Fury as council taxpayers face footing £6million bill

THE ruling group leader on Calderdale Council has attacked the Government for placing the burden of increased local authority spending on council taxpayers rather than providing increased funding it needs directly.

Speaking ahead of a meeting of the Council’s Cabinet where budget proposals will be tabled, Labour group leader Clr Tim Swift says the vast majority of any spending power will be funded by local residents rather than Whitehall, totalling around £6million.

Assuming the council’s budget includes increases Government is allowing councils to levy, council tax payers in the borough will face a rise of five per cent in what they pay, 3pc of which will be ring-fenced to combat rising social care costs - services the council has to provide legally.

Nationally, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was pressing the case for councils to be provided more money by Government which he said should rethink loading the cost of extra spending on council tax payers locally.

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson argued in response that Council Tax plays an important role in helping fund frontline services needed to respond to the pandemic.

They said: “Our approach strikes a balance between allowing local authorities to address service pressures and ensuring local residents have the final say on excessive increases.”

But Clr Swift says fresh analysis of the Local Government Financial Settlement announced late last year meant the Conservatives were imposing what amounted to a £2 billion ‘council tax bombshell’ across the country and were not proving enough money to cover losses by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Clr Swift, who is Calderdale Council leader, said: “Pay more, get less – that’s a real kick in the teeth for the people of Calderdale.

“This Government can apparently afford billions in public money for their friends who have got rich off the back of Covid-19, yet when it comes to Calderdale and places like us, they tell us the cupboard is bare.

“Instead of giving us the support we need, they are forcing cuts to local services like social care and smashing residents with a £6m council tax hike for the privilege.

“All we want in Calderdale is our fair share. The Conservatives promised to stand behind our community in tackling Covid-19 – £27.7m already – but now they are nowhere to be seen, leaving us with a giant black hole.

“Once again the Conservatives have shown the people of Calderdale what their priorities really are – and it’s not us.”

Clr Swift added coronavirus alone had cost the Council an additional £27.7m in 2020 but the funding settlement increased its spending power by under £8m, most of the cost being met by council taxpayers.