Typical band D households are set to pay £1,605.63 in council tax to Hertfordshire County Council from the start of April as the authority prepares to spend more than £1 billion delivering its services for the next year.
The proposed 4.99% rise – up £76.32 from the current £1,529.31, an extra £1.47 a week – represents about three-quarters of Hertfordshire households’ council tax bills.
The recommendation piles pressure on residents facing a cost-of-living crisis – the county’s police and crime commissioner (PCC) David Lloyd is asking band D households for £238 from April, a 6.7% rise of £15, to cover the cost of policing in Herts.
East Herts Council has already signalled it will increase its band D precept by £5.53 (3%) to £189.61 rather than the £5 maximum previously planned.
Bishop’s Stortford residents pay council tax for the services of four authorities: the county, district and town councils and the Herts PCC.
The town council has yet to set its precept, but even if it freezes its £68.69 share, overall bills will rise by £96.85 for a band D household, up from £2,005.09 to £2,101.94.
Last year, the Government mitigated the increase for some households with a £150 rebate for those in the four lowest council tax bands (A to D).
The county council’s draft budget for 2023-24, which will be considered by the cabinet on Monday (Jan 16), includes savings of £27.4m – the highest level since 2017. The authority claims that of this total, only £2.9m will impact service provision or partners. These savings are in addition to those made in the autumn to ensure a balanced budget for the rest of the current financial year.
The leader, Conservative Cllr Richard Roberts, said: “Given the challenges that we know residents are facing with the increased cost of living, proposing a rise in council tax has been a very difficult decision. However, the alternative would be to make significant cuts to council services at a time when many people really need us to be there for them.
“We promised in the autumn that we would do all we can to maintain services for residents, particularly those who need our help the most. The budget we’re proposing will protect vital services and ensure that we continue to provide the right support, services and advice to our residents as they seek to balance their own budgets.”
The proposed budget reflects the commitments made in the council’s corporate plan to deliver a cleaner, greener and healthier Hertfordshire, including:
- £38m to ensure adult care providers can continue to support residents – including a 9.68% wage increase for care staff. These and other social care costs will be covered by 2% of the county’s 4.99% council tax increase
- £15m is expected from the extension of the Household Support Fund to support Herts’ most vulnerable residents with the cost of living
- An extra £19m for children’s services, including £5.2m more to support youngsters in care
- £10m for home-to-school transport for children with special education needs and disabilities
- £6.4m to support waste disposal services, alongside new contracts that will mean no waste in the county will go to landfill from 2024
- £4.6m of extra funding into highways revenue budgets to cover inflation
- £36.4m to improve recycling centres and waste infrastructure.
The final financial recommendations will be considered by the cabinet on February 21 and the final budget, including the proposed council tax increase, will be presented to the full council for approval on February 22.
The county council spends just over £1 billion a year on delivering essential services to residents, consisting of:
- £442.7m on adult care, health and wellbeing
- £210.4m on children, young people and lifelong learning
- £130.7m on resources and performance, including the costs of financing capital investment
- £95.4m on public health and community safety
- £77.4m on highways and transport
- £58.3m on the environment
- £3.2m on growth, infrastructure and planning
The county council ran a budget consultation to get residents’ views on how it prioritises spending for the next financial year. Nearly 3,000 responded:
- Over half either strongly agreed, agreed or neither agreed nor disagreed that the county council should increase council tax.
- Social care was considered the most important issue, closely followed by education and schools and then public health.
- The rise in the cost of living was considered the most important issue facing individuals in Hertfordshire.
- Out of the 16 commitments made across each of four strategic priorities in the corporate plan, respondents felt that ‘giving every child the best possible start in life through early years education’ and childcare, a place at a good school and support for those with additional needs was the most important.
- The majority said that services that benefit most residents and taxpayers, and services that only benefit the most vulnerable or in need should be equally considered. However, more people said the council should focus on services that benefit the majority of residents and taxpayers.
- Nearly 80% strongly agreed or agreed that the council should streamline services when thinking about budget pressures.
- Over 70% strongly agreed or agreed that the authority should continue to help people help themselves to alleviate pressures on services.
Credit: Source link