By Andrew Topping, Local Democracy Reporter
Mansfield cabinet members have pushed forward plans for a council tax freeze in April.
Mansfield District Council will not raise residents’ bills in the coming financial year provided the proposals are approved by all councillors next week.
It means residents in ‘Band A’ homes will continue to pay the council £129.81 for the 2023/24 financial year.
However, overall tax bills could increase from other angles after Conservative-run Nottinghamshire County Council proposed a 4.84 per cent rise.
If the county council approves this increase, ‘Band A’ homes would have their bills increase by about £53.
Another increase could come from the Nottinghamshire Fire Authority, while police and crime commissioner Caroline Henry is yet to outline her plans.
It’s as the Labour-run district council looks to fill a financial black hole of about £1.339m in the coming financial year.
This is lower than the initially-forecast £1.9m gap after the authority received a higher-than-expected financial package from the Government.
The gap is fuelled by £332,000 in extra electricity costs and a further £254,000 in gas increases fuelled by the ongoing energy crisis.
The council has also been required to pay out £802,000 in staff wages because of a nationally agreed £1,925 for all council employees in England.
The extra Government cash led to a significant change to cost-cutting plans, including less cash being taken from reserves.
Under the current proposals, supported by the cabinet meeting on Monday (January 16), £305,000 in corporate reserves will be used to plug the gap.
This is down from the initial plan of £473,000, while the use of general fund cash will now be £222,000 rather than £247,000.
Planned establishment changes will also be reduced from £755,000 to £651,000 in savings, though no specific proposals have been confirmed.
The council will also no longer rely on cash from its Wildflower Rise development, off Windmill Lane, with £250,000 to be pushed into later years.
Other plans include £8,000 in service reductions and £142,000 from income generation, as well as a 10 per cent reduction in councillors’ special responsibility allowances.
The latter measure has been taken by the council in previous years and will bring a further £16,000 in savings.
However, the extra Government income means the council will put £50,000 into an economic stimulus fund to drive growth in the town.
Speaking in Monday’s cabinet meeting, Councillor Craig Whitby (Lab), cabinet member for finance, said: “In light of the cost of living emergency, the cabinet has taken the decision to freeze council tax for a second successive year.”
Andy Abrahams (Lab), the district’s elected mayor, added: “I’m really pleased we’ve been able to help in a small way with the cost of living crisis.
“We’re doing our little bit with our own allowances too.”
The wider budget, which also includes a raft of capital investments over the next three years, will be presented to the full council meeting on January 24.
Councillors will be asked to approve the council tax and budget plans, including £12m in the coming financial year for the authority’s London-based apartment building.
The building, in Clapham, has been found to have serious fire safety concerns and will need £20m of work to bring the issues right.
The council also plans to invest £1.1m to improve Mansfield Palace Theatre and Mansfield Museum, with £1.3m in final stabilisation works planned at Berry Hill Quarry.
