Rotherham Council tax increase of 4.5 per cent approved by cabinet

This would mean residents in a Band D property will pay an extra £72.66 per year, bringing their annual council tax bill to £1,687.24.

The rise will raise an extra £120.6m to help RMBC pay for ‘valuable frontline services, particularly services for vulnerable children and adults at a time when demand for these services continues to increase’.

RMBC’s 2022/23 budget proposal states that the council has had to make more than £200m in savings, due to the impact of austerity measures, and ‘the impact of the 10 years of significant reductions in Government funding that followed’.

This, combined with additional expenditure and lost income caused by the Covid pandemic, has led to RMBC proposing to raise council tax to cover its services.

Rotherham Council’s cabinet is asked to recommend an increase of 1.5 per cent in basic council tax, plus an increase of three per cent for the Adult Social Care precept.

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Councillor Sarah Allen, who chaired today’s cabinet meeting in place of leader Councillor Chris Read, who had Covid, said: “We’re anticipating that the cost of simply continuing to provide the same level of Adult Social Care next year will cost us an extra £11 million which is more than all the additional government funding we were granted in the settlement, and that’s why we’re having to increase the Adult Social Care levy again for the coming year.

Councillor Saghir Alam, cabinet member for corporate services, community safety and finance said the council had focused on ‘putting our residents first’ in this year’s budget.

“The financial pressures faced by local authorities are largely a result of previous reductions to government funding, increased demand on social care services as a result of frowing population, market cost pressures within the provision of social care, and impact on inflation.

“These challenges mean that the council must be responsible in its budget setting approach, prioritising investment and saving proposals that best contribute to cost priorities as identified within the council plan to meet the needs of residents and ensure this value is demonstrated across the breadth of council services.

“We are investing in job opportunities for young people, promoting community safety initiatives, promoting digital inclusion for our residents ensuring we are not leaving behind our most disadvantaged groups, and working towards reducing inequality and promoting social justice.

“Despite government cuts, despite underfunding of local government, this is truly a positive budget supporting our residents.”

Councillor Allen added: “I think it’s really important that we remember that these proposals are coming off the back of 12 years of austerity…..12 years of cuts to council budgets, and Rotherham needing to make £200 million of savings in that time.

“Now we’re in the midst of a period of uncertainty, of inflation, National Insurance increases, we’ve got Covid and a one year settlement.

“And this means that our costs are going up and its made it more difficult to plan.”

The budget report was approved by cabinet, and will now be considered by full council at their next meeting.