CROYDON taxpayers will get a £25 back from the council April after the borough's Tory administration voted through its proposals - labelled a "gimmick" by the opposition".
At Monday's full council meeting a freeze on council tax was approved, coupled with a £25 rebate for taxpayers, paid for out of a £3 million surplus on a reserve fund set up to cope with the effects of the recession.
Labour opposition leader, Tony Newman told the meeting the reserve would be better spent on making the borough cleaner and safer.
Councillor Toni Letts, Labour's shadow cabinet member for economic development, pointed out council tax had gone up by £26 a year last year. adding: "You are giving taxpayers back their own money. If you think you can buy votes for 7p that is an insult to our voters."
But Labour attempts to amend the budget by using around £2 million of recession reserve on alternative measures including employing more enforcement officers to deal with antisocial behaviour and extra staff to deal with flytipping were defeated.
The amendment also included backing a council tax freeze.
In his proposal speech, council leader Mike Fisher said: "Our focus in this budget has been on doing the right thing for our residents.
"This is not necessarily the easy thing but we are laying the foundation for the future.
"It is important we do as much as we can for the hard working people of Croydon."
Cllr Fisher said the freeze and rebate had also been down to prudent financial management which has seen spending efficiencies of £18 million combined with maintaining frontline services and an investment programme.
This included, he said, a drive to create 16,000 new jobs, a £90 million investment in schools, more money to cope with flytipping and extra money for parks.
He accused Labour of producing an alternative budget which could not be substantiated and gave no indication of how future spending pressures amounting to £35 million over the next two years would be dealt with.
Proposing the amendment Councillor Newman said the message coming from the people of Croydon was that they wanted "a safer, cleaner, greener Croydon with jobs, affordable housing and viable district centres."
He said: "People want honesty not a political stunt and gimmicks."
Cllr Newman said Labour was putting forward "a fully costed plan" which would meet residents' wishes.
