Eye-watering council tax increases

Cheshire East Council has applied to the government for permission to increase council tax by 9.99% this year.

An increase of more than 4.99% would have required the support of local residents, via a referendum, but as Cheshire East is under special measures, i.e. in receipt of exceptional financial support from central government, it’s able to get government permission to raise this limit.

If permission is given, the increase would still have to be agreed at next month’s meeting of the full council which is when the budget is set – and voted on by all councillors – but as the council is hanging on the verge of bankruptcy that’s a slam dunk.

A number of Conservative councillors have already indicated they would opposed the increase.

Conservative, Cllr Chris O’Leary said: “On Friday, this council submitted a request to the government to be allowed to have an excessive increase in council tax of 9.99 per cent for next year.”

Cllr O’Leary asked if the Labour and independent administration at Cheshire East Council would undertake an impact assessment on the proposed increase to establish the impact it would have on children in low income households.

Labour councillor, Cllr Carol Bulman responded: “It isn’t a done deal yet, of course, it’s a request.

“I would say that those in Band D properties who can afford to pay extra, should at this moment in time. People in lower bands… it will be two or three pounds a week.

“Yes, that’s a child’s school dinner money, it’s all relevant, it’s all significant in these hard times.”

She said Cheshire East offered a “very generous” means-tested council tax relief scheme for those who were struggling.

Cllr Sarah-Bennett-Wake (Labour) added: “We’re here to look after children, and that’s our statutory duty. For me, it’s a moral duty as well.”

She said costs were rising and children’s care had to be funded.

Cllr Bennett-Wake also pointed to a report from council officers which indicated that if the authority had not frozen council tax under the Conservative administration between 2011/12 and 2015 it would have raised an extra £120m.

She added: “The issue here is there’s people who can pay won’t pay and there’s people who can’t pay will get assistance for that…

“But up to Band D it’s less than the price of a cup of coffee.”

Cllr O’Leary said the reason the Tories were able to freeze council tax was that it had been increased significantly by Labour between 1997 and 2010.

He added: “The message we’re getting today that if you live in a band D property, you should be able to afford an extra £15 a month, and you shouldn’t worry about that. You should just cough it up and pay for it.”

Most of Macclesfield’s terraced properties probably fall in Band C – which currently runs to just shy of £2,000 a year when including the fire, police, town and parish precepts.

Last year Macclesfield Town Council hiked its precept by 24%. The police precept went up by ‘just’ 5% but that means you’re currently paying a whopping £233.72 a year (Band D £262.94) – a figure which the police are looking to increase yet again.

Cheshire Police are currently seeking even more of your money – you can have a say HERE.