By Jamie Waller, Local Democracy Reporter
Council tax bills will go up next month for all Nottinghamshire households after local authorities and emergency services agreed increases.
Inflation and the rising costs of services have been key worries for public bodies as they approved their budgets for the next financial year.
Exactly how much extra you will pay depends on where you live.
Nottingham City Council takes 85 per cent of its residents’ council tax bill as it is a ‘unitary’ council which provides all services for that area.
For the rest of Nottinghamshire, Nottinghamshire County Council takes around 75 per cent of the bill.
Roughly another ten per cent will go to whichever district or borough council runs services in their local area.
Nottinghamshire Police and Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service make up the remaining 15 per cent of every household’s bill.
Nottingham City Council
Unitary councils like Nottingham are typically allowed to raise council tax by up to 4.99 per cent without a referendum.
This was widely expected given the council’s dire financial situation – it effectively declared bankruptcy in November and needed government support in order to set its budget for 2024/25.
There was concern the council would ask permission for a higher council tax increase, as Birmingham, Croydon and other struggling authorities have.
However, the council’s final budget kept it to a 4.99 per cent increase.
This is a total of £1,436 per year for a Band A property (the lowest value, which make up the majority of the city’s properties.)
Nottingham County Council
The county council, which was also permitted a 4.99 per cent increase, opted for a slightly lower 4.84 per cent rise.
A Band A property would pay an extra £55 for a total of £1,204.
Ashfield District Council
Ashfield District Council was permitted a rise of 2.99 per cent as a lower-tier authority.
The council, controlled by the Ashfield Independents, approved a rise of 2.94 per cent, leaving a Band A home paying £138.09.
Bassetlaw District Council
The Labour-controlled authority in Bassetlaw approved a full 2.99 per cent rise, saying government underfunding had left it no choice.
A property in Band A will pay around £133, an increase of under 10p a week.
Broxtowe Borough Council
Councillors at the Labour-run authority agreed to increase council tax by 2.94 per cent, which for a Band D property is an additional £5.36 for the year.
Gedling Borough Council
Gedling (Lab) will put its council tax up by 2.98 per cent which marks a yearly £5.48 increase for a Band D property.
A Band A property will pay around £125.
Mansfield District Council
Mansfield District Council agreed a maximum council tax rise of 2.99 per cent. The Labour-run council also signed off on £2.2m of cuts in order to balance its budget for the next financial year.
Newark and Sherwood District Council
Newark and Sherwood residents will pay an extra 2.99 per cent from April, with Band A homes paying just under £130 per year.
The Conservative opposition argued in favour of 1.94 per cent increase, paid for by cuts to culture programmes, but was outvoted by the administration of Labour, Liberal Democrats and Independents.
Rushcliffe Borough Council
The Conservative-run authority in Rushcliffe opted for the lowest council tax raise in the county with 2.55 per cent, with Band A properties paying £105 a year.
The council noted it was in the unusual position of being debt-free, meaning interest rises which squeezed other authorities didn’t affect it.
Nottinghamshire Police
Residents in Band A will pay a total of £188 towards funding Nottinghamshire Police after a 4.8 per cent rise was agreed.
Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry (Con) said the public would be willing to pay more to keep the force well funded.
Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service
Residents in Band A will pay £61 to fund the county’s fire and rescue services over the next year.
The Combined Fire Authority, which sets the service’s budget and strategy, said it was in a better financial position than last year but there were still risks ahead.
