An almost two per cent rise in Cumbria County Council’s share of the council tax is on the cards because of the impact of coronavirus.
Deputy leader of the Cumbria County Council Peter Thornton said the increase is needed to protect frontline services after COVID-19 put extra pressure on resources.
The council has launched a consultation on the proposal, after Boris Johnson’s government announced it would not set an autumn budget.
They also say that because chancellor Rishi Sunak is conducting a one-year Spending Review for 2021-22, which will be published on 25th November, Cumbria County Council, alongside all others, will be unclear about any future financial settlement, making forward planning very difficult.
A spokesman for the council said: “With no budget announcement from government we project the assumption that Cumbria County Council will have an additional £17m of savings to find in the coming year to achieve a balanced budget.”
Mr Thornton said: “The proposal to increase council tax by 1.99 per cent is a difficult one to make but this increase will raise £5m to invest into essential council services and it will help us deliver the legal requirement of a balanced budget.
“We have worked hard to keep this proposed increase as low as is possible and it is just £2.39 a month on a Band D property.
“The money it generates will help us to provide essential services to those who need us most.
”Band A properties would see an increase of 37p per week or £19.11 per annum, Band D properties would rise by 55p per week or £28.67 per annum, and Band H — the most expensive — would rise by £1.10 per week or £57.34 per annum.
The consultation document is now available at cumbria.gov.uk/budgetconsultation
It will run until 4th January next year.
Recommendations will be discussed at a meeting in February 2021 alongside the authority’s budget and medium term financial plan.
