City residents in Nottingham will be paying an extra 1.95% in council tax after the city council approved its latest budget.
The tax rise was set at a meeting of the authority’s full council as part of a budget that will see it make £27million of savings in the next year.
Nottingham residents that have their council tax set by Nottingham City Council will see their contributions to the authority increase from next month.
The tax on an average Band D property will be £1,459.67 for the year.
Services that care for the elderly and vulnerable will also be affected by the cuts, while an increase in the cost of pupils’ meals at schools in the city is also part of the cost-cutting plans.
Funding cuts
Commenting on the latest budget, the council’s deputy leader Councillor Graham Chapman hit out at central government for reducing the authority’s funding, leaving them with little choice but to make budget cuts.
“Government funding for the council has been cut by another £29m this year and on top of this we are having to meet significant additional costs for things like supporting vulnerable children, the elderly and the cost of inflation.
“To help balance our budget we have agreed £25million in savings and to raise Council Tax by 1.95%.”
Cllr Chapman also criticised central government for hitting places in the north and midlands harder than ‘more affluent’ places in the south and south-east.
“Despite this unfairness, we have managed so far to protect many frontline services and minimise the impacts felt by our communities.
“However, this cannot last as the Government demands even more cuts from councils which have already borne the brunt of their austerity measures.”
