Talks over plans to increase council tax in by almost 4%
Plans to raise council tax for Sunderland residents by almost 4% – a move which could raise almost £100million – will be discussed next week.
An increase of 3.99% is being proposed by the authority, a proposal which was first outlined in November as part of council budget planning.
It is now tabled and will be formalised at next week’s City Council Cabinet meeting at Sunderland Civic Centre on Wednesday.
The rise would be an increase of 70p a week for the majority of households in Sunderland who are in a Band A property. For a Band D property it is £1.04 per week.
Council tax for 2019/2020 is due to raise 15p in every pound of the council’s income as the majority of its spending is grants from Central Government.
This year’s 3.99% council tax increase is expected to raise £99.6m towards a budget of £651.4million.
One percent of the increase is the adult social care precept that goes towards funding services such as help with eating, washing, dressing or domestic routines such as cleaning and going to the shops.
Councillor Paul Stewart, the council’s cabinet secretary, said: “While we re-shape and review services wherever possible, and look to longerterm investments which can help increase our wealth and health, the council cannot do everything that it used to do.”
A final decision on the council tax will be made at the council’s budget meeting on Wednesday, March 6.