H will be asked to help the community after plans were approved recently.

Waverley Borough Council’s executive committee launched the drive in the hope of encouraging people to support community projects.

The council hopes the new voluntary scheme will help save important resident services and will ask Band H rate payers if they back the idea and for input into which community groups to support. 

The voluntary council tax initiative is based on a similar scheme running in Westminster Council which brings in an additional £300,000 each year to the London borough. Councils have to provide certain services by law but community projects are considered to fall outside that bracket.

Cllr Tony Fairclough said: “The first and most important thing is that this will be a voluntary scheme and indeed that is one of the key points of the consultation.It will invite residents of Band H properties to make a voluntary contribution to local projects or the provision of local services.

“We will consult with the residents of those Band H properties to ascertain whether they are minded to support this scheme and assuming that they are, which type of projects or services should be supported by the revenues generated from it.”

The smallest homes, those in Band A, pay about £1,500 a year in council tax, while those in the very largest homes (Band H) pay between £4,500 to £4,900. be innovative in the ways we raise additional funds for discretionary services.

Cllr Kika Mirylees added: “People must realise that if they are putting this money in, it’s not going to go to potholes and things like that. It’s there to benefit people who are in need of support and it’s much more to do with homelessness.”