Shropshire Star

Council tax bills to rise by 3.99 per cent in Shropshire

Shropshire councillors are expected to approve a 3.99 per cent increase in council tax.

Published
Last updated

Shropshire Council has been recommended to agree the rise when the full council meets next week, which will see the average Band D home paying an extra £53.27 over the year as the authority aims to balance the books.

The rise was predicted last month by James Walton, director of finance, and is made up of a 2.99 per cent rise for services, with an extra one per cent on top for adult social care provision.

The authority’s adult social care bill is rising by £8 million a year, Mr Walton said.

The West Mercia Police precept will rise by 9.94 per cent, while Shropshire & Wrekin Fire Authority will increase its precept by 2.99 per cent.

It means the average Band D bill will be £1,388.23 for the coming year.

Mr Walton said: “Council is expected to agree a net budget of £213.839m.

“This would result in an average council tax rise for its own purposes, for 2019/20, of 3.99 per cent.

“In setting this increase, Shropshire Council has used the increase in the council tax referendum principle from two per cent to three per cent for 2019/20 and consequently set an increase of 2.99 per cent.”

Demand

With the government settlement for next year still uncertain, £25 million is being put aside to manage the budget next year, and up to £6m of reserves will be used this year to balance the budget.

Mr Walton added: “We are trying to deliver services in the best way we can to meet demand, but we are up against it with the cost pressures and the reduction we get in funding.

“Adult social care costs are rising by £8m each year and children’s services are rising steeply as well.

“You can’t keep using reserves as a long-term solution so we have already put £25m aside to help us manage the budget over the next two years."

The full council is expected to approve the rise at a meeting next Thursday at Shirehall.

Across the border in Powys, a fiery meeting on Thursday ended with councillors voting down the authority's proposed 9.5 per cent increase.

It would have equated to a band D property rise of £112.97, on top of community and town council tax, and the police precept.

The budget, which also contained £11 million worth of cuts, was voted down by one vote.