Leaders hope rise in council tax is kept low
COUNCIL leaders in the Black Country say they want to keep council tax as low as possible after authorities were given the green light to impose bigger increases.
However they warmed they are not yet in a position to confirm how much bills will go up by.
Councils will now be able to increase bills by 5 per cent following changes announced by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt during the Autumn Statement.
It is expected that most local authorities across the country will raise bills by the maximum amount, despite the cost of living crisis.
There are fears about the impact of such a rise on the worst-off households already struggling to cope with increasing living costs.
Walsall Council leader Mike Bird said: “We are still trying to balance the budget. At this point in time I would like to keep council tax as low as it has been, 1.99%.
“I think it’s wrong that we as local councils are having to pay for the problems we have got in Westminster. We need a five-year (funding) settlement. If we had that stability it would give us the opportunity to be flexible.”
Patrick Harley, the leader of Dudley Council, said: “We have got to go through everything line by line to deliver a balanced budget. I’m confident we will. We’re probably in a better place than most. It’s very difficult to plan a budget when you don’t know what the
final settlement is going to be.”
Wolverhampton City Council leader Ian Brookfield told us: “Until we know what the colour of the money is, we won’t make an announcement.
“I would hope to be able to keep it as low as possible but with some Government finances about to be cut, I imagine that’s going to be difficult for all councils.”