By Andrew Topping, Local Democracy Reporter
Ashfield District Council’s leader has defended the authority’s plan to increase council tax by the maximum amount and says it is “imperative” the council can provide a stable budget.
The Ashfield Independent-led authority is proposing a £5 rise for band D properties, which works out at about £3.33 for band A homes.
The rise, if approved by the full council next week, would take the authority’s average taking from a band D home up to £195.46.
This would be the highest rate of council tax for all of the seven district and borough authorities in Nottinghamshire.
However, the authority’s leader Councillor Jason Zadrozny (Ash Ind) has explained more about the council’s decision and claims over the four years he has been in charge, residents have been “protected in the pocket”.
Speaking in the cabinet meeting on Tuesday (February 22), he said his administration froze council tax for the previous two financial years, which he says has saved residents in band D homes £10 over the past 24 months.
He added: “The crucial thing to note about the banding differences in Ashfield is the amount we collect as an authority.
“Even though our council tax is pitched at this point, we collect the third-lowest amount of council tax – because of our lower banding – of all councils in Nottinghamshire.
“Newark and Sherwood take nearly £1 million a year more than Ashfield in from their council tax bills.
“We’ve protected residents in the pocket as much as possible but, given we want to keep providing our services, it’s imperative we have a stable financial position.”
Cllr David Martin (Ash Ind), the authority’s cabinet member for finance, added the decision is “tough to take” but responsible to ensure the council has a balanced budget.
He said: “This has been a very tough decision to take given the rising levels of inflation nationally.
“However, we believe it is the responsible thing to do. The council is subject to the same inflation pressures as residents, so without this small increase, continued delivery of some of our valued services would not be possible.
“For [Band D] residents this is a £5 annual increase, which equates to about 7p per week … but generates £170,000 to help sustain delivery of our services.”
The authority’s plans will go before the full council meeting on March 3 as part of the wider budget.
It comes as residents across the county and city are expected to see council tax bills rise further, with six of the seven district and borough councils, the city and county councils, the police and crime commissioner and the Fire Authority all proposing separate increases.
Labour-led Bassetlaw, Broxtowe and Gedling councils are proposing the same £5 increase as Ashfield, while Newark and Sherwood District Council is increasing its bill by 1.94 per cent.
This would see band A residents paying the Conservative-led council £2.35 more, with band D homes seeing their bolls rise by £3.53.
Conservative-led Rushcliffe Borough Council is also proposing a rise of 2.42 per cent, with band A bills to rise by £2.38 and band D by £3.57. Residents in Rushcliffe would pay the lowest council tax rate in the county.
But the Conservative-led county council is planning a four per cent rise on its precepts, equating to £63.24 for band D homes and £42.16 for people in band A properties.
And Labour-led Nottingham City Council is proposing a 2.99 per cent rise, affecting band A homes with a £37.85 increase and band D homes with a £56.77 rise.
Caroline Henry (Con), the police and crime commissioner, will raise her bills by £9.99 for band D and £6.66 for band A, while a 1.95 per cent Fire Authority rise will mean increases of £1.08 for band A and £1.62 for band D homes.
Labour-led Mansfield District Council is the only authority freezing its bills.
However, people living in bands A to D will have £150 removed from their bills as part of the Government’s council tax rebate to tackle the cost of living crisis.
Announced at the start of February, the rebate will support roughly 330,000 homes in Nottinghamshire as inflation and gas, electricity, fuel and food bills soar. The rebate will not need to be repaid.
