‘Not right to pass 5% Council Tax rise on to people hit by pandemic’
COUNCILLORS CALL FOR CITY INCREASE TO BE PEGGED AT 2%
ONE of Derby’s political groups will be making a last-ditch attempt to cut the proposed Council Tax increase payable from April.
There is a proposal to up the tax by 4.99% – any more and the council would have to put the move to voters.
But the Reform Party – formerly the Brexit Party – says this is too much for families struggling due to the pandemic.
It will produce an amendment at Wednesday’s budget-setting full council meeting.
Derby City Council cabinet previously has already agreed a net budget requirement of £256 million to run the authority for 2021-22 and proposed increasing Council Tax by 4.99% - 2% of which will pay for the spiralling costs of children’s social services - compared to a rise of 3.99% in 2020-21.
This is expected to raise about £107 million from Council Tax in the city. The rest of the money will come from Government grants and income from sources such as council house rents and parking charges.
But Reform Derby wants an amendment, to increase council tax by a reduced amount of 1.99% for 2021-2022, to be debated ahead of the final vote this evening.
Reform Derby group leader Councillor Alan Graves said: “The pandemic has hit Derby hard, with 35% of the city’s workforce furloughed and 22% of children living in low income households.
“It is not right to pass on the full 4.99% Council Tax increase at this time and the council must cut its cloth and reduce its budget requirement to increase council tax by no more than 1.99%.
“Within the budget are a number of contingencies, estimates and placeholders linked to the ongoing impact of Covid in 2021-2022 with no identified commitments at the current time.
“These should be reduced to reduce the council tax increase required. The council should manage any emergent pressures through robust financial management in the year and not through passing this on through a council tax increase to the residents of Derby.”
Under the current proposed increase of 4.99%, band A properties, which are among the most common in Derby, will see an increase of £60.05, compared to £46.08 last year, and will pay £1,245.35.
This includes the funding that goes to Derbyshire police and fire service.
The city council portion of Derby Council Tax pays for planning, transport, highways, libraries, leisure and recreation, rubbish collection and disposal, environmental health and trading standards. Reform Derby has not published what funding would be raised if the Council Tax increase was reduced and where it would reduce spending.
A Derby City Council spokesman said: “The amendment from Reform Derby will recommend the reduction. This will be discussed at council on Wednesday. It would not be appropriate to comment on the potential amendment until discussed by council.”
Other group leaders had a number of things to say about the sharp rise in council tax.
Councillor Baggy Shanker, leader of the city’s Labour group, said: “My view is that as the Government is saying it will do whatever is necessary to help councils and communities through the pandemic, then there should be no increase for local residents this year and that the Government should as a one-off pay councils for this year’s increase.”
Councillor Ruth Skelton, leader of the city’s Lib Dem group, said: “Back last spring, the Government told councils that they should do what ever it takes to deal with the Covid situation and it would reimburse that spending.
“That promise has not been honoured. The city council is out of pocket by this. Also the pandemic is not over. New variants are the next battle. The council also needs to make sure it has enough reserves to meet unexpected expenditure.
“A total of 2% of the rise is going directly to adult social care. Again, central government underfunds this, and instead of sorting out the funding of this service properly at a national level, tells councils to raise the money on council tax.”
Today’s meeting will take place virtually on YouTube from 6pm.
DERBYSHIRE Police say it is an ongoing, operational challenge to actually witness and evidence the behaviour as it occurs, and also to identify perpetrators due to the lane’s geography and due to the complexity of the land ownership.
“The lane is accessible by vehicles and the vast areas of private land are not fenced off. It is clear from photographs of damage that the lane is used to access the private land. However, unauthorised use such as this is a civil matter of trespass and therefore the responsibility of the owners to effectively secure their land and take appropriate action.
“In addition, road-legal vehicles, for example 4x4s, or motorbikes using the lane, but not witnessed behaving antisocially are committing no offence.
“Police continue to respond to incidents reported including trying to identify and then take enforcement action against perpetrators. However, the land ownership and ability for the public to access the lane with vehicles continues to hamper actions (which is a core reason for bringing in the public space protection order).
“Operationally this type of antisocial behaviour is notoriously difficult and can be high risk for officer safety when on foot and trying to talk or apprehend individuals on motorised vehicles. This can often require more specialist teams who are in high demand.”