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16 Mar 2010 : Column 818W—continued

The data are as reported on the "Calculation of Council Tax Base for Formula Grant Purposes" (CTB) form completed by all the billing authorities in England as at October 2009.

Council Tax: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) how much on average has been charged in respect of band D council tax in City of York in each year since 2002-03 expressed in (a) cash terms and (b) constant prices; [322092]

(2) which local authorities in Yorkshire and the Humber had a lower average band D council tax than City of York in each year since 2002-03; and what the level of band D council tax was in each of those authorities in each such year. [322093]

Barbara Follett: Details of the authorities in the Yorkshire and the Humber region that had a lower average Band D council tax than York in each year since 2002-03, and the level of Band D council tax (in £) in each of those years, is shown in the following table. Also shown in the table is the average Band D council tax (in £) in York in the same period expressed in (a) cash terms and (b) in real terms at April 2009 prices.

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16 Mar 2010 : Column 820W

	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
West Yorkshire combined fire authority	30	39	42	44	46	48	50	51
South Yorkshire combined fire authority	41	44	47	49	51	54	56	58
North Yorkshire combined fire authority	-	-	51	53	54	56	59	61
Humberside combined fire authority	-	-	61	64	67	70	74	77
Hambleton	74	82	89	96	100	106	113	117
West Yorkshire police authority	76	89	102	107	112	118	124	127
South Yorkshire police authority	74	94	103	108	113	119	125	129
Humberside police authority	95	113	130	136	142	150	156	162
Craven	142	154	160	168	176	183	184	192
North Yorkshire police authority	89	156	172	176	180	185	193	199
Selby	156	163	168	174	178	185	192	200
Ryedale	166	169	176	182	187	194	202	208
Richmondshire	163	172	180	191	193	198	203	208
Scarborough	154	168	183	191	198	206	215	222
Harrogate	159	172	185	193	202	215	220	228
North Yorkshire	733	817	817	857	899	944	988	1,027
York (cash)	785	832	856	899	948	990	1,037	1,071
York (at April 2009 prices)	945	971	975	992	1,021	1,020	1,025	1,071

The data are not strictly comparable as (a) not all authorities were in existence in all years and (b) responsibilities and functions vary between authorities.

The data are collected on the annual budget requirement (BR) forms submitted to Communities and Local Government by all billing and precepting authorities in England.

Departmental Buildings

Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department spent on office refurbishments in each year since its inception. [320475]

Barbara Follett: The Department for Communities and Local Government has spent £17 million, including VAT, on office refurbishments since its inception in May 2006. The projects are part of the department's estates efficiency strategy, resulting in running cost efficiencies of £8 million per annum.

Departmental Information Officers

Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Ruislip Northwood of 5 February 2010, Official Report, column 632W, on departmental information officers, what the (a) job title, (b) division and (c) responsibilities are of each of the eight members of staff who work full-time on communications who are not listed in the White Book. [320910]

Barbara Follett: The information requested is set out in the following table:

(a) Job title	Grade	(b) Division	(c) Responsibilities
Communications manager, planning reform	Senior executive officer	Planning directorate communications and stakeholder engagement	Stakeholder communications
Strategic communications manager	Grade 6	Local government research, strategy and communications	Communications strategy for the directorate
Communications manager	Senior information officer (0.6)	Community action and third sector communications and stakeholder engagement division	Communications and stakeholder engagement activity and strategy for the programme
Communications Lead FiReControl	Grade 7	FiReControl	Communications and stakeholder management adviser for the FiReControl project in Fire and Resilience Directorate
Head of communications and stakeholder engagement	Grade 7	Fire and resilience directorate	Communications and stakeholder engagement for the FRD directorate
Housing communications and stakeholder engagement team leader	Grade 7	Housing shared policy and support	Housing communications and stakeholder engagement
Devolved web manager	Higher executive officer-	Housing shared policy and support	Manager, editor and publisher of all content, data and publications to the housing section of the communities and local government website.
e-publications manager	Executive officer	Housing shared policy and support	Electronic publisher/editor for the housing section of the communities and local government website.

Flood Control: Finance

John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities have made submissions to his Department for funding under the Bellwin scheme as a result of the recent severe weather conditions. [322304]

Barbara Follett [holding answer 15 March 2010]: The following local authorities have registered an intention to apply for Bellwin assistance as a result of the bad weather in December 2009 and January 2010:

City of York council

Herefordshire council

North Yorkshire county council

Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

West Berkshire council.

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