Bradford set council tax for the current year @ 4.99%.
Council tax rise set at 4.99%. The Conservatives proposed a 3.99% increase.
The Conservative & Queensbury Independent Group on Bradford Council have described the Labour Council’s Budget as needlessly harsh on Council Taxpayers.
Councillor Mike Pollard, the Conservative & Queensbury Independent Group Finance & Projects spokesman said, “My colleagues and I have been complaining about the Council’s management of its finances for many years now, particularly since it failed to invest in Children’s Social Services, which caused the service to have to be provided by a Trust whilst also destroying the Council’s finances. This latest budget leaves us with no alternative but to be critical once again.
The mismanagement of the Council’s finances necessitated the Council getting permission from the government to borrow vast sums of money and sell the family silver to pay for day-to-day costs, as it was impossible to do so from income. To get this permission, the Council had to show that it was maximising income, so the cost of services and car parking charges were hiked and Council Tax increased by as much as 9.99% in a year.
Now the Council Tax is going up by a further 4.99% when Council Taxpayers have already been hit hard during an ongoing cost of living crisis, with the possibility of a recession on the horizon. My colleagues and I proposed an increase of 3.99% across the board, which might not sound like much of a saving for Council Taxpayers, but every little counts at this moment in time.
It seems unfair that priority should be given to increasing the discount for people already receiving Council Tax discounts of a Band A equivalent 70% by 2.5%, rather than a 1% lower increase for everyone. People struggling to pay the full amount deserve assistance just as much as people who only pay as little as 30% of their Council Tax; it is simply unfair.
Our proposal also included half an hour’s free parking in non-City Centre areas and an additional much needed car park at Squire Lane, serving BRI and doubling the additional funding for Youth Services proposed by the Labour Council. The free car parking measures would help residents and retailers alike; the Youth Service uplift is much needed at a time when young people are finding it increasingly difficult to find work and additional car parking spaces for visitors to BRI would be very much appreciated by everyone who ever needs to visit there, as finding a space is a challenge that can take some time and patience.
Whilst the Labour Group have said that the Government would not approve of our proposals and they would undermine government confidence in the Council’s recovery plans, we doubt it, as our proposals include the need for less of the Council’s income to be funded by Exceptional Financial Support, which, it must be remembered, isn’t really ‘Support’ at all – it’s merely permission for the Council to borrow enormous sums with those borrowings having to be paid back over just 20 years – it’s not like borrowing for long term assets, it’s the equivalent of paying for a relatively short term and hence expensive ‘mortgage’, but without the benefit of a house at the end of the term. Our proposals were more than fully costed.”
If there’s one point in the Conservative amendment that needs to be reinforced, its Youth Services.
- Level up the playing field across the district by restoring Youth service provision in Shipley and Keighley at an additional cost of £120,000.
- We then seek to add a further £200,000 to the Youth Service pot and share the total £500,000 equally across 5 parliamentary districts.
This is something which should resonate with all councillors. Councillors need note that the leader of the council often states that “Youth is our future.”
So why the big fuss about youth?
In Wharfedale, we’re about to close the only Youth Service group this March due to changes in funding (correct at time of going to press).
The group meets weekly and serves between 30 – 40 under 18’s in each session. It’s a very successful youth group, but a lack of funding coupled with cost of living and current global uncertainties means that funding will be even more difficult, if not impossible to find at this moment in time.
If this is happening in Wharfedale, then it’s more than likely to affect other areas of the district.
The question this raises is should we be looking at increasing Youth service funding as part of the budget process, as the Conservative amendment notes. It should also be noted that this isn’t a one off 4.99% increase. According to council reports a 4.99% increase is planned until at least 2028/29.
We have seen a 9.99% increase last year a 4.99% increase this year, and expect this to carry on until 2028/29. But remember, the compounding effect of charges, over the period 2025 – 2028 council tax will rise by 25% but compounding interest means that the actual rise is 27.3% far higher than inflationary targets, at the same time there are significant cuts to services in the pipeline.