Staffordshire Residents to See Nearly Five Percent Council Tax Increase

The Staffordshire County Council is proposing a 4.99% tax increase for residents, effective next year. This proposed rise would mean an additional £77 for a Band D property and is intended to assist the council in balancing its budget. Council leaders asserted that “good financial management” had placed the authority in a more favorable financial state compared to numerous other councils. However, they also noted the necessity of identifying over £18 million in savings. Among the suggested efficiency measures are a £2 million reduction in expenditure on children’s care placements and a re-evaluation of extra care funding, projected to yield £360,000 in savings for the upcoming year. The council’s preliminary budget for the 2025/26 fiscal year, which incorporates the proposed council tax hike, is slated for public consultation prior to its final decision in February. Councillor Ian Parry, who serves as the cabinet member for finance and resources, stated that the council’s “stable” financial standing enables continued investment in country parks and libraries, alongside allocating £45 million for highways over a three-year period. He commented, “In a time when virtually no councils have done this, we’ve found headroom to invest in supporting communities and people’s quality of life.” He further added, “It’s not just all about the mundane council services, it’s about trying to support our residents with things that add to the quality of life.” This proposed council tax increase, which represents the highest permissible without requiring a referendum, will incorporate a 2% social care precept. Currently, over two-thirds of the authority’s expenditures are directed towards vulnerable children and adults. Mr. Parry also mentioned that the council’s leadership is “very much aware” of how the tax increase will affect residents’ finances. Nevertheless, he highlighted that Staffordshire maintains one of the lowest council tax rates among all shire counties. He stated, “We are one of the lowest and always have been. We strive to keep it as low as possible.” To balance the budget for 2025/26, nearly £10 million will need to be drawn from general reserves, in addition to almost £7 million from health and care reserves. However, council officials cautioned that this approach would not be viable past 2028/29, anticipating “significant” budget deficits in subsequent years. The council’s senior management is scheduled to deliberate on these budget proposals during their meeting on 11 December. This report was compiled by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, an entity that covers local government bodies and other public service organizations. For updates, follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.