City residents face 4.99pc rise in council tax after budget debate
LEEDS CITY Council approved a council tax increase of 4.99 per cent at its annual budget making meeting last night – as other local authorities in Yorkshire also finalised their rates thresholds for the coming year.
In a four-hour debate at Leeds Civic Hall, which was dominated by party politics, council leader Judith Blake reflected on “an extraordinarily difficult year” for the city’s finances and warned: “It is not going to get easier.”
In her hour-long budget speech, Coun Blake said that “despite the challenges facing us, our great city of Leeds has flourished, bucking national trends working to deliver a strong economy in a compassionate city”.
In a wide ranging speech, she emphasised the need for devolution powers for Yorkshire – and hit out repeatedly at Tory Government austerity.
However Councillor Andrew Carter, leader of the biggest opposition Conservative group, criticised Coun Blake’s budget speech, claiming that “any Government Minister listening to what you have to say will take some persuading that Leeds is a pragmatic, forward looking local authority that wants to work in partnership.”
Meanwhile North Yorkshire County Council also rubberstamped its budget last night, and delivered a similar 4.99 per cent council tax rise.
Councillor Carl Les, leader of the County Council, said: “We reluctantly have recommended increasing council tax by 4.99 per cent. At the same time, we have identified further savings of £30m over the next four years, which leaves a recurring shortfall of £11m to be found. Therefore, we will need to find further savings as we seek to address reductions in government funding and growing demand for our services to the most vulnerable.”
Richmondshire District councillors will also be finalising their 2018/2019 budget on February 27.
The authority looks set to raise its council tax level by 2.42 per cent – which matches the 2017 rise and is lower than the 2.99 per cent maximum rise that councils can impose without triggering a referendum.