A MEETING is to be held to discuss scrapping the referendum asking households to fund a Climate Action Fund.

Warwick District Council will meet on Wednesday (March 25) to decide whether to cancel the referendum asking for council tax contributions to be increased.

If agreed the council will revert to a 2.99 per cent increase this year – a rise of £5 for a band D home – and all council tax payments will be adjusted and reissued.

District council leader Andrew Day said: “The cross-party support for the Climate Action referendum remains, but given the government decision to defer elections as part of the wide-ranging measures to protect public health, this is not the time to be asking our residents to pay additional council tax to create the ring-fenced Climate Action Fund. The climate emergency remains with us, but our immediate priority has to be our response to the coronavirus national emergency.

“We’re working closely with government to provide the financial support our communities need at this challenging time. I have been assured Westminster will meet the cost of re-issuing our tax bills, should council accept this recommendation.

“Once the pandemic has passed, cross party work on the Climate Emergency Action Plan will resume. Detailed proposals will be considered to demonstrate to the public on the use of the Climate Action Fund, which is needed to invest in specific local initiatives to achieve the agreed carbon reduction goals.”

Bills will be updated automatically and there is no need to take further action.

The council tax allocated to Warwickshire County Council, police and town and parish councils is unaffected.