Herefordshire Council councillors have voted to approve the 2022/23 budget and increase Council Tax by 2.99% (inclusive of 1% adult social care precept), with the council confirming that savings of £2.6 million are required and the increase in council tax would help to deliver a balanced budget.
In total, 27 councillors voted to support the budget proposal and increase the Council Tax, 20 councillors voted against the budget plans and wished to freeze council tax and one abstained from voting.
The increase will see Council Tax for Band D households increasing from £1,652.30 to £1,701.70.
The total increase is likely to be even higher due to the Police and Fire precept.
We’ll have a FULL budget update shortly.
A statement from the Hereford Coalition yesterday said:
Social Care in Herefordshire will be one of the services under scrutiny during the Herefordshire Council budget meeting on Friday as councillors debate a 1% rise to support social care provided to the more vulnerable in our communities.
Coun Liz Harvey said: ‘These are extremely difficult times and we are in the dreadful position of having to make challenging decisions about how we fund basic services at a time when households are facing multiple difficulties.’
Coun Harvey, an Independent from Herefordshire Coalition, said that since 2010 funding from central government to local government had decreased so significantly that there was nothing left to shave from basic services in the council. She said in real terms the loss per year equated to £100 million.
‘This is not a disaster of our making. We are having to provide the same services with less money at a time when inflation is already at 5.4% – and rising. Services are under huge pressure, particularly in the adult social care where the vast majority of our money is spent, looking after people who are most vulnerable.’
The Coalition will argue that an extra 1% of council tax, added on to support social care, will make a significant difference to the most vulnerable in our communities. Coun Harvey said: ‘Those who were able will surely willingly pay an extra 30p in the week supporting those around us who were less able. Isn’t that how society should be run? Separately, the budget has tripled grants to allow support for those who are struggling to pay their council tax – to ensure that they get the support they need to get back on their feet.’
The budget has also allowed for the development of Talk Community hubs throughout the county to help advise people on how to access support and services, so far 40 hubs have been created in Herefordshire. These hubs are key to helping residents access support when they most need it.’ Said Coun Pauline Crockett whose responsibilities include Adult Social Care.
Despite inflation running at 5.4% the total council tax rise being proposed is 2.99%, including the 1% for adult social care. Some in the council will argue that the 1% be plugged by reserves or even that we don’t raise council tax at all, but Coun Harvey said she said recent years had taught the importance of reserves for unforeseen circumstances such as flooding, pandemics and social care crises. ‘If we don’t keep up with inflation we will fall behind in all sorts of services and the consequences will be disastrous for Herefordshire.’
More soon.
