Council tax to rise by 4.99% with investment in adult care and children's services

February 24, 2023

The council’s budget for 2023/24 has been approved.

The agreed budget includes a range of revenue investments, most notably over £7m into adult social care and £2.5m into children's services, along with an overall capital investment programme of £169m for a range of important projects.

This includes new investment of £1m for playground refurbishment, £1m for sea wall refurbishment and access improvements, continued investment into the council’s road and pavements programme, £17m investment into create more council housing and £1.5m towards tackling climate challenge.

Council tax will rise by 4.99%, made up of 2.99% for general use and a further 2% which will be used to deal with the ongoing pressures and demand in adult social care. The rise of £1.32 a week for a Band C home (99p for Band A, £1.16 for Band B and £1.49 for Band D).

Proposals to adjust the dimming schedule of streetlights were withdrawn prior to 14 February cabinet along with other amendments.

Cllr Stephen George, leader of the council, says: “This has been the toughest budget setting process for a decade and the scale of challenge that local councils face is huge.

“However, we have approved a robust, sustainable, and balanced budget that protects services for the most vulnerable and continues to invest in our wonderful city where it is appropriate and prudent to do so.

“Whilst the budget proposes savings in many areas, we are protecting and investing in services for the vulnerable and maintaining universal services that all our residents value and rely on.

“This includes significant revenue investment of over £10m into both children’s and adult services and retaining an ambitious but realistic capital investment programme that will see £169m invested into key projects over the next five years.”