Tax hike set out by Halton for 2021
HALTON residents face another rise in council tax this year as the local authority deals with the impact of Covid and an ongoing squeeze on its budget.
The council is proposing to increase tax by 4.99%, the maximum amount allowed and the ninth year in a row that council tax will have risen in the borough.
The proposal would see residents of Band A properties, who account for around half Halton’s population, pay an extra £49 a year to Halton Council.
When a proposed rise in Cheshire Police’s share of council tax is added in, most Halton residents will see their bill rise to more than £100 a month. This will mean that council tax has risen almost 40% in the last decade.
At the same time, the council has actually seen its spending power fall by 16% thanks to cuts in government grants that have left the borough struggling to make ends meet.
This year is set to bring yet more cuts, with the council expecting to make £1.4m of savings mostly through changes to its education, children and social care departments.
These will include a reduction in the budget for new library books of more than 10% and removing entirely the budget for area forums to support community projects for a year.
On top of this, a council report revealed that despite government support it was still £2.2m short of the full amount needed to cover the costs of the pandemic.
The report said: “The council are continuing to take measures to mitigate the impact of these pressures and bring net spending back in line with budget as far as possible.
“A review of earmarked reserves is also being undertaken to identify options which might assist with funding the overspend.”
The council is also planning to continue funding several building projects over the next year, including the new Widnes leisure centre and the redevelopment of the land around Foundry Lane.
The report also includes around £400,000 for work at Broseley House in Widnes and more than £600,000 over the next two years for Runcorn Town Park.
The council’s executive board will meet on Thursday (February 25) to discuss the proposals before they are sent to full council for approval next month.