Nottinghamshire residents are facing an increase in council tax bills to make up for the rising costs of adult social care in the county.
Nottinghamshire County Council says it is ‘reluctantly’ considering an increase to council tax of 1.75 per cent for the 12 months beginning on April 1.
But on top of this the authority is planning to take up an option offered by the Government of charging a three percent ‘social care precept’ to part-fund its increasing adult care costs.
This means bills could go up by 4.75 per cent in total, meaning the average household in Notts will pay around £51.66 extra for the year.
This applies only to Nottinghamshire county residents and makes up only a portion of the final council tax bill – with district council, police and fire costs added in separately.
Nottinghamshire County Council says it’s been forced into the increase because a key grant from central Government is being cut by 39 per cent, meaning it is facing a struggle to cover the costs of providing care and home support for older people.
The full council will meet on Thursday, February 23 to consider the final proposals, which include committing an extra £14.8million for social care services.
Council leader Alan Rhodes said: “This budget comes at the end of a four year term which has been characterised by the double whammy of Government austerity and rising demand.
“Since 2010, the County Council has had to make savings of £212 million as a result of Government cuts and investment required in services, while the demand for our social care services for an ageing population, people with disabilities, vulnerable children and school places has rocketed.
“I have every sympathy with the hard pressed residents of Nottinghamshire but the brutal truth is that the Government has put us in a position where the alternative is worse – even more cuts to so-called ‘discretionary services’ such as road repairs and youth services or a failure to fulfil our obligations to vulnerable people.”
The council is also considering using £27million from its cash reserves to fund their services in 2017/18.
The full budget report is available to view on Nottinghamshire County Council’s website.
