By Andrew Topping, Local Democracy Reporter
Nottinghamshire County Council will increase council tax bills by four per cent after the Conservative-led authority’s proposals were approved by councillors.
The move comes despite both major opposition parties tabling amendments attempting to bring the figure down by one per cent as councillors met to approve the authority’s budget on Thursday (February 24).
The decision means residents living in band A homes will pay the authority £42.16 more from April than in the current financial year. For residents in band D homes, this figure is £63.24.
Three-quarters will be used to support longstanding issues in the social care sector, with the remaining one per cent to be used for day-to-day services.
The authority has outlined plans to pump some of its takings from the council tax rise into its plan to repair the county’s roads, with ‘patching gangs’ to double from four to eight to implement last year’s highways review.
This will come from a £15 million pot being given to the transport and environment committee, which will also help to address the authority’s declaration of a ‘climate emergency’ last year.
Both Labour and the Independent Alliance proposed scrapping the standard council tax rise of one per cent in favour of using reserves, but the Conservatives said they could not support the suggestion.
Councillor Richard Jackson (Con), chairman of the finance committee, told the chamber: “We don’t think that is either prudent or sustainable.
“What it actually means is that, over four years, we’d need to find an additional £16 million worth of savings and reductions.
“We’re not prepared to do that, we think it would be irresponsible.”
Presenting the budget, he added: “We believe we should do everything we can to mitigate the rising cost of living on residents, and therefore we have carefully considered the impact when determining this budget.
“In doing so, we’ve had to remain realistic and responsible.”
Labour’s amendment also called for £1 million to fund one community liaison officer for each district and borough in the county, employed over the next two years to provide “advice and support” to struggling families.
And the group called for £5 million to improve wages for adult social care staff and bring hourly rates up to “at least £10 an hour at the earliest opportunity”.
All proposals were voted down by the Conservatives.
In presenting the amendment, Cllr Jim Creamer, who represents Carlton West, said it was the “morally right thing to do”.
He added: “Our budget amendment is a moral one, but it’s also a practical one. We’re simply looking out across the county and seeing there will be people struggling.
“The motivation for all this is that people are on a cliff-edge, and if this council continued as it intends, this may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.”
Cllr Kate Foale, leader of the Labour group, expressed her disappointment after the amendments were not accepted.
A separate amendment tabled by the Independent Alliance also called for the one per cent tax rise to be reversed and compensated by reserves.
But the group also called for the £15 million roads investment to be “turbocharged” by scrapping the planned new £15.7 million office building at Top Wighay Farm near Linby.
Their proposal included doubling the additional road funding by using the Top Wighay savings to spend £2.1 million extra in each district and borough area, specifically for road repairs.
Cllr Lee Waters (Ash Ind) tabled the Independent Alliance’s motion and described the Top Wighay plans as “unnecessary” given the authority’s new hybrid working strategy.
He added: “I ask you to make a choice: reduce the council tax rise and turbocharge fixing our broken roads and pavements; or continue building something our own documents say we don’t need.”
Both amendments were voted down, while the council tax rise was approved as part of the wider budget by a margin of 34 votes to 26.
It means the average band A property will pay the authority £1,096.06 from April, with band D homes to pay the council £1,644.09.
This does not include precepts from district and borough councils, the police and crime commissioner or the fire authority.
Commissioner Caroline Henry’s bills are increasing by £9.99 for band D and £6.66 for band A, with residents in those properties paying her £254.25 and £169.50 respectively from April.
The Fire Authority is expected to approve its 1.95 per cent rise on Friday (February 25), hitting band D homes with a £1.62 rise and band A homes with an increase of £1.08.
It would take the fire authority’s band D collection to £84.57, with band A homes to pay £56.38.
In total, Nottinghamshire countywide payments will be £1,321.94 for band A and £1,982.91 for band D. Precepts for district and borough councils vary depending on each authority’s plans.
All residents in bands A to D will, however, get £150 off their council tax bills from April after the Government announced a rebate to tackle the cost of living crisis.
Around 90 per cent or 330,000 homes in the county will benefit from the rebate.
