By Jamie Waller, Local Democracy Reporter
Council tax charged by Newark and Sherwood District Council is likely to rise by 2.99 per cent per year from April.
Homes in the lowest value Bands A to C – which make up nearly three quarters of the district’s properties – would see an increase of less than £5.66 per year.
A 2.99 per cent rise is the highest increase a local council can impose on households.
Leaders said the authority’s budget was under pressure from inflation and recent flooding, which is estimated to have cost the council up to £1m in the last few months.
The council has applied to the Government for the cost of its emergency response to be reimbursed.
Councillor Paul Peacock (Labour), the council leader, said: “Nobody comes into politics to put council tax up, but we’re in a difficult financial position.
“The fact we’re able to provide a budget which doesn’t cut services for a 2.99 per cent rise while inflation has gone through the roof is testament to the council’s work.
“We are in a fortunate position compared to a lot of councils.”
Councillor Paul Taylor (Labour), the Portfolio Holder for Public Protection, said recent flooding caused by Storm Henk and others had also taken a toll on the council’s resources.
“We’ve carried costs of £500,000 to £1m on staffing and other flooding costs over the last 12 months,” he said.
“The taxpayer can’t afford to be carrying that regularly.”
Newark & Sherwood District Council has applied for the of the emergency response to be reimbursed under the government’s Bellwin scheme.
This covers local council’s costs for up to four weeks after disasters such as floods, fires and bombings.
However, it doesn’t include recovery work following this period, such as rebuilding or issuing grants to people affected by the floods.
Councillor Taylor added many councils across the country were making cuts in order to balance their budgets.
“We’re still managing to come in on budget and not slash services. I think we’ve done remarkably well to be able to do that,” he said.
Full council are set to give the budget and council tax level final approval at a meeting on Thursday, March 7.
